Vienna Things To Do

Lying at the very heart of Europe, Austria’s elegant capital city of Vienna offers frothy Baroque architecture, fabulous art galleries and museums, opera performances, a river to explore, and plenty of historic castles and parks. Much of March is given over to a frenzy of Easter markets that appear annually throughout the city. The stalls feature traditional Easter baubles, hand-painted eggs, chocolate treats, and entertainment for kids. Here are the best.

Vienna dresses up and becomes party central over New Year; its elegant Biedermeier buildings spring into life with a series of concerts and gala dinners, firework displays and street parties. Public transport operates all night, but stores close at around 4pm and reopen only on January 2nd.

Romantic Vienna has plenty of appeal at any time of year with its Biedermeier architecture, famous choir and exceptional galleries, but it really lights up over the festive season with enticing Christmas markets in its most photogenic corners. With around 20 to choose from, the scent of glühwein and fresh baking hangs over the city between mid-November and Christmas. Here are some of the most appealing.

As with many refined European cities, Vienna is rich with excellent parks and gardens. They provide refuge for resident urbanites fleeing the hustle and bustle of daily life, and are a pleasant diversion for tourists taking in the landscape of the city. The following suggestions should meet the requirements of both.

Graben (German for “ditch”) is a famous street in central Vienna that is one of the most popular and alluring shopping areas in Europe. The area commonly referred to as Graben begins at Stock-im-Eisen-Platz and continues as far as the junction of Kohlmarkt and Tuchlauben. It has served as a marketplace for centuries, although for a long time there was a good deal more in the way of foodstuffs for sale than anything else. Today, the butchers and vegetable stalls are gone. In their place is an astonishing array of high end stores and boutiques showcasing the best that Vienna has to offer in the way of elegance and style, commercial artwork, and consumer goods.

Austria’s capital city is nearly always bustling with cultural activity. Whether it is because of the famous Vienna International Film Festival (October 20-November 2), which attracts more than 90,000 cineastes to the city every year, or any of the other theatre, music, food, film, and holiday festivals that take place annually, it’s well worth checking the calendar before visiting Vienna. For travelers with impending travel plans, the following events should prove of particular interest.