What you need to know before you book your airfare and tickets
Sacher torte and apfel strudel is what comes to mind when you think of Vienna, but the Austrian capital is about so much more. Yes, the city has a long standing tradition of producing scrumptious pastries and you'll find many Viennese cafes where you can get your hands on delicacies such as marillenknoedel and palatschinken. Cafe Central is one of them. If you want to try more Viennese and Austrian food, then make your way to the Naschmarkt where you can buy local food as well as food from elsewhere in the world. But is not all about the cakes and the schnitzels, there is loads to see and do in Vienna. Start your stay with a ride in the famous ferris wheel also known as the Wiener Prater. From the top you'll be able to see the impressive skyline of the city. This is especially romantic at night time. There is a great presence ofJjugendstil architecture in Vienna or Secession as it is called here. Gustav Klimt is one famous artist that created pieces in this style. You can admire some of his and other secession atists' work at the Secession Building. Visit the Belvedere Palace which was built by von Hildebrandt who was a famous Baroque Architect. It now houses a museum that houses Austrian paintings. Another palace worth visiting is the Shoenbrunn Palace which is situated outside of the city. It was built as a summer residence for the Habsburg family. It holds over 1400 rooms, but don't worry, they are not all accessible for tourists. There are only 40 rooms open to the public and I think, that is more than enough. Don't miss out on the perfectly manicured Tirolean gardens. Another must see while in Vienna is the Vienna Spanish Riding School. It's the last riding school that teaches classic dressage. Even if you don't get your hands on tickets to see a performance, have a look at the impressive baroque hall.
