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Vienna - Spanish Riding School
The Spanish Riding School is the last income survivor of the Baroque era and the Viennese monarchy. The organization dates back to the time of Emperor Maximilian II who introduced the breeding of Spanish horses into Austria in 1562. The name "Spanish Riding School" is first documented in 1572. This is the only place where the Classical style of riding, once popular at every Court in Europe, is still practiced. The famous equestrian displays have been held in the Baroque Winter Riding School since the time of Charles VI. The magnificent hall, built in 1735 to plans by J. E. Fischer von Erlach, was designed for the dignity to show their ability in riding skills and to compete together. It was later used for a variety of other purposes, but since 1894 has been reserved completely for the training of the Lippizaner horses and their displays.

Vienna - St Stephen's Cathedral; Stephansdom
St Stephen's Cathedral, with its 137m/450ft high spire, is not only the major sight and symbol of Vienna; it is also the city's most significant Gothic edifice and has been the church church of the archbishopric since 1722. The cathedral reflects the never ending labors of generations since the 12th C. and represents eight centuries of architectural history. The original Romanesque church was replaced by a Late Romanesque one in the 13th C. All that remains of it are the massive gate and the "Heidentürme" (Heathen Towers). Next came reconstruction in the Gothic style in the 14th C. by Duke Rudolf IV of Habsburg - known as "The Donor". The choir, and the Chapels of St Eligius, St Tirna and St Catherine were completed in that same century, while the south tower, the nave and the Chapel of St Barbara belong to the 15th C. The incomplete north tower was roofed over in the 16th C. Improvements and further construction followed in the 17th, 18th and 19th C. The roof was destroyed by fire in the final days of the Second World War in 1945. The vaulting of the middle and the right hand side choirs collapsed and the towers were gutted. Reconstruction and restoration went on from 1948 to 1962. It was a communal effort, involving the whole of Austria. The new bell was paid for by Upper Austria, the new floor by Lower Austria, the pews by Vorarlberg, the windows by Tyrol, the candelabra by Carinthia, the communion rail by Burgenland, the tabernacle by Salzburg, the roof by Vienna and the portal by Styria. Today atmospheric pollution is the chief danger, especially the effects of sulfur dioxide. The exterior is being painstakingly cleaned with soft brushes and pure water: chemical cleaners and sand blasting are out of the question, as they would do more harm than good.

Vienna - The Ring; Ringstrasse
The handsome Ringstrasse is a thoroughfare surrounding the city center of Vienna. Going in a clockwise direction, it consists of the following sections: Stubenring, Parkring, Schubertring, Kärnterring, Opernring, Burgring, Dr-Karl-Renner-Ring, Dr-Karl-Lueger-Ring and Schottenring. The circle of the Ringstrasse is completed by the Fanz-Josef-Kai (quay) along the Danube Canal. The razing of the fortifications during Emperor Franz Joseph's reign made possible the laying out between 1858 and 1865 of a tree lined ceremonial way. Many large buildings were erected here in the second half of the 19th C., in the grandiose style that became known as the "Ringstrasse style". The Ringstrasse is 4km/2.5mi long and 57m/185ft wide. The ceremonial investiture took place on May 1 1865. Its finest hour, however, was in 1879 when the artist Hans Makart mounted a parade with 10,000 participants in honor of the Imperial couple on the occasion of their Silver Wedding anniversary. The following buildings and parks are situated along the Ringstrase, going from Stubenring towards Schottenring: the Post Office Savings Bank by Otto Wagner; the Museum für Angewandte Kunst; the Stadpark; the Staatsoper; the Hofburg; the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Naturhistorisches Museum; the Volksgarten; the Parlament; the Rathaus; the Burgtheater; the University and the Votivkirche.

Vienna State Opera; Staatsoper
The Vienna State Opera House is one of the world's largest and most splendid theaters, where numerous prominent composers and conductors, international soloists and dancers have performed. After Franz Schalk, the first director, there have been 30 others counting Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, Herbert von Karajan, Egon Hilbert and Karl Böhm. Under the law, the Austrian Republic is required to ensure that full use is made of its famous opera house, and so there is a different opera or ballet on the program on 300 evenings in the year. The Viennese fascination with music goes far back into Habsburg history. The first recorded Viennese Court opera was performed in 1625, on the occasion of the birthday of Ferdinand II, on the Hradschin or Prager Burg, where the Emperor resided for six months. In 1660 Leopold II, probably the greatest music-lover and theatrical devotee of the Baroque period, had a smart theater built on the square in front of the Court Riding School in 1660-62. After 1668 numerous operas were performed, first on the site of the present Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, then in the Redoutensälen and in the old Burgtheater on Michaelerplatz, where Mozart's "Il Seraglio", "Marriage of Figaro" and "Cosi fan tutte" were first performed, and subsequently in the Kärntnertor Theater, where Weber's "Euryanthe" had its unhappy opening and Beethoven's "Fidelio" began its series of triumphs in 1814. A few years later the first performances in Vienna of works by Rossini and Verdi ushered in a period of euphoria for Italian opera. After the destruction by fire of the Ringtheater the opera moved to its new home on the Ringstrasse in 1869.

How to reach Vienna

By rail:
Trains from the airport to the train and underground station Simmering or to the train station Südbahnhof leave about every 30 minutes and take about 30 minutes. Tickets cost ATS 40/EUR 2.91 and are available via ticket machines at the train station.

By Road:
Buses from the airport to the following destinations within Vienna leave about every 20-30 minutes in front of the arrival hall:

Bus tickets cost ATS 70/EUR 5.08 oneway (or ATS 130/EUR 9.44 roundtrip) and are available at ticket stations or at the driver.

By Air:
Salzburg Airport is associated by normal services to all major European destinations. There are direct daily flights from London Stansted. The flight takes only 50 minutes.
The airport offers several restaurants and snack bars as well as shopping on Sundays.
Bus number 2 goes at normal intervals (every 10 minutes) between Salzburgs main railway station and Salzburg Airport. On Sundays and public holidays, buses run every 30 minutes and the trip time is about 20 minutes.

Best Buying Vienna

Take an afternoon stroll around the innere-stadt (inner city) and you'll soon realise that, so far as quality European shopping experiences go, Vienna rates very highly. Narrow cobbled streets, beautiful arcades and hidden alleyways all combine to give an impressive array of stylish boutiques and designer shops, with the pedestrianized areas of Kärntner Straße and the Graben serving as the purpose of choice for those in need of serious retail therapy!

That said, it may come as a surprise to learn that shopping malls are few and far between in downtown Vienna (simply because of the large number of well-preserved and historic buildings here). However, the Ringstrassengalerien, which mixes old with the new, offers a decent range of stores, some famous names, and the convenience of a position close to some of Vienna's most prestigious hotels.

Near Airport

Vienna International Airport (VIE)

The airport is located 11 miles (18km) southeast of Vienna. Time: GMT +1 (GMT +2 between April to October). Contacts: Tel: +43 (0)1 7007 22233 (24-hour telephone information service). Transfer to the city: Local trains and buses go away regularly for Vienna. There is also a City Airport Train, which provides a fast and direct service to the centrally located City Air Terminal that is associated to the underground, bus and tram networks. Taxis are also available. Car rental: Car hire companies include Avis, Hertz, Budget, Sixt and Thrifty. Facilities: There are more than 70 shops, including duty-free, as well as various restaurants and bars in both terminals. Bureaux de change and banks are available. Other facilities include airline lounges, baggage storage, business centres, Internet cafes and wireless Internet access, and a medical centre. Parking: Short- and long-term parking is available. The parking lots and multi-storey car parks are associated to the terminal by signposted footpaths. Departure tax: None. Website:www.viennaairport.com

Near Railway Station

Historic Vienna passenger and freight depot of Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) Railroad. Closed in 1968. Located beside the 45 mile long W&OD Railroad Trail that runs from Shirlington (near Alexandria/Arlington border) out to Purcellville, VA. Now contains a model railroad layout operated by Northern Virginia Model Railroaders, Inc. Open to public in afternoons about once each month.

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