"Wien is a wonderful city." a Vienna Travel Page by lulu_girl

My first trip to Austria was in 1995. As the years progressed, and I returned on holidays, I decided to try living in Vienna. It's a long story, but after almost a year there, I had to return back to NYC. Work papers are not an easy thing to come by....

But despite the set backs, Vienna is a stunningly beautiful town. The winters are quite harsh, so be forewarned, and New Year's Eve in the city center is *not* as calm as you might expect from a city of a mere two million. If one is not used to Catholic holidays, get used to them...they are frequent occurances which cause most of the city to shut down (similiar to a holiday in the United States...some restaurants, pubs, and movie theaters are open, but shops, grocery stores, post offices, etc...are not).

As far as getting around the city goes, the public transportation is excellent. It is 1.50 euro per ride on the subway, or U-Bahn (the same for trams and buses). It is an honor system, so it is possible to ride without paying, but I do NOT recommend it...as I've been caught before. Opps. The U-Bahn also stops running between 11:30pm and 12:30-ish am, depending on the train lines. Be prepared. There are night buses, but they do not run often and tend to be very crowded.

There is *alot* to do in Vienna...from Opera to Museums (the art collections are quite impressive...classical to some of the greatest exhibitions of modern art I've seen yet) to punk rock shows to dancing to hiking to swimming in the Donau..to excellent food (particularly Greek, Italian, and authentic Austrian treats)...there really is something for everyone here (and yes, I am well aware how dorky I sound, haha). There are plenty of vegetarian places as well. They are spread out over the city, and vary in quality. I'd ask around to find out what's best for your palette.

Age is not so much of a concern here, as both the young and old can have a great time. Vienna is famous for it's shopping and horse/buggy rides, but equally famous for it's coffee shops, pubs, and nightclubs (if you know where to find them). The city is also fairly tolerant...there is a thriving gay/lesbian scene, and while nothing is perfect (including Vienna), one doesn't necessarily need to fear walking down the street with their same sex partner.

I highly recommend purchasing a 'Let's Go Europe' or 'Let's go Austria' book before heading over, especially for the younger crowds (or those on a super tight budget) that want to find out where to go for music, dancing, clubs, drinking, cheap hostels/hotels, etc... The 'Let's go' books are fairly up to date, and are great resources for 'hip' cafes, really cheap eats, etc... Also check out <a href="http://www.falter.at">www.falter.at </a> for other information. That website is in German, however, it's not *too* difficult to navigate. Concert listings, movie listings, etc... can be found within.

Vienna is not terribly expensive, in all actuality. It all depends on what you want to do. There are 24 districts that make up Vienna...the city is spread out quite a bit. The most expensive areas are in the first district. That's pretty much the Madison Avenue of Austria. So if you want to spend a small fortune, go for it! If you can't, buy your food, souveniers, etc... in another area. : )

One last note is that yes, understanding German is very helpful when going to Vienna....but you can get by not speaking the language. I'm sad to say that my German is horribly poor...but I managed. Not to state the obvious or anything, but if you're kind to those around you, they'll be kind back. If you're an ***, well, Austrians can have the same attitude as a New Yorker rubbed the wrong way...you get what you give, basically.

I suppose that about sums it up. I'll point out some restaurants, musuems, and clubs...but I must warn you that my tastes tend to bend towards the art/underground/punk/gothic scene...but I'll try to be all encompassing.