Most of the sights you'll want to take in are located in the city center, encircled by the Ring. For a panoramic view, climb the 448-ft/137-m south tower of the Stephansdom. A few blocks away is the Albertina museum, which houses more than 200,000 drawings (works by Albrecht Durer, among others). At another corner of the Old City is the Hofburg Palace, a massive complex that contains the Burgkapelle (the chapel where the Vienna Boys Choir sings), the Stallburg (where the famous Lipizzaner horses are stabled), the Imperial Treasuries (containing the Hapsburg crown jewels), the elaborate Austrian National Library and the Sisi Museum, devoted to the tragic life of the penultimate emperor's famous wife.
The pulse of the city is the Ring itself. Fuel up with a cup of coffee or tea and head to one of the world-class museums along the Ring. The Kunsthistorisches Museum has works of art by Brueghel, Rembrandt, Caravaggio and Titian, as well as Roman and Egyptian antiquities. Just across the plaza is the Naturhistorisches Museum, which has the Venus of Willendorf, one of the oldest works of art in existence. It also boasts some stunning geological specimens. Right next door is the enormously popular MuseumsQuartier, a cultural complex that houses five galleries and museums as well as stylish cafes, restaurants and bookshops.
A 10-minute walk from the Ring is another enjoyable museum, namely the quirky KunstHausWien, designed by the artist Hundertwasser. The museum is a fantasy of colorful tiles, deliberately uneven floors and peculiar architecture (trees grow out of the third-floor window). Slightly southeast of the Ring is the beautiful Upper Belvedere Palace, which houses a stunning collection of Viennese art from the art-nouveau era. Another palace visitors shouldn't miss is the elaborate 17th-century Schonbrunn, which was the Hapsburg summer home. However, be prepared for a crowd of sightseers and rows of tourist buses, as this is Vienna's most popular attraction.
Prater Park, across the Danube Canal from the Old City, is a fun amusement park that dates from the 18th century. The park's main attractions are the Riesenrad (a giant Ferris wheel, made famous in the film The Third Man), restaurants and cafes, and its sports grounds (located in the park's southern section), which feature tennis courts, cycling tracks, and jogging and walking paths.
While in Vienna, you can also visit the homes and burial sites of many famous Viennese residents, including Freud and Mozart. There are also numerous museums honoring the likes of Beethoven, Haydn, Schubert, Johann Strauss and Schoenberg.
The Vienna Card provides reduced rates for selected museums, galleries and guided tours; unlimited travel around the city for a 72-hour period; and discounts at some stores and cafes. It costs 18.50 euros and can be purchased at the Vienna airport, train stations, the Vienna Tourist Board at Albertinaplatz 1, and at most Vienna hotels and tourist agencies. For additional information, see http://www.wienkarte.at.
Museums
Vienna has more than 100 museums covering every aspect of the city's history. Its annual expenditure on cultural heritage is greater than that of any other city in Europe. There is even a place where rueful thieves can anonymously deposit stolen art objects. http://www.werftgalerie.at.
