A U S T R I A
V I E N N A
O V E R V I E W
The Jewel of the former Habsburg crown, Vienna is still very much awash with the central European grandeur for which it was famous before the fall of the dynasty on 11th November, 1918. Rich in classical music heritage, Vienna played home at various times to Mozart, Hayden, Beethoven, Schubert, Strauss, and Bruckner. Visiting today also reveals a remarkably vibrant and fresh city which is consistently voted one of the most liveable in the world, rich with incredible art collections, beautiful cafés and the baking for which the city is quite rightfully so well-known.
Here's what we think should form the core of your experience:
Art & Imperial History
From the stunning collections and building of the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Art History Museum) to the Klimt works on display at the Belvedere, Vienna offers access to some of the most beautiful and certainly beloved works of art in all of Europe. There is also the singular experience of the Imperial Treasury, which contains works of art and objects spanning over a thousand years, among them gemstones the size of goose eggs. And of course, as the seat of Imperial Austria, there is the Hofburg
Café Culture & Viennese Cuisine
European café culture with all its charm owes a lot to Vienna. Although not home to the first coffee house in Europe, Vienna became a hotbed following the siege of 1683, where a heroic Polish man who had notified allied forces about the desperate situation asked for sacks of abandoned coffee beans – which the Viennese thought were camel feed – as his reward. Whether he started or merely popularised coffee, the ensuing cafés became centres for the artistic, intellectual, and political movements of the 20th century, where famous figures ranging from Sigmund Freud to Marlene Dietrich famously spent time chatting and scheming. Have a coffee (a ‘kleiner schwarzer’, or single espresso is probably a good start), have a schnitzel (Wiener Schnitzel is literally translated Viennese Schnitzel, afterall), and have some fresh Buchteln sweet rolls in the evening.
And of course there is the famous Sacher Torte, the invention of which is essentially a complex story probably stemming from a Jewish recipe hotly fought over by both the Sacher Hotel, and the Demel Pastry Shop.
Music
Vienna claims that an average of 10000 people listen to live classical performances per evening in Vienna, more than any other city in the world. There is a dizzying array of offerings to choose from, not to mention the opportunity to visit the homes of famous composers. During the winter when Ball Season is in full swing in Vienna, visitors with appropriate White Tie attire can also apply for tickets to dance the Viennese Walz at many of these which are open to the public, usually themed around various professions (Lawyers, Doctors, et cetera).