A Tourist's Guide to Vienna, Austria

Vienna is a magnificent city whose cultural heritage is mainly musical, with famous classical composers like Mozart, Strauss, Brahms, Beethoven and Schubert all having lived and performed here. But this ancient capital of Austria is well known for many other things, most notably the Vienna Boys Choir, the prancing Lippizaner stallions, Sigmund Freud, gourmet fare and superb coffee.

Vienna, Austria is a cultural mecca with numerous world-class museums, concert halls, gothic cathedrals, opera houses, grand architecture and storybook scenery. Vienna began as a Celtic settlement on the banks of the Danube and grew to became a mighty imperial empire. For centuries, Vienna was the center of the splendid Hapsburg dynasty. Today the city remains infused with the grand imperial spirit of its past.

VIENNA WEATHER & LANGUAGE

The best times to vacation in Vienna are spring, early summer and autumn. Vienna summers are sunny and warm, with frequent thunderstorms; winters are cold and snowy. The language spoken in Vienna is German.

VIENNA ATTRACTIONS

The Imperial Palace is a magnificent, monumental structure that was the home of the Austrian Hapsburg Dynasty for 600 years. The palace now encompasses 22 museums, the president's offices, a 14th-century Augustinian church, and the world famous Spanish Riding School where the Lippizaner stallions prance. It's also where the renowned Vienna Boys Choir sings Mass every Sunday.

A must-see for art afficionados is the Kunsthistorisches Museum, one of the richest and most important museums in the world, housing the works of Rubens, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Dürer, Raphael, Titian and more. The collections include Ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman Antiquities, Medieval Art and splendid Renaissance and Baroque Collections. The museum was built in the late 1800s and features impressive renaissance architecture and an exquisite decorated ceiling.

A tour of the Schonbrunn Palace offers visitors an opportunity to view the grand assortment of Baroque and Rococo State Rooms and to admire the famous place where Mozart once performed. The vast gardens are popular with tourists and locals alike, and include a zoo, maze and labyrinth, the Privy garden, and the Gloriette with viewing terrace. During the summer, classical concerts are held here.

The Giant Wheel is one of Vienna's most recognizable attractions, located in a large wooded amusement park known as Prater. The Giant Wheel (similar to what Americans know as a ferris wheel) has 15 gondolas that offer a twenty minute panoramic view of Vienna. The Giant Wheel was built in 1897, and is the only one of its kind in the world.

If you love classical music, art, architecture, history or stately palaces, a visit to the beautiful city of Vienna, Austria will surely not disappoint you.