Vienna

Writing something about Vienna without clichés and exaggerating the adjectives is challenging. Notwithstanding, the city is simply a marvelous travel destination. Austria’s capital is fascinating for anyone who loves history, architecture, culinary delights, music, art, or simply people-watching. With this in mind, the first thing that strikes you when you arrive in Vienna is the grandeur of the architecture. It is never-ending. Wherever you look, the past has put its lavishly elegant stamp on Vienna. Nonetheless, Austria’s largest city is not only a collection of relics from past ands but also a very modern home to 1,9 million people.

Long history

It all started as a Celtic outpost which over the, centuries grew into the Roman Vindabona. Remains of the Romans can still be seen at the Michaelerplatz and under Hoher Markt. Vindabona flourished under the Romans and at its peak had 15-20.000 inhabitants. A consequence of the fall of the Roman Empire was that Vindabona sank into oblivion. Not until the German king Otto I won a battle against the Magyars (Hungarians) in 955 AD did Vienna start to rise out of its political indifference again. In 1145 the Babenberg family who ruled parts of what today is Austria, moved their capital to Vienna. From there on the city started its way to fame and glory when the Habsburg dynasty came to town in the 13th century. They ruled their ever-growing empire from Vienna for more than 600 years.

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Major tourist destination

Then again, it took a while to grow its population. In 1754, Vienna had a population of “only” 175.000. At its peak, the city was home to 2 million people in 1910. Moreover, at the height of the Austrian Empire, Vienna was the capital city for about 50 million people. The 1,9 million people who live in Vienna today must share their city with 6,5 million visitors per year. Austria’s capital is a popular tourist destination for many reasons. Grand architecture, both historical and contemporary, just to mention a few. Equally important is the abundance of cultural events. Last but not least, an enormous choice of eateries that reflect not only the Austrian culinary culture but also the multicultural environment that has always been Vienna’s trademark. These highlights are just a few things that you can fill your days in Vienna.

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Relax

Big city holidays can often be stressful. You have much to choose from and probably want to experience it all, especially if you stay only for a few days. Vienna has its share of big-city hustle and bustle, but there are also a few quiet oases to be found. To relax, simply visit some of the city’s many parks. Also, some of the outer districts are rarely visited by mainstream tourists but still offer interesting sights. Moreover, it’s also one of the safest cities in the world. Hence, you can safely venture out and see the city alone. Crime rates are very low compared to other tourist destinations around the world.

Multinational

Vienna always was and still is a multinational melting pot. The city has attracted people from different cultures throughout its history. During the Habsburg Empire, its 50 million inhabitants came from many different ethnic groups. They all put their stamp on the city in one way or another. Out of today’s 1,9 million inhabitants, 460.000 are foreign citizens. Vienna has been named “World’s top city for quality of life” several times. Not only because but also because it houses numerous large international institutions. Consequently, many cultural aspects of the Austrian capital are markedly influenced by its multicultural people. Notwithstanding, the genuine Austrian culture adds a strong flavour to this great city.

At the end of this article you find links to all the articles we have written about the sights and sounds of Vienna so far!

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