Vienna, Austria
Vienna is a city rich in culture and art history, and you can stroll between Caravaggio and Rembrandt in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, or experience aristocratic life in the lavish palaces of Schönbrunn Palace and Hofburg Palace. While visiting Vienna, you'll experience a vibrant arts culture, with historic cobbled streets and tall Gothic buildings where Strauss' waltzes echo through the ages.
St. Stephen's Basilica. A huge and awe-inspiring Vienna landmark. With its colorful tiled roof and soaring spire, St. Stephen's Cathedral is one of the most beautiful Gothic buildings in the world. It is located in the center of the city. Inside, you'll easily find yourself gazing at the tall ornate nave with Baroque coverings and colorful stained glass windows.
The fairytale Hofburg Palace was once the focal point of the Habsburg rule for 600 years. The palace houses royal apartments, including Queen Elizabeth's, and its luxurious living room is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful rooms in the Hofburg Palace. The palace also has a treasure trove with sparkling rubies the size of plums.
So to speak. Schönbrunn Palace is a palatial complex surrounded by decorative gardens. A visit to this magnificent Baroque palace in Vienna gives you an insight into the life of European royalty from the 17th to the 19th centuries. Schönbrunn Palace has about 1,400 rooms, 40 of which you can see on the palace tour, and are furnished with original décor and furniture. You can also catch a glimpse of the Royal Apartments and the stunning Mural Gallery. Take some time out and stroll through the palace's large gardens lined with flower beds.
Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna is surrounded by 4 lush oases of greenery. Palmenhaus Schönbrunn is best known, having a huge late 19th-century Art Nouveau greenhouse that contains thousands of different plant species from around the world. Its steel structure is properly painted green on the outside, and huge cast iron columns designed in the shape of trees support the central part of its steel and glass structure. In addition to admiring the colorful flowers and plants, you can also enjoy a Viennese lunch in the restaurant in the garden.
The Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna is one of the most acclaimed art museums in the city and the entire country, with impressive architecture. A visit to this museum will immerse you in the revival design of the 19th century Renaissance. The exterior of the building is impressive, but you'll also find extravagant interiors with stucco and gold leaf accents. The frescoes are also popular, with an octagonal dome above the rotunda reaching a height of 60 meters. Just east of St. Ulrich's Church, see for yourself.
Vienna's "People's Garden", the Popular Garden has charming trails that take you past a series of rose gardens and manicured flower beds. Walking through the grounds, you can see more than 3,000 rose bushes from 200 different rose varieties. You'll also see some monuments dedicated to famous Viennese figures, including the Empress Elisabeth monument by Austrian sculptor Hans Bittrich. The garden is part of the Hofburg Palace in the inner city, the official residence of the Austrian presidential palace.
The Vienna State Opera is a must-visit when visiting the Austrian capital. It dates back to the 1860s, and it's still as grand as it was then. From the moment you step into its lavishly decorated frescoed entrance hall and elegant intermission, you'll find that "Go to the Opera" back then would be more exciting than "Go to the Movie" today.
The Haus des Meeres Public Aquarium is where you can take your family to see a wide variety of aquatic animals and reptiles in Vienna. Haus des Meeres has a terrarium for poisonous snakes, pythons and crocodiles. There is also a tropical sea area where huge fish tanks allow you to observe sharks, turtles and many different fish swimming around.
Schmetterling Haus (Butterfly House) is a small greenhouse in Vienna that can be a fun and educational place for families visiting the Austrian capital. You can find the Butterfly House between the Albertina Art Museum and the Castle Park in Vienna's Josefplatz.
The multicultural Leopoldstadt has Vienna's former Jewish quarter, the city's largest green space, and trendy beach bars on the edge of the Danube Canal. You'll see some streets covered with professional graffiti, while others are lined with architectural masterpieces. Notable attractions include the Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel, Karmelitermarkt Food Market and Prater Amusement Park.
Vienna's Prater is one of the most amazing and oldest amusement parks in Europe. It is home to the ReisenRad, also known as the Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel, which dates back to 1897 but has been restored and upgraded over the years. Take the whole family on the Ferris wheel for panoramic views of Vienna from a height of 65 meters. Perfect for a ride for the whole family, Pratt's rides range from the fearsome boomerang roller coaster to the slow and easy bumper cars of yesteryear.
Grabenstrasse is one of Vienna's most popular shopping streets, located in the 1st central arrondissement. Start with Kohlmarkt. All the way to the Stephansplatz U-Bahn station. The graben is a must-visit for shopaholics, with a variety of shops selling traditional Viennese goods such as porcelain dealers, court jewelers and perfume shops, as well as modern clothing stores such as H&M. The street is also great for walking and has been pedestrianized since the 1970s.
Käntennerstraße is a famous shopping street that stretches from Stephensplatz in central Vienna to Karlsplatz. It is a modern shopping street that has undergone extensive reconstruction since World War II, but you can still find vestiges of the past. There are luxury brands such as Hugo Boss, Gucci and Prada, as well as Austria's famous Swarovski flagship store.
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