Vienna
Unlike the rest of the world, Vienna has sealed all of its past legacy so that today, the streets of Vienna are paved with culture, art and history, while still blending tradition and evolution altogether: convention and innovation are called on the modern stage of musicals, cabarets and experimental plays, and so, the Burgtheater, the Staatsoper, the Theater an der Wien, or the Haus der Musik are just some of the arenas where music and fine arts are put to play.
Being a multicultural city, it would have been impossible for Vienna to remain truthful to one architectural style only, so that, Vienna is like a melting pot of structural designs from Classic, to Romanesque, or from Baroque to the modern Art Nouveau.
Past and present, culture and tradition, can be said to reside in Austria’s Vienna Basin, where people seem to have learned to do everything in their own Vienneselike manner, so that whenever the modern architectural construction seems experimental and cold (The Hundertwasserhaus), the Viennese counterbalance it with yet another modern, unique and warm piece of architecture (Wotrubakirche).
Branded as the ‘city of balls’, famous for its twelve bridges crossing the Danube, Vienna can be said to function like an ‘Academy of erudition, a genuine home to The Academy of Fine Arts, The Medical University, and a good many International Schools.
There will always be is some-thing that will undoubtedly remain linked to Vienna’s name forever: the 19th century Viennese season ball, an indisputable cultural attraction, when some of the unsurpassed and, by now global balls are held: The Imperial Ball, The Opera Ball, The Kaffeesiederball (Cafe Owners Ball) or The Jägerball (Hunter s Ball).
Likewise, Vienna has a many-sided artistic life and its multiculturalism has also found rich ground in the artistic and religious life, the manifestation of which has been molded into the many Viennese churches, which are genuine attractions for all sorts of tourists (Ruprechtskirche - Vienna s oldest church, or St. Stephen’s Cathedral).
Throughout the years, Vienna has already earned its worldwide reputation as a city of many musical facets: electronic DJ’s belong to the Vienna music as much as the Vienna Philharmonic or the City of Vienna Concert Orchestra.
In Vienna you can always choose from a wide choice of fifty theatres, four opera houses, two stages for musicals, one hundred museums and numerous theatre, music and dance festivals that are known to entice more than eight million tourists every year. And so, The Albertina, The Belvedere, The Leopold Museum, or the twin Kunsthistoriches Museum and Naturhistoriches Museum, The Museum of Modern Art (Museum Moderner Kunst), or the Vienna Clock Museum are just very few of the names that tourists decide upon when in the Baroque façaded Museumsquartier which is home to one of the biggest cultural districts in Europe.
Vienna’s royal past manifests itself in such chief cultural tourist attractions as the Imperial Palace (Hofburg) which is currently known to host the Schatzkammer or the Treasury where the imperial jewels of the Hapsburg dynasty are held; the Schönbrunn Palace, currently home to the world s oldest zoo, The Tiergarten Scönbrunn; or the buildings along Ringstraße.
The Naschmarkt, a popular marketplace for fruit, vegetables and spices from all over the world, is another key attraction for tourists and locals alike: it can be said to have stood the test of time and managed to preserve something of the assorted local colour.
Undeniably, there is something bewitching about Vienna and its cuisine sprinkled with cold sophisticated wines: the unique taste of the Wiener Schnitzel, the Tafelspitz, or the Schnittlauchsauce will compensate for the few extra-pounds you will remorsefully gain, while here. Indulge yourself and, should you have a craving for something sweet, let yourself absorbed by the enchanting Vienna patisseries and chocolate boutiques: you can always choose from the Apfelstrudel (hot apple strudel), the Palatschinken (sweet pancakes), or the Sachertorte, the few of the many sweet dishes that have gained worldwide reputation.
Despite the passage of time, the Viennese street stands (Würstelstand) have managed to preserve something of the ‘used to be like …’ flavour, enabling one to take a trip into ‘the long gone days’ while still strolling down the streets of now, enjoying the traditional Maroni (hot chestnuts), or tasting the potato fritters and Wiener sausages.
Vienna s most fashionable shopping area is the Mariahilfer Strasse, and, while enjoying your shopping stroll, allowing yourself to be spoiled by the luxury goods and good values at jeweler’s shops, let yourself guided by the ‘Julius Meinl’ unique coffee flavour coming from the many legendary coffeehouses and café evenings, or by the pungent aroma coming from the hotdog street stands.
As for the night-time entertainment, there are plenty of pubs, bars and restaurants, galleries and chic shops which are as much part of Vienna as are its concert halls, its large museums or its splendid buildings.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that almost one third of Vienna’s entire metropolitan area consists of protected areas, landscapes and national parks which are designated as world cultural heritage.
Tediousness and monotony do not go with Vienna and so, regardless of the weather conditions or your mood you’ll always find something fun and exhilarating to do while in Vienna. Parks, gardens, or various recreational spots are there for you to carry out all sorts of outdoor activities, such as running, skating, biking or swimming.
One of Vienna’s main concerns related to accommodation is that of providing quality housing which is still affordable and convenient. Therefore, while Vienna prides itself with an outstanding standard of living, which, judging against the other cities world-wide does not mean high rents.
Environmental considerations are just as important as architectural ones, so that, apart from providing new housing, many old buildings are also renovated: tradition is blended with innovation, luxury with elegance (e.g. Hotel Kummer, a remarkable turn-of-the-century edifice, or the Radisson SAS Palais Hotel) so that, if there is anything at all that you have to worry about, then, this is not the price of the accommodation, which is otherwise convenient, but the abundance of the offer, or the location of the hotels providing accommodation for the tourists (e.g. the central Austria Trend Hotel Ananas). The list does not stop here, consequently, you are sure to eventually find something that you find pleasing.
Transportation in Vienna is another issue that has received considerable attention, so that, while managing to preserve the cultural heritage untouched, Vienna has made great investments in a far-reaching tram and bus network to cover short distances. Long distance traffic is covered by the Wildschweintunnel ("The boar tunnel"), connecting the Western Railway to the Southern Railway. Great investments were also made in water or air transportation, so that, should you finally choose Vienna as a vacation destination, you will have to decide whether you want to land on Vienna International Airport or set foot on the shore as soon as your boat cruise has reached the Vienna harbor.
To conclude, there are countless things to be said about Vienna … and yet, so little can be said about it! Words can hardly do it justice there are as many facets of Vienna as there are tourists.
Come and visit your Vienna!
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