Hiking trails in Vienna. Do I need insurance to travel to Vienna?

15 tips for tourists in Vienna

Each big city has its own world fame, its own philosophy, its own "reputation". Paris is considered the capital of world bohemia. Barcelona is called the city of Gaudi, Valencia is known as the abode of art and science. Vienna is a city of beautiful architecture, galleries and museums, music.

The capital of Austria to this day remains imperial in spirit: calm and majestic. But at the same time it is democratic, cozy, comfortable for life. The cleanest water flows in city water pipes, the streets and parks are well-groomed. For people with limited mobility, a "barrier-free" environment is provided. There is transport adapted to the needs of the disabled, transparent elevators are installed in the buildings. There are no stray animals on the streets, people are polite, helpful and smiling.

Tourists should be aware of some of the features of the city in order to see and learn more and spend less money. Here are a few useful tips guests of Vienna.

1. Public transport

If you plan to stay in Vienna for more than two days, then you should figure out which ticket more profitable to buy. About tickets for public transport in Vienna and prices I wrote.

Please note that the weekly Wochenkarte is valid from Monday to Monday. 8-day climate ticket (8-Tage-Klimakarte) with eight magnetic stripes for 8 trips and is beneficial if you plan to use transport intensively for 6-8 days, or if you come with your family or company (several people can travel with this ticket , you only need to validate one strip on the ticket for each).

Travel tickets are sold at vending machines near the metro, at stations, at Tabak-Trafik kiosks; they operate on all modes of transport within the Kernzone.

2. Vienna museums and other attractions

The Laxenburg Palace and Park Ensemble, photo by Corniger

Vienna has many museums of various kinds, both free and paid. Visit (KHM), ; give them a whole day. Prepare in advance, find information about the Habsburg dynasty, read about Maria Theresa, Princess Sissi, Franz Joseph I.

Watch the equestrian ballet masters. The show of snow-white lipizzans can be seen at. Visit, go to wonderful. Don't plan too many experiences, rather think through every day of your stay in Vienna.

Often tickets with discounts can be found on these sites:

3. City tours

Start your acquaintance with Vienna with a sightseeing tour.

You can take the yellow Hop on Hop off bus, which has 4 route options. It stops in front of the Opera House (Metro). For current and detailed information on schedules, routes and prices, see.

Double decker tour bus Big Bus Tours Vienna

The red sightseeing bus Big Bus Tours Vienna offers 2 travel options. Stops at the Vienna Opera. See schedule, routes and ticket prices.

The red bus Red Bus City Tours has 3 routes in Vienna. He stops at the Opera House. See everything about traveling on it.

Self guided tour can be done by tram along the ring route. There are 13 sights of Vienna along.

There are two ways to get into the Vienna Opera. Tickets can be ordered online and redeemed with a payment card. Keep in mind: the Staatsoper is always sold out. It is better to take care of tickets for the most popular performances a few months in advance. The cheapest seats are in the upper galleries; more convenient and inexpensive - in the 1st row of the balcony.

If you are strong enough to stand the whole performance, buy entrance tickets. "Standing" places are located behind the stalls, almost opposite the stage. Such tickets are sold for all performances of the Vienna Opera before the start. I wrote in detail about the Vienna Opera and buying tickets.

5. To Bratislava

From Vienna to Bratislava by boat on the Danube

From Vienna you can go to Bratislava. However, it is much more interesting to travel along the river on a high-speed catamaran. You can make such a cruise during the season from April to November. A trip on a catamaran is somewhat more expensive than by train, but more fun. At 08:30 - to Bratislava, 18:30 - back. The trip to the capital of Slovakia will take about 1.5 hours. The ship is comfortable good overview. The catamaran departs from the Schwedenplatz metro station, goes first along the Danube Canal, then along the Danube, past the fishing huts on stilts, with nets. I wrote about how to get from Vienna to Bratislava by ship.

In Bratislava, take a train ride through the old town, take a walk along the plane tree square, try national cuisine.

6. Viennese delicacies

You don't have to order a big and hearty meal if you're not too hungry. However, it is worth paying tribute to the incomparable.

7. Trips around Austria

If time permits, take the train to,. And be sure to visit! It is more convenient to look at tickets on the Russian-language version of the site. There all tariffs are painted in Russian.

8. Housing and food

A room in a Viennese hotel will be quite expensive, but you can always find discounts on.

It is much more convenient to rent an apartment or a studio apartment on the Internet on AirBnb. You will get all the benefits of independent living, you will be able to cook your own food. By the way, about the apartment for only €50.

Products are best purchased at Merkur or Hofer stores.

9. Most important

You can read about the sights of Vienna in my guide

Vienna on your own: a trip to main city Austria. How much does a vacation in Vienna cost? How to prepare for the trip? Everything you need to know before your trip.

I started writing this article to put together all the information that was presented in other blog articles, and to present to your attention a kind of guide to Vienna - a collection practical information for those who are going to make a trip to this city. With the help of this article, you will be able to quickly prepare for the trip, plan your budget, find suitable accommodation, decide on the route in Vienna, and also solve other pressing issues that arise during any trip.

General information.

Belvedere Palace...

Vienna is the capital of Austria, a city of majestic palaces, gigantic churches and outstanding musicians (from Mozart to Conchita Wurst). Vienna has a population of 1.8 million (which is only slightly less population Minsk). Old city Vienna, as well as the Schönbrunn Palace, have been on the list since 2001 world heritage UNESCO. According to the results of a study by the international agency Mercer, Vienna has been ranked first in the list of the most comfortable cities for living five times in a row.

Currency: euro.

The language of communication: Deutsch. But you can safely use English. The vast majority of Austrians (from people of Bieber's age to people of Trump's age) speak this language perfectly. Due to the large number of immigrants on the streets of Vienna, many other languages ​​​​are also constantly heard - Polish, Turkish, Arabic, Russian, Slovak, etc.

Visa.

Mozart's house in Vienna...

A regular Schengen will do (including the Polish Schengen “for purchases”). If you do not have a visa yet, you can open it at the German Embassy in Minsk (it represents the interests of Austria in the Republic of Belarus), as well as at the embassy of the country whose border you will cross first (Poland or Lithuania, less often - Latvia). On some sites on the Internet you can also find information that you can open a Schengen visa at all in any EU embassy. But personally, I advise you to leave this option as a last resort (especially if before that you had no experience of independently opening visas in different embassies).

The Austrian Embassy in Minsk is located on the street: Engels, 34a, building 2. But I emphasize: at the time of writing this article, the Austrian embassy has not yet been issuing visas to citizens of Belarus (the official reason is the lack of the necessary staff).

The German Embassy in Minsk is located at: Zakharova street, 26 (next to the metro station Victory Square).

Do I need insurance to travel to Vienna?

Yes and no. At the embassy, ​​they will ask you for it anyway. But at the border, insurance is rarely asked. Although personally I recommend that you still issue it. Medicine in Austria is expensive. You never know. These 7-10 dollars are not a big price to pay for peace of mind.

You can buy a policy from any Belarusian insurance company (the minimum amount of compensation is 30,000 euros). However, personally, I usually buy insurance online. Here are the policies of many well-known companies from Russia, Europe and the USA. You can pay for insurance directly from home. After payment (by card), the electronic policy comes to e-mail. It looks like this.

You can also contact him at the embassy when applying for a visa. In fact, it is the same insurance as any other. Other nuances of choosing insurance for Schengen countries are described in the article below.

How to get to Vienna from Minsk (by land).

Trains run from Minsk to Vienna on Thursdays and Fridays. You can check whether this information is outdated on the website poezd.rw.by. In addition, you can get to Austria from Belarus by buses of Eurolines and Ecolines companies. They go directly from Minsk. But they are quite expensive (like trains). Much cheaper to get to Vienna with an intermediate stop in Warsaw. You can leave Austria from Poland on buses of companies, PolskiBus, FlixBus and many other carriers. The cheapest tickets can usually be found with the PolskiBus company (during sales, their prices can drop to 2-3 euros).

You can read more about all travel options at the link below.

How to buy a cheap plane ticket Minsk - Vienna.

Several direct flights fly from Minsk to Vienna at once different airlines. At the same time, flight prices can often be even lower than bus or train tickets (from 156 to 260 euros for a round-trip flight). To find the best connections and the cheapest tickets, I recommend that you use popular search engines such as Buruki, Skyscanner (here prices are often even slightly lower than on individual airline websites). When I need to find some cheap flight, I usually use all three sites at once. And I buy tickets where they are the cheapest. If you are not tied to specific dates, you can also try to search for tickets using the Low Price Calendar on the Aviasales website. This flexible search feature will immediately show you which days the cheapest flight is. You can also use the form below to search. The running line shows the cost of tickets to Vienna from Minsk and nearby cities (ROUND-BACK).

I wrote about all the nuances of finding cheap flights in the article below.

How much are flights to Vienna from nearby cities?

You can find out by using the search form below. Running line shows the best prices for the near future (for a flight in TWO directions). If the price seems too high for you, try comparing it with the cost of tickets on other days. Often, simply by changing the day of departure, you can save a lot of money. And one more thing: if the price suits you - do not pull too long. The cost of air travel is not static and can change constantly. It is likely that while you are thinking, she will have time to grow up.

What are the best websites to book accommodation for a trip?

The view from the windows of my "Viennese" apartment...

Apartments. Personally, during this trip, I rented a separate apartment for myself on the AIRBNB website. In my opinion, such accommodation is more comfortable than a hotel room. Yes, and its cost can often be significantly lower. Although I emphasize: this, of course, is an inexact science. Therefore, before the trip, I would recommend that you study in detail all the options.

If you end up choosing the AIRBNB option, register here at this link. So you will immediately receive a small bonus on your first booking (with a total amount of 75-77$). Make it a must. Let it be. But keep in mind that this is not the only way to save money when booking accommodation on this site. They always have quite a lot of various discounts and bonuses. Read more about them in the article below.

Why do I recommend you use these particular search engines? Everything is very simple here. Such sites allow you to compare room rates simultaneously on dozens of different sites (including the same Booking). At the same time, I emphasize: on different sites, the same number can cost completely differently. Thus, search engines like the ones I mentioned above allow you not to overpay in vain and always find the best prices.

Karlskirche...

- Do not settle directly in the center. Vienna - Big city. You still can't get around it on foot. There is no transport here. Therefore, it is best to just choose accommodation near the metro.

— If you are traveling by your own car, consider renting accommodation not in Vienna itself, but in neighboring Bratislava. Hotels and apartments there are much cheaper. And you can get from one city to another in just an hour.

— Pay for hotels (apartments) with cards with a cash-back system. They can be issued in many Belarusian banks. This simple trick will save you a few extra dollars on your booking.

My personal selection of good and inexpensive hotels in the capital of Austria is given here.

Walking route in Vienna

Follow the pink rabbit...

Attractions and interesting places there are so many in the Austrian capital that they would be more than enough for several cities. Therefore, even before the trip, try to determine for yourself which sights you want to see first of all, and which ones you are ready to leave for “later”. My articles on the subject are below.

Route number 1. Stefanplatz - St. Stephen's Cathedral - Plague Column - St. Michael's Wing - Amalia Castle - New Hoffburg - Museum of Natural History and Museum of Fine Arts - Austrian Parliament - Vienna City Hall - Burgtheater.

Mikhailovsky wing of the Hoffburg castle...

Route number 2. Stefanplatz - St. Stephen's Cathedral - Plague Column - Mikhailovsky Wing - Austrian Library - Albertina Museum - Vienna Opera House - Karlsplatz - Karlskirche - Monument to Soviet Soldiers - Lower Belvedere - Upper Belvedere.

Vienna Opera...

Route number 3(on transport). Schönnbrun Palace (metro station of the same name) - Belvedere Palace (Sudtiroler Platz-Hauptbahnhof metro station) - lower Belvedere - Monument to Soviet soldiers - Karlskirche and Karlsplatz - Vienna Opera (take tram number 1) - Hoffburg - Museum of Natural History and Museum of Fine Arts - Austrian Parliament - Vienna City Hall - Burgtheater - (again take tram number 1) - Hundertwasser House.

How to navigate in an unfamiliar city

In order not to get lost on the streets of Vienna, download for yourself mobile app MAPS.ME. This is the development of Belarusian programmers, which allows you to easily find the shortest path from point A to point B. Everything is very simple there: you set a specific goal, street or point on the map - and just follow the arrows. If you couldn’t find some attraction or address in the search, try writing its name the way it looks in the original (for example, not the Vienna City Hall, but the Rathaus). I think the principle is clear. The application works offline. The only thing you need to do before the trip is to pre-download a map of the desired area (for example, Vienna). To do this, go to the application menu and click "Add card".

Vienna attractions on the map

Excursions in Vienna

If you don’t want to bother with planning a route and other nuances, you can simply book a tour on the Internet. For these purposes, I can advise you on two different sites: and.

There are always a lot of some unusual author's tours around the Austrian capital and other cities. Plus, on these services, you can immediately read reviews about the tour, get acquainted with the excursion program, and also see its rating (based on the opinions of previous clients). If you decide to choose this option, you will only need to make an advance payment online. The rest - personally to the guide, at the meeting.

Below I will place here a small widget with excursions in Vienna, so that you can immediately imagine what is at stake. To see full list available walks, click on the top inscription "Unusual excursions in Vienna".

Bratislava

You probably now ask: what does the capital of Slovakia have to do with the article about Vienna? The answer is that the whole point is that between these two cities there is only an hour's drive, so in terms of tourism, Bratislava can be perceived as a good bonus to a trip to Vienna. The capitals of Austria and Slovakia are the two closest capitals in Europe. You can get from one city to another in just an hour. Therefore, do not miss the opportunity to combine two countries at once in one trip. I wrote about how to get from one city to another in this review (see below).

Vienna transport

Tram number 1. Drives through the city center past most of Vienna's sights.

Metro Vienna. Dull and confusing. You always walk in it more than you drive. But you can't do without it. The station map is shown below.

Circled in blue are those metro stations that can be conditionally called the center of the city.

Transport card. It costs 7.60 euros for 24 hours and 13.30 for 48 hours. There is also a travel card for three days, but I no longer remember how much it costs. If you come to Vienna for 2-3 days, buy a travel card for the corresponding number of days. Don't try to get away with a daily pass. Personally, in the end, I just bought a daily pass twice (and instead of 13.30 I paid 7.60 + 7.60). You can buy a ticket in special machines at metro stations.

You can activate it there. You put the ticket in the validator - and the date and time are stamped on it. From this moment begins the calculation of those same 24 or 48 hours of action.

Composter at the entrance to the subway...

The ticket covers all transport in Vienna. There are no turnstiles in the metro or trams. But there are controllers that are quite common. The fine for traveling without a ticket is more than 100 euros. And yet (if you suddenly pay for a ticket with a bank card), keep in mind that not one ticket falls out of the machine, but two at once (the ticket itself and the payment receipt). They are very similar. Therefore, do not confuse. Photo below.

Food prices in Vienna

I can't call Austria a very expensive country, but most food in Viennese stores is still noticeably more expensive than in Minsk and other Belarusian cities. For many positions, the cost is twice as high.

Lunch at a fast food restaurant will cost you 7-8 euros per person. Dinner for two in a more or less decent restaurant will cost 30-50 euros. Viennese strudel can cost from 8 to 14 euros (depending on the level of the institution). A famous dessert called "Sacher" will cost you 4-10 euros. In general, it is quite expensive here. If you still get from Vienna to Bratislava, buy there in full. In Slovakia, prices are much more pleasant.

The cost of souvenirs in Vienna

Good magnets in the Austrian capital cost from 3.9 euros and more. The price depends on the proximity to the center and the total number of tourists in the city. The cheapest magnets that I personally found were in a Turkish shop next to the Prater park (4.5 euros each). In the center, they could ask for 5-7 euros for them. The only exception is this Tobacco / Lotto shop, approximately halfway between the House of Music (Haus der Musik) and the Imperial Hotel.

Google Maps tells me it was Schwarzenbergstrasse. But personally, I would not bet on this condition (even if I had it). The exact address I myself, alas, do not remember.

Optimal trip duration

Personally, I would recommend that you go to Vienna for at least 3-4 days. There are a lot of sights and interesting places here. Therefore, even without taking into account a trip to Bratislava, it is worth laying down more time. Personally, I ran around the whole city in 3 days, but at the same time I erased my legs to the very knees. At the end of this trip, "Pain" was my middle name.

Personal impressions of Vienna

I usually do not really like such pop and deliberately tourist cities. But the capital of Austria made a very pleasant impression on me. The architecture there is simply amazing. And I liked the city itself in its rhythm and mood. Live Vienna looks even better than in the photo.

Of the minuses, I would note the ill-conceived metro system, high prices and an abundance of construction sites near key attractions. You can read more about my impressions of a trip to this city in the review below.

Salzburg

In Salzburg, tourists are waiting for interesting sights, museums, delicious cuisine in local restaurants and friendly townspeople. In the homeland of Mozart, you can have a great rest and gain new experiences.

Arrivo's free guide will help you navigate the city easily. It presents detailed information about memorable places ah, connected with the life and work of the great composer. So, in the house of Mozart, a museum has been organized, where valuable exhibits and personal belongings of the genius are stored.

Among other memorable places with the help of a guide you can visit ancient fortress Hohensalzburg with a wonderful view of the city. In addition, the directory lists popular restaurants and cafes in the city. In chapter " National features» you can learn about the rules of conduct in Austrian society. A short phrasebook will help you communicate with the locals.

Audioguide and guide to Vienna in Russian with routes is an application for smartphones and tablets "YARVITTO"

Audioguide and guide to Vienna in Russian with YARVITTO itineraries, welcomes you!

Welcome independent travelers. If you were looking for where to download Vienna guide then you have come to the right address. Just download our application to your smartphone, download the map and the tour and go for a walk. The application does not require an internet connection - save money in roaming.

Listen to the introduction of our Vienna audio guide.

Excursion "In the footsteps of the Habsburg Empire"

LISTEN TO THE INTRO

Vienna for several centuries was the residence of the powerful Habsburg dynasty and the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. During this period, it became the largest political and cultural center in Europe. Today the capital of Austria is a museum under open sky. This is a chic, pompous city with many luxurious palaces, parks, cathedrals and architectural objects.

The history of Vienna begins with the military settlements of the Roman Empire in the 1st century AD. Unfortunately, almost nothing has survived from that time to this day, but excavations in the central part of the city prove this fact. But the city has many attractions that appeared after the XIII century. Our Vienna audio guide offers to see these architectural structures during a walking tour.

Audioguide and travel guide for Vienna - Attractions

Vienna by administrative division divided into 23 districts. Its name and serial number are indicated on the signs in front of the street name. The city area resembles a circle that crosses the Danube and the Danube Canal. Most of the city is on the right bank. Here is the first central District the Vienna capital. It's called the Inner City. This is where our tour will take place. It is here that the main historical objects are concentrated.

Our journey begins with the Sigmund Freud Museum. Then we will walk along the quiet streets to Freud's park, look at the Gothic Votivkirche church, and then we will go out onto a wide avenue. The walk will give us the opportunity to see the oldest Vienna University in Europe, the exquisite city hall, several buildings imperial palace Habsburgs and many others majestic buildings, parks, squares and cathedrals of world renown. On the way, you can visit any cafe and try real Viennese coffee. Let's not linger any longer and head to our first object.

Audio guide and guide to Vienna in Russian with directions- Useful information

Arriving in Vienna, you can fully experience its history, power and status only during walking tours. The city has an advantage geographical position. Located at the foot of the Alps on both sides of the Danube, surrounded by the Vienna Woods, the capital of Austria occupies comfortable spot to develop friendly relations with many European countries.

During the years of its existence, Vienna survived the war with the Turks, the plague, several earthquakes and fires. Thanks to the rule of the Habsburgs, the city began to actively develop in the political and cultural field from the 17th century. Neither the invasion of Napoleon's army nor the two World Wars broke its power. Today, the headquarters of the UN, IAEA, OPEC, UNIDO are based in the city.

Well developed in the city transport infrastructure. Tourists around the city can travel by public transport, as well as use the services of private bus routes. In the city, public transport is called "Vienna Lines". It is represented by five lines of the city metro U-Bahn (U-Bach), tram and bus lines. All metro lines connect many districts of Vienna with the historical part.

Vienna travel guide - Attractions

Buses are more popular among tourists in terms of getting around the city. This is due to the fact that, unlike trams, they call in the central part of the city. Our Vienna guide The route starts at the crossroads of Bergasse and Porcellangasse. You can get here by underground line U2 to the station Schottentor (Schottentor) or line U4 to the station Schottenring (Schottenring). In addition, bus No. 40A and trams No. 37, 38, 40, 41, 42 run here.