Well, we are in the capital of Austria - Vienna. We will explore the sights of Vienna on our own, although there are more than enough offers for Russian-speaking guides. Austria is a member of the European Union since 1995. Austria was almost the very first country in the united Europe that switched to the single currency Euro. But Austria is not a member of NATO, just like Sweden, Switzerland, Ireland. The language in Austria is German, but with an "Austrian dialect".

The population of Vienna is about 2 million people, about a quarter of the total population of the country lives in the city and its environs. Vienna is European Cultural Center. The city is located on the Danube River. And in, and in, and in Vienna - the Danube is everywhere. In Vienna, along with Geneva and New York, one of the UN headquarters is located. From year to year, Vienna takes the honorable first (or close to the first) place in the world in terms of quality of life. They say that the Austrians cannot be pissed off, they are so balanced. Well, here it is like this: I don’t know - I didn’t try (didn’t display it).

According to the territorial structure, Vienna is a circle, in the center of which is the ring line Ring (Ringstraße). Statistics show that it is often hot in summer and that Vienna is sunny city. So it was. During the entire time we were there, the temperature during the day was steadily over thirty and there was not a cloud in the sky.

We are going to move in right away. All questions on the search and booking of places of residence, we decided in advance.

Summary of the topic (Sights of Vienna):

Coming to Vienna...

Last edit: 17 Sep 2017

Where is the best place to stay in Vienna relatively inexpensively?

Hotels in Vienna are not cheap. If closer to the outskirts, then you could still find hotel options for four at a more or less similar price. There are twenty-three districts in Vienna. It is better and more convenient to stay closer to the center. I think that there is no problem to get to the city center from its outskirts, since the transport network is well developed. But I immediately considered not a hotel, but apartments. This will give us the opportunity to save on the cost of living, live almost in the center and get acquainted with the everyday features of life in the city.

I considered different options when choosing where to stay in Vienna. Either the area is incomprehensible, or I don’t go through the price. As a result, I chose apartments that are located in modern complex like ours. Various exhibitions, events, conferences are held in the buildings of the complex. But there is no fuss near the buildings. Yes, and people are not particularly noticeable, mainly because of the organization of space. This modern "city within a city" is designed so that all traffic and parking are underground. Underground, a complex system of interchanges, passages to buildings and parking spaces for each sector. By the way, the navigator does not plot a route under these underground interchanges, so I had to turn on my ingenuity. All passages - by electronic keys and buttons, such a kind of "smart home". The apartments were cozy, naturally - modern, with all necessary equipment. At the same time, the equipment is expensive, mainly Miele. And on the ground floor of the residential block, a sauna and a gym were available for us around the clock, which, by the way, were also mega-modern.

So, we need to see Vienna in three days. What sights to see and where to go - we had some route planned. But, after talking with the landlady, we slightly adjusted it. Indeed, running the standard route from point A to point B will quickly get tired. So let's just walk around interesting places Vienna.

We left the car to rest in a private free parking underground, rested for a couple of hours after the road, we will move around Vienna by public transport. The metro from our "house" was a five-minute walk.

Our complex:

Metro in Vienna: how to use it? Fare

In this part, I will talk a little about what the metro is in Vienna and how to use it to get to the desired station.

The metro in Vienna is a convenient mode of transport, it includes five lines, the difference is in color and number of the line. All of them one way or another will pass through the city center. There is no pomposity in the vestibules of the stations. Everything is simple, clear and clean. The metro in Vienna is designated by the letter "U".

Vienna metro map:

Until what time is the Vienna metro open?

On weekdays, the place of the Austrian capital opens from five in the morning until midnight. On Saturdays and Fridays, as well as on holidays, the Vienna metro rebuilds its operation mode to round-the-clock. The decision on the non-stop schedule of the Vienna metro on weekends and holidays was discussed and adopted at the official popular referendum of the residents. Such an Austrian “correctness” is present in everything. I was told according to the Vienna metro schedule that the operating hours for different lines may differ slightly, this must be clarified. And the interval between metro trains in Vienna is a little longer than in Moscow.

The Austrians believe that their subway is not an expensive pleasure. Let's see how much the subway costs in Vienna? One trip will cost €2.2. But we were not going to buy a single ticket. I was interested in the travel pass option. A metro ticket in Vienna is not only convenient, but also significantly more economical than separate tickets. We count from the time of the first entrance to the metro: for a day (24 hours) - € 7.6, for two days (48 hours) - € 13.3, for three days (72 hours from the moment of the first entrance) - € 16.5 . Moreover, these metro passes are valid for any type of public transport: buses, trams, and suburban trains on the "S" lines.

By the way, our metro station, we leave to see the sights of Vienna




The trailers themselves, mind the rush hour! Compare with Moscow...

If you plan to actively use public transport in Vienna, then definitely - you need to buy a travel card. Just be sure to validate at the first entry (validators are installed at the entrance to the metro) and do not lose the ticket during use. In the subway cars sometimes there are controllers, we did not come across them. But the fine for ticketless travel is just over $100 per person. And if there are four of you, and you either forgot to validate the tickets at the entrance or you can’t find them, the fine will be more than 400 €, however! And if you did not pay immediately, then in three days the fine grows by 30 percent.

How to buy a metro ticket in Vienna?

Ticket vending machines are at every station. There is a Russian language in the selection menu! Everything is very simple, so buying a metro ticket in Vienna is no more difficult than in Moscow. We chose the two-night option, which means it will be valid for 48 hours from the first entry.

I don’t understand at all what problems it is to Russify the ticket machine if it is an ordinary computer with a touch screen. And then in the Netherlands, Russian letters cannot be found during the day with fire.

Sanctions are to blame!

The city is clean and beautiful. I looked at the population - for a hundred years 1.5-1.8 million people have been living in it. No demographic shocks.

St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna

St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna is a landmark and a symbol of all of Austria. The cathedral was built in the Gothic style, the height of the high tower over 130 meters. So, as it is now, the cathedral looked already in the 16th century.

The place where many begin their acquaintance with the city is St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. The history of the Cathedral began in 1137, when the Austrian ruler of that time, Leopold XIV, laid the foundation stone. But the first building was destined to burn down, it happened after two hundred years. A new one was built on the site of the burnt church and consecrated. The day of the consecration of the church is celebrated today on April 23. Austrian rulers succeeded each other, and the construction of the church continued for several centuries. To date, the restoration of the Cathedral is being actively carried out. The fact is that limestone walls are very susceptible to destruction. Restorers closely monitor this process, sometimes replacing individual coatings or sculptures on the facade.

Located in the very center of the Austrian capital, the cathedral is beautiful both outside and inside. The interior is decorated with various sculptures, stained-glass windows and mosaics of religious content, art objects. Under the cathedral is the tomb of the Austrian rulers and their loved ones. Great Austrian church officials are buried there even now. The true decoration of the cathedral is the largest organ in Austria. And the only bell installed above the cathedral is one of the largest in Europe. There are observation decks on the towers of St. Stephen's Cathedral.

Stephansplatz herself.

St. Stephen's Cathedral, address:

The famous Vienna Cathedral is located in central area on Stephansplatz street, house 1. It is very easy to get to the Cathedral. Need to get to the central station Vienna Metro Stephansplatz and follow the signs to get out of the city.

Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, opening hours:

The cathedral opens unusually early in the morning and closes late in the evening.
Opening hours from 6 am to 10 pm.
Sundays and public holidays The cathedral opens a little later, from 7 am. On Sundays, people flock to the Cathedral to listen to Sunday Mass.

St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, official website:

Plague Column Vienna

Another sight of Vienna in the city square near St. Stephen's Cathedral is the Plague Column or Plague Monument in Vienna.

Europe, in principle, got a great deal from the plague, and Vienna lost a third of the population from this plague scourge. In the Middle Ages, medicine was powerless against the plague, and sanitary and hygienic standards of life were far from modern standards. And the people had one hope in the Lord God. And when the epidemic subsided, people erected such plague columns as gratitude. In 1678, plague raged across Europe. The first wooden Plague Column in Vienna did not help at this place, the epidemic captured the entire city. The new stone column was built over ten years. Gradually, the epidemic receded, and at the beginning of Graben Street in the center of the Austrian capital, a baroque composition with a statue of the Virgin Mary remained standing, as gratitude to the Lord for getting rid of the plague.

From the square in front of St. Stephen's Cathedral, we go along Kärntnerstrasse. The street is wide, on both sides - shops, cafes, souvenir shops. Beautiful, of course. But in principle - just a central street, the feeling - a lot of tourists. At the end of Kärntnerstrasse on the right we see the building of the Vienna Opera House.

Opera house in Vienna

The Vienna Opera House is well known among music lovers and connoisseurs; it had the status of a court theater even under the ruling Habsburg dynasty. The building was built in 1861. And the acoustic capabilities of the hall are recognized today as one of the best in the world.
The opera house has guided tours for tourists. You can get acquainted with the interior and even see how the scenery for the upcoming performance is being assembled. Tours are held daily and last about an hour.

Ticket prices - for performances are very different: from a few tens to several hundred or thousand euros per ticket. You also need to know that the categories of performances are marked with letters: A - the most expensive productions, where the stars of the opera stage participate, B - these are average in price: the main part of the repertoire, C - for lovers of light performances, here the tickets are the cheapest. There is an opportunity to save on tickets. To do this, you need to go to the opera house one hour before the performance. At this time, cheap (2.5 €) tickets are "thrown away". These tickets are for standing room and are limited in number. And, judging by the reviews, it is better to come for "standing" tickets not for an hour, but for two or five, it depends on the popularity of the performance.

But during the warm period, from May to October, there is an opportunity to see what is happening on the stage of the opera house on the big screen right here, next to the building. To do this, seats are installed opposite the large screen.

By the way, there is paid parking next to the theater, so there should be no problems arriving by car ...

Opera House in Vienna, official site

The season at the Vienna Opera is long, almost ten months. The repertoire includes many different pieces of music. In general, Vienna and music are two inseparable concepts. Sounds and melodies classical music accompany you everywhere. Even on the rides in Vienna's Prater, classical music is turned on before speeding up or starting the most "terrible" part of the test.

Brahms, Schubert, Haydn lived and created their great works in Vienna. Mozart in Vienna is actually a national symbol. The words of the Austrian anthem are superimposed on Mozart's music from the "Masonic Cantata". I read that Mozart was among the Freemasons. In the city, even the house where the great composer lived has been preserved. He is next to, through the archway. Mozart in his letters called Vienna the most the best city peace. In Vienna, hotels, liquors, perfumes and even Mozart sweets are associated with the name of Mozart. These candies made of chocolate, syrup and nut mixture were created one hundred years after the death of the composer, at the end of the 19th century.

I cannot but mention Johann Strauss, an Austrian composer. Most of all we know the Strauss waltzes. Viennese waltz, Vienna waltzes are quite stable phrases. Strauss waltzes are heard at the opera house in Vienna when an important social event takes place there - the Vienna Ball. How important this event is can be judged by the fact that even the President of Austria can be present here. And there is even a rehearsal of this grandiose performance. Men in tailcoats, ladies in beautiful ball gowns. Austrians of all incomes buy ball gowns to get into one of the strings of balls. From the beginning of November until the end of winter, such events take place all over Vienna, but the Vienna Opera Ball remains the most important. So you can buy dresses in a cool boutique and in local second-hand ball pavilions, for every taste and budget. People from different countries come to the Vienna Ball at the Opera House.

City Hall in Vienna

After visiting the building of the Vienna Opera House, we went to one curious place, which was suggested to us by the landlady. We did not include him in the Vienna inspection program for three days, because we simply did not know about him.

So, we go down to the subway, to the Karlplatz station. The entrance is opposite the Opera House. We're going to the Town Hall. It is located in the central district of Vienna - the Inner City, metro station Rathaus (Rathaus), line U2. And back to the center from the Town Hall, we rode tram number 1, the stop is next to the Town Hall, through the park, there is no need to cross the road.

The building of the City Hall in Vienna, built at the end of the 19th century, is a vivid example of neo-Gothic. At the top stands the figure of a guard-bearer in the appropriate ammunition and armor, 3.5 meters high. By the way, the City Hall in Vienna does not belong to the church. The city burgomaster (mayor) works here, members of parliament and the municipal council sit. In indoor areas arrange completely secular events - concerts, exhibitions, receptions, balls. There is even a restaurant in the Town Hall building. It is focused more on tourists, at prices like this: apple strudel and coffee 8 euros.

It turns out that since 1991, almost every day during the warm season at 21.00 near the Vienna City Hall, musical films, opera and ballet performances and other works of art are screened on a large 23 m wide screen installed right next to the City Hall building.

These activities attract local residents and guests of the city. Shows are different every day. We hardly found free seats in the established summer amphitheater on the street. Moreover, many even in the presence of free seating, sit down specifically on the grass. I honestly don't know the name of the operetta that was broadcast on the screen, and it was in German.

I just looked and caught the atmosphere that this place was filled with. The audience is completely different: from students in appearance to intelligent gray-haired elderly couples. Well, the scope of sales is tightened here. Immediately behind the amphitheater is a park with fountains - the Rathauspark, where various cafes have placed their tents, the air smelled of sausages, coffee and beer. Here it is - the smell of Austria.

It is very comfortable at such performances near the Town Hall, and this is exactly what you need to see in the evening in Vienna. And in winter, one of the oldest Christmas markets works in front of the Town Hall building and a skating rink is flooded.

In the evening, in the apartment, we caught ourselves thinking that familiar melodies of classical music were spinning in our heads. How else? Music is everywhere in Vienna.