Austria’s capital offers a unique blend of imperial traditions and stunning modern architecture for holidays in Vienna. Visit Vienna for its cultural events, imperial sights, coffee houses, cozy wine taverns, and that very special Viennese charm.

Vienna’s history dates back to the first century AD when the Romans established their military camp, Vindobona. Today’s cityscape is characterized by the abundance of baroque buildings built during the time of Empress Maria Theresia and Emperor Franz Joseph, who were largely responsible for the monumental architecture round the Ringstraße.

Schloss Schönbrunn, the former imperial summer residence, is one of the most popular with visitors. The sumptuous palace with its beautifully tended formal gardens, the Gloriette monument, the Palm House and the zoo attract hordes of visitors every year. The huge Hofburg (Imperial Palace) was the base for the Habsburg dynasty for over six centuries, and is an impressive focus of Austrian culture and heritage.

The splendid baroque Belvedere palace today houses the Österreichische Galerie (Austrian Gallery) displaying the largest collection of works by Klimt and Kokoschka as well as famous paintings by Schiele. Vienna’s prime landmarks are the Gothic Stephansdom (St. Stephen’s Cathedral), the Giant Ferris Wheel in the Prater, Vienna’s old recreational park, plus the renowned Spanish Riding School with its world-famous Lipizzan.

Looking at Vienna

A Vienna holiday offers visitors more museums and galleries of international reputation than you can shake a stick at: Kunsthistorischen Museum with the world’s largest collection of Bruegel paintings, MuseumsQuartier with Leopold Museum (and more wonderful Schiele paintings), Museum Moderner Kunst (Museum of Modern Art), Architekturzentrum (Architectural Center) and Kunsthalle rank among the cities most important cultural venues. Albertina is home to the world’s largest collection of graphic arts and prints (60,000 drawings, 1 million prints), and Liechtenstein Museum presents selected masterpieces from the Princely Collections in Vaduz.

Vienna owes much of its international fame to the many celebrated composers who lived and worked here including Strauß, Mozart, Beethoven and Haydn. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is one the world’s best, the Staatsoper one of the world’s leading opera houses, the Vienna Boys’ Choir one the world’s most famous. In recent times, Vienna has also established its reputation as a great musical metropolis which attracts many to take a Vienna city break.

A Vienna city break also means old coffee houses and rustic wine taverns, which stand alongside modern restaurants and shops, while time-honoured events alternate with internationally acclaimed extravaganzas like the Life Ball, all of which creates a unique and very special ambiance . Another special feature of Vienna is its many green and recreational areas, such as the Wienerwald, the Prater and the Donauinsel, while hotels in Vienna range from the sophisticated five-star to the traditional family-style welcome.