Choose Your Travel Destination – Vienna!
As an architectural mass, Vienna is much like a wedding cake, albeit one that radiates outwards rather than spiralling up to the stars (skyscrapers are few and far between here). Cruising around this confection is a breeze, thanks to a public transport system that puts most capitals to shame (they clearly signed a pact with the devil to get it this good.)
The beating, historic heart of Vienna remains the Innere Stadt (The Inner City). At its centre rises the ancient gothic cathedral of St. Stephens, whose spire has stood unbroken for centuries. It’s here in the Innere Stadt – a mainly pedestrianised area – that you’ll find much of the finest that the town has to show – shops, bars, cafes, restaurants and museums, as well as the Hofburg Imperial Palace. All the same, you’ll be lacking out on some 24 carat treasures whether you don’t stray beyond the centre.
The whole of the Innere Stadt is encircled by a sweeping nineteenth century ringroad – the Ringstrasse – which follows the line of the old medieval walls. Along it you’ll find some of Vienna’s grandest institutions, such as the Rathaus, the Houses of Parliament, the museums of Art and Natural History and swish hotels such as the Imperial. Further west, major crowd-pullers include Schonbrunn Palace and its fantastic Zoo, whilst to the south, the Belvedere offers a banquet for culture vultures. Just a whisker west of the Ring lies the brand spanking new Museumsquartier, one of the world’s most exciting cultural complexes.
To the north, Grinzing – once a picturesque parish in its own right – is the nexus for Vienna’s Heuriger culture. The wine taverns here offer a quintessential Austrian experience. East of the Innere Stadt the Prater rises up, home of the historic fun park. It remains a much-loved favourite. Nearby you can track down the Ernst Happel soccer stadium, venue for the almighty Euro 2008 clash.
We’re only just getting our fork into the Viennese cake thus far, but don’t dismiss a trip out of town if you’ve got time. Close to Vienna, the spa town of Baden is a pleasant spot, whilst the monastery of Klosterneuburg is a long-established pilgrimage venue. Further afield, wine lovers should head for the Wachau region, which begins seventy kilometres northwest of Vienna.
The wine centre of Loisium, just on the fringe of the Wachau, is a modernist marvel with a hip hotel on hand for your hangover. Here the monastery of Melk offers a stupendous sight, whilst the ruined castles of Aggstein and Durnstein will inspire romantic souls.
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