10 things to do in Vienna

Vienna attracts tourists with its thorough slowness, true aristocratic eccentricity, as well as real European gloss. If you want to feel like a true aristocrat, take a ride through the Viennese streets in a horse-drawn carriage. You can feel the rhythm of the city and get an idea of ​​Vienna by taking a tram ride along the Ring. However, there are things that you absolutely need to do in order to create for yourself a complete picture of the Austrian capital.

Try Viennese coffee

It is impossible to visit Vienna and not taste Viennese coffee. Therefore, during a tram tour of the city, you should get off at any stop and go to the nearest cafe. Coffee for the Austrian capital has a symbolic meaning. It was here that in the 17th century, coffee was first prepared as a homemade drink, and a little later, the first coffee houses were opened in the city.

It is no coincidence that every year on October 1, Vienna celebrates Coffee Day. Viennese coffee has become a real brand, symbolizing the growing popularity of this drink in Europe thanks to Viennese coffee houses.

Visit the art gallery

You can visit the halls of the art gallery in the Historical and Art Museum, and at the same time taste Viennese cuisine and famous confectionery every Thursday evening. Visitors themselves decide when to sit down at the table, and when to give preference to spiritual food. In this original restaurant, you can combine birthday celebrations and acquaintance with the art of Ancient Egypt, ancient Rome, as well as the art of the Middle Ages.

Listen to organ music in St. Stephen's Cathedral

In addition to pleasant emotions caused by a classical concert, you can see this main attraction of Vienna. The cathedral is a majestic building, made in the Gothic style with elements of the Baroque. The largest bell among the 23 bells of this Catholic building weighs 21 tons and is considered one of the largest in Europe.

The sound of this bell announces the New Year in Austria. The miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary is kept in St. Stephen's Cathedral, which attracts many pilgrims. The sick and suffering seek to pray at the Icon of Pech and ask the Mother of God for healing. In the catacombs of the church are the tombs of the Habsburg dynasty, the founder of the cathedral and many famous aristocrats of past times.

Visit Schönbrunn Palace

Being in the Austrian capital, it is impossible not to visit Schönbrunn Palace. This palace, in its beauty and significance for the Austrian emperors, had the same meaning as Versailles for the French kings. No wonder the palace complex is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

There are 1441 rooms in the palace, among which is the study of Maria Theresa, in which little Mozart performed his first pieces of music in front of the Empress. There is a greenhouse on the territory of the palace, in which exotic plants brought here from tropical countries grow, and within the palace park there is a puppet theater, the original productions of which do not leave anyone indifferent.

look at the clock at noon

Once on the oldest square in Vienna at noon, you should pay attention to the “Dancing Clock”, which decorates the buildings of the insurance company and forms a kind of bridge between them. It is at noon that twelve figures of famous personalities, including Empress Maria Theresa, Prince Eugene of Savoy, composer Joseph Haydn, appear on the bridge and pass to the sounds of the music of the era in which they lived.

See the Austrian Parliament building

A certain symbolism is embodied in the building of the Austrian Parliament. Borrowed by the architect Theophilus Hansen, the style of ancient Greece indicates the Greek origin of the concepts of “politics” and “democracy”.

In addition, the building was created from building materials delivered from each Austrian province, which personified the unity of interests and their subordination to the emperor. The independence of the legislative function of parliamentarians was reflected in the autonomous mode of the parliament. As in most European countries, the most important state events take place in the Parliament building.

Visit Schönbrunn Zoo

In this oldest baroque zoo, animals are kept in exceptionally comfortable conditions, corresponding to their habitat in the wild. The best indicator of the excellent maintenance of animals is the fact that many of them have offspring.

In particular, in 2007, giraffes, seals, armadillos and anteaters acquired cubs. In the same year, a newborn panda was born here, which is a rare case for any zoo.

Go to the Music Museum

For many, Vienna is associated with classical music. It is no coincidence that in this city since 2000, in the building of the former Habsburg palace, a museum has been functioning – the House of Music. In addition to acquiring knowledge about the principles of musical instruments, you can visit this museum as a conductor of a virtual orchestra. Interestingly, the orchestra members act as a judge of the newly minted conductor, applauding the excellent performance with applause.

Appreciate the Vienna Opera

The building of the Vienna Opera was not immediately accepted by the fastidious residents of the city. They criticized the new theater so mercilessly that the architect who supervised the construction of the theater, unable to withstand the constant barbs, was forced to commit suicide. Today, the Vienna Opera is a source of pride for the inhabitants of the Austrian capital. No theater in the world can boast such a rich and varied repertoire as the Vienna Opera, which is also distinguished by its high quality of performance.

Walk through the Vienna Woods

In conclusion, it is worth taking a walk through the Vienna Woods, located in the immediate vicinity of the city. No wonder the Vienna Woods is called the “lungs of Vienna”. Not every capital can boast of the close proximity of a biosphere reserve, which UNESCO declared a territory where 2,000 species of plants grow, animals that are threatened with extinction and 150 species of birds live freely. Many fascinating excursions are held here, among which it is worth noting the annually celebrated “Species Diversity Day”.