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ViennaIt is difficult not to be moved to hum a Brahms lullaby or a Strauss waltz as you explore the sights of Austria's beautiful Baroque capital, Vienna, which for centuries was the center of the splendid Hapsburg Empire. The city remains infused with the grand imperial spirit in the form of magnificent palaces and grand mansions peppering the Innerestadt. The city's cultural heritage is mainly musical, the great classical composers like Strauss, Brahms, Beethoven, Schubert, Haydn and Mozart all having lived and performed here. Today the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the State Opera
House help keep alive the city's tradition by offering more classical music performances a year than any other city in the world.
Vienna is a city of music, but it is also synonymous with gourmet fare, cream cakes, superb coffee, the angelic strains of the Vienna Boys' Choir and the proud prancing of the Lippizaner stallions at the world-famous Spanish Riding School.
Vienna started out as a Celtic settlement on the banks of the Danube and became one of the Roman's most important central European bases. Its central location on the strategic river contributed to the city becoming a mighty empire, reaching its peak during the tumultuous reign of the dazzling Hapsburg dynasty. At the end of the 19th century the golden age of empire began to decline as Vienna's coffee houses filled with radical intellectuals like Freud, Klimt and Mahler. The Second World War Nazi occupation left scars, but Vienna survived it all to remain a captivating capital that blends Italian romanticism with a Germanic orderliness.
Most of the city's tourist attractions are within the largely pedestrianized inner city area, which was once enclosed by the city walls. The walls have been replaced with the Ringstrasse, a wide ring road. Further out in the suburbs is the thrilling Prater amusement park with its massive ferris wheel, and the opulent Schonbrunn summer palace. Visitors also should not miss a trip to the Vienna Woods, peppered with ancient 'heuringen' (wine taverns).
Getting Around: Vienna boasts one of the finest public transport systems in Europe; it is safe and easy to use, and consists of punctual buses and trams, a fast U-Bahn (underground) and S-Bahn (railway). Most operate from about 6am to midnight; buses stop earlier but there are night buses on weekends covering the major routes. The U-Bahn is the fastest way to get around the city, while the S-Bahn is the cheapest way to get to the airport. The tram network is one of the largest worldwide and is the next best way of getting about with the added advantage of being able to see the city, although some lines don't operate on weekends. Buses are useful in the inner city where there are no trams. Fares are standard for all forms of public transport (EUR1.70 for a single), and once validated will allow one journey including transfers in the same direction. Travel passes are available, the Vienna Card is valid for three days and allows unlimited travel on public transport except night buses, and offers discounts at many attractions, shops and restaurants. Taxis are plentiful, reliable and metered, but have a list of surcharges and are among the most expensive in Europe. The most romantic, if expensive way to get about is by horse-drawn carriage, or Fiaker. A car is a burden in Vienna, but can be useful for trips outside the city.
SalzburgUntil 1816 Salzburg was a city-state, independent of the Hapsburgs and ruled by powerful prince-archbishops. It is situated on the northern border of Austria, 70 miles (113km) southeast of Munich, in a picturesque setting surrounded by mountains. Mozart was born here and the city's fascination with its most famous son is best demonstrated during the Salzburg Festival (
www.salzburgfestival.at), which presents world-class performances of opera, drama and concerts over a period of five to six weeks each summer. Even the non-musically minded will find it difficult to avoid Mozart's impression on the town - his image is on every postcard and chocolate box and both his birthplace and family house are now museums offering detailed insight into his life and work.
The city is also the home town of Baroque and the south side of the river is a Baroque masterpiece of charming churches, squares, houses and fountains. The original buildings were cleared in the late 1500s by Prince Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau in order to create a 'German Rome'. All sights are within walking distance from the spacious old city (Altstadt), which is now largely pedestrianized. A few miles to the south of the city are the historic towns of Hallein and Werfen and to the west are the lakes of Salzberger, which are especially worth visiting during the spring and summer when the wild flowers are out.
Getting Around: The central core of Salzburg is easy and pleasant to explore on foot. There are buses and streetcars available, for which a 24-hour pass can be bought which includes the use of the Hohensalzburg Funicular. Taxis are plentiful at visible ranks throughout the city, but they are expensive.
The AlpsThe vast majority of tourists visiting Austria head straight for one of its cosy alpine villages in the Tirol region. Among the wooded mountains is some of the world's best skiing. Unlike many French and Swiss resorts, most resorts in Austria are real, friendly villages on the valley floor and despite expanding enormously over the last 20 years the development has generally been in good taste, with traditional-looking chalets perched among the ancient, domed churches. Austrian resorts are also more fun and welcoming than many in the Alps; the Austrians know how to enjoy themselves and don't find it demeaning to speak their guest's language. However many Austrian resorts lie fairly low and experience unreliable snowfall. To ensure guaranteed good skiing it is best to head for the western edges of the Tirol, to St Anton, Lech or Zürs, which all have extensive skiing and more reliable snowfall. The ski season runs from December to April but the villages remain bustling in the summer, when the valleys are filled with climbers and walkers who come to enjoy some of the breathtaking scenery.
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