The German Way: Life in Austria, Germany, Switzerland

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The first time I visited Austria it seemed like the whole country was a national park! That impression has remained after many more visits. Everywhere you turn, you see beautiful landscapes, historic architecture, and friendly people. From the Blue Danube (not really that blue) to the snow-covered Alps, from Salzburg to Bregenz, it’s like Disneyland, only much better — because it’s authentic! Learn more about this Alpine nation that proves the adage that good things come in small packages: Österreich.

Let’s begin with the Austrian capital city and some of the key attractions you should see.

Vienna (Wien)

Belvedere
Schloss Belvedere in Vienna is both an art museum and a classic example of Austrian architecture — set in a formal garden (Belvedere-Garten). In fact, there are two palaces and three museums located here! (Larger view)
Photo © Hyde Flippo
The Austrian capital is not only the country’s largest, most influential city (pop. 1.7 million), but also one of Austria’s nine provinces and a world all its own compared to the rest of Austria. Dating back to Roman times (when it was called Vindobona), the city now known as Wien (veen) in German, became the residence of the Hapsburg monarchy in 1278. Vienna has its own dialect and its own way of doing things. It is also steeped in history and has many interesting sights to see. Vienna has an excellent public transportation network. Vienna’s main attractions:

  • Stephansdom - St. Stephen’s cathedral was built during the 13th to 15th centuries. It is Vienna’s greatest and best-known landmark standing in the very heart of the city.
  • Hofburg - The former residence of the Hapsburgs is a massive complex of buildings, courtyards, squares, and monuments that grew over several centuries.
  • Ringstraße - Vienna’s magnificent ring boulevard, tracing the city’s former fortified walls, is lined by parks and grand architecture. Notable buildings: the Staatsoper (opera), Parlament, the Rathaus (city hall), and the Burgtheater.
  • Prater Park - Vienna’s famous Volksprater amusement park and its giant Ferris wheel (Riesenrad) have played a role in several classic films (The Third Man and the James Bond film The Living Daylights). Web: Vienna Prater
  • United Nations, Vienna (UNOV) - The modern architectural UNOV office complex opened on January 1, 1980. Along with the headquarters in New York and the Geneva UN office, the UNOV performs representation and liaison functions for the UN. It is easy to reach via the U1 U-Bahn line, and tours are available. Web: Vienna International Centre
  • Donauturm - The 252-meter (827 ft) Danube Tower offers magnificent views of the city and also features two revolving restaurants. Web: Donauturm (English)
    • Again to Austrian autobahn sticker
    The Hundertwasserhaus in Vienna is named for its designer Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Photo © H. Flippo

  • Parlament - The Austrian Parliament building with its beautiful Athena fountain is on the Ringstraße.
  • Hundertwasserhaus - This unique — some would say bizarre — apartment building designed by the Austrian artist and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser is definitely worth a visit. Also recommended: the Wotrubakirche (church) by the Austrian sculptor Fritz Wotruba.
  • Rathaus - The city hall was built in a medieval style in 1873.
  • Museums - Vienna and Austria have far too many art and historical museums to mention in detail. Pick your favorites! Web: Museen in Österreich (in German; the museum sites are usually also in English)
  • Schönbrunn Palace - Modeled after Versailles, you can tour the Hapsburg royal summer residence and its beautiful grounds, with an 18th century park and the world’s oldest zoo (1752).
  • Viennese coffee houses - Vienna’s cafés are legendary. The Viennese claim to have have invented filtered coffee after the second Turkish siege of 1683, using the coffee beans the Turks left behind.
  • Heuriger - A Heuriger (HOY-ree-gher) is a wine pub that serves Heurigen wine, "this year's wine." Just outside of Vienna there are small towns that specialize in serving the local wines. Grinzing is perhaps the best-known of these towns.

For more about Austria, see this page:

Other Austrian Cities and Towns

Of course, there is much more to Austria than Vienna. Besides Salzburg, Graz, Linz, and Innsbruck, there are many places in Austria worth visiting. Although the country is only about the size of the U.S. state of South Carolina, there is a great variety of landscapes found between Lake Constance (der Bodensee) in the west and the Neusiedler See in the east — from soaring Alpine peaks to lowland marshes. Watch for more about Austria’s many other attractions in future articles!

Please see the Web links below for Austrian cities and more travel-related information.

AUSTRIA > Country Info > Austrian Travel and Tourism > Germany > Switzerland

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Austria: Airlines and Travel Information

Austrian Cities on the Web

Austrian Events and Celebrations

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More Austria:

Know before you go:

  • Electrical Tips - The shocking facts about bringing electrical appliances or devices to Austria.
  • German Language - Learn German before you go: AboutGerman.net site has free lessons and resources to help you learn Deutsch.
  • The GW&M Site Map or the Search page can help you find a specific page or topic on our site.
  • Sigmund Freud was a “complex” Austrian.

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