Vienna Tourist Trap Tips by longsanborn

I went on a guided tour around the Opera House with a group of friends. The tour cost is Euro 6.50 per person for about half an hour, and I don't think it was such a good value. There were many groups on tour and we were herded around too much, not leaving much time for the tour guides to explain much, not giving us much time to really look around. We didn't see much of the Opera House - front and back of the curtains, some empty rooms, and 2 ballrooms, that's it.

For Euro 6.50 per person for half an hour? That is too much for too little time.

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The City Bus Tour is the Hop on and off bus tour, where you can visit the main tourist site and get off and then get on later. For this, you pay almost Euro 30 and you get a crappy headphone with audio guide, then circle around the city and maybe visit a few sights away from Vienna (e.g. Schonbrunn, etc.).

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At Least Do This: Do the city bus tour when you don't have much time in Vienna. The bus tour is good for busy people because the bus will bring you easily and directly to the main major attractions without much hassle. If you take this tour, get off at every stop and enjoy the sights as much as possible.
Alternative: Go to the tourist office and get the map of the city. Then you should walk to every tourist attractions; you don't have to walk far because most of the attractions are close to each other. You can take the Tram # 1 or # 2 and enjoy the ride around the "Ring" road. You get to see the Hofburg palace gates, the Empress Maria Theresa square and the 2 museums, the Parliment, the Town Hall, the Votiv church (from far), then around to Schwedenplatz, the Stadtpark and the Schwazenburgplatz. You just pay Euro 1.50 for the Tram ticket and you can use the ticket for the underground as well, as long as it is within one journey or 60 minutes, whichever is earlier.

The Secession Museum is a building with cupola of golden laurel leaves and its art deco facade. It is one of the keyworks of Viennese Art Nouveaux architecture and was planned and built by Joseph Maria Olbricht, a student of Otto Wagner. Laurel leaf garlands decorate the facade and front of the building, the masks of 3 gorgons preside over the entrance symbolizing the 3 art forms of architecture, sculpture and painting. Above the entrance you can read the motto of the secessionist: "Der Zeit ihre Kunst. Der Kunst ihre Freiheit." (To the Age its Art. To Art its Freedom)

The Secession museum specializes in contemporary art.; it is a museum that exhibits radical - sometimes contraversial, sometimes weird - and modern works of arts. However, the so-called works of arts are really not worth the visit.

The last time I went there, it was in 2005 and I was not impressed at all with the so-called work of arts at the time. It was an exhibition of sound and media, and I saw dark empty spaces in cubicles with TVs in the middle of the rooms. There were shadows and light plays which meant nothing at all. I was flabbergasted at these "Arts". Then I decided to see Gustav's Klimt's exhibit - it was located in the basement of the building and I was very disappointed to see that Klimt never finished the paintings. The "Beethovan Frieze" paintings were small, way up near to the ceilings and they only covered less than 1/4 of the walls.

I was very very disappointed - I felt I was ripped-off.

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At Least Do This: If you really have to enter the Secession Museum, go and see the famous Gustav Klimt's Beethoven Frieze (the Secession Museum's best-known exhibit). Designed in 1902 as a decorative painting, it covers 3 walls and is 34 m (110 feet) long. It shows interrelated groups of figures and is thought to be a commentary on Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.
Alternative: Go to the Belvedere Museums. You can see much more and better works of arts for Euro 10.

When summer comes to Vienna, it comes suddenly and with such heating force. One day, it is nice and cool, and then the next, it is sunny and hot. When it gets hot, people gets thirsty easily and they will be wanting a nice cool drink - fast.

But do not be tempted to buy drinks from the city centre food stalls, shops, etc. The prices of these cold drinks will be very expensive when compared to supermarket prices. A bottle of mineral water will cost Euro 1.50 while in supermarkets will cost less than Euro 0.50. A cold Coke or Iced Tea can cost you Euro 1.80 - 2.00.

So, if you plan to spend a long time outdoors, it is better you carry your own water.

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At Least Do This: Well, if you are really dying of thirst, go ahead and pay a premium price for water, coke or other beverages!