The Austrian capital belongs to the five most popular destinations in European city tourism - with good reasons. Vienna's historical architecture, concentrated on the inner city and along the Ringstrasse, has been largely preserved and skillfully restored. Even the remains of a former Roman military camp dating back to the first century after christ have been rediscovered. Some churches, monasteries and historic houses go back to the time of the Babenberg dynasty. As the capital of the Habsburg empire, Vienna saw its heyday under the resigns of Maria Theresia and Francis Joseph I, Baroque palaces, the Hofburg, Schönbrunn and Belvedere palace, the manificent houses of the bourgeoisie and aristocracy give ample evidence of the splendor of these epochs.

From the turn of the century onwards life in this metropolis was determined by an immensely rich and diverse culure: Freud, Hofmannsthal, Werfel, Schnitzler, Kraus, Hoffmann, Loos, Olbrich, Wagner, Klimt, Kokoschka and Schiele are just a few renowned names from that time. As a center of musical life, Vienna had already won worldwide recognition and fame due to the works of Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Strauss father and son, Lanner, the Viennese waltz, and the golden era of the operetta. Today visit the opera, or to one of Vienna's traditional music halls, the Musikverein, or the Konzerthaus, belongs to the standard program of each music buff. Vienna disposes of excellent evening entertainment; the two most popular forms are the in-pubs and stand up bars of the so called Bermuda Triangle (one hip pub is next to the other) on the one hand, and the Heurigen, wine taverns at the foot-hills of the Vienna Woods which offer the famous Viennese wines, on the other hand. When staying in Vienna, one should not forget to drop in at the Prater amusement park, and take a ride on the Giant Ferris Wheel, for cyclists and water sports enthusiasts the Danube island offers all possibilities one can imagine, for relaxing and experiencing true Austrian hospitality the Vienna Woods are the right place.

Since the opening of East, Vienna has more than ever before become an important European hub. Numerous international organisations have their headquaters here, which is best expressed by the UN-center on the left bank of the Danube.

In case one just associates Vienna with the Spanish Riding School, the Viennas Boy's choir, and St. Stephen's, he will miss the wealth of museums and galeries, the numerous events in the course of the Vienna Festival, the balls like the Opera Ball, and the year round buzz in the Viennese cafes, pubs, restaurants and discos. The Viennese always find a reason to celebrate, and sometimes the whole city is involved in these activities.

In addition to the above mentioned sights, there are still a lot of others. Here is a brief selection: the Imperial Treasury, the imperial Burial Vaults, the Ephesos museum, the Hundertwasserhaus, the Secession, the National Libary, the Naschmarkt (street market every Saturaday morning), Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) houses, the Lainz game park, and many more.

CAFE IN VIENNA

ST. STEPHEN'S

SPANISH RIDING SCHOOL