WELCOME ΤΟVienna

The Belvedere was built as a summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy and the stunning Baroque palace complex is now home to an art museum as well as beautiful gardens. The Schloss Belvedere complex is formed of two Baroque palaces - Upper and Lower Belvedere - joined by a large and beautifully designed garden. Redesigned in 2018, the inside of the palace is home to one of Austria's most valuable art collections. The permanent exhibition showcases works from the Middle Ages to the present day across seven different themed rooms, including the magnificent two-storey Marble Hall and the octagonal Palace Chapel. A highlight of the Upper Belvedere is undoubtedly the first floor exhibition dedicated to Gustav Klimt, an unmissable visit for Art Nouveau fans, or anyone wanting to see the artist's world-famous painting of The Kiss. The little brother of the Upper palace, the Lower Belvedere has a more subtle façade, and houses the museum's temporary exhibitions. Inside, visitors can still marvel at the lavish tastes of Prince Eugene, who used this palace as his residence, particularly in the Groteskensaal (Hall of the Grotesque), the Marble Gallery and the Golden Room.

The Donauinsel is a long, narrow artificial island in central Vienna, Austria, lying between the Danube river and the parallel excavated channel Neue Donau . The island is 21.1 km (13.1 mi) in length, but is only 70–210 m (230–689 ft) wide. The New Danube waterway is practically an elongated (swimming) lake, technically a diluvian bed.

Located along the famous Ringstrasse, Maria Theresa Square (Maria Theresien Platz) is surrounded by many of the capital’s prominent landmarks, with the Museum Quarter to the south and the Hofburg Palace to the north. Maria Theresa was the only female ruler of the Habsburg Empire, over which she ruled for forty years. A very religious woman with 16 children, she was quite popular with the people she ruled and is considered one of the best rulers of the Habsburg dynasty. The Maria Theresien Platz is located in a beautiful area between the Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Art History Vienna, and it was created to honor this grand ruler. In the center of Maria Theresien Platz you'll find the Maria Theresia Monument, a huge memorial constructed for 13 years under the guidance of Kaspar von Zumbusch. The monument features the empress Maria Theresa as a large, imposing bronze statue, as she greets the people with her right hand and holds a document and a scepter in her left. She is surrounded by other statues of her generals. The monument stands over 19 meters high and weighs approximately 44 tons. During the advent, the Maria Theresien Platz is transformed into a festive Christmas Village, with cabins offering handicrafts, punch and so much more.

Located in Museumsquartier, Vienna's Natural History Museum is home to a wide range of exhibitions that allow visitors to experience the incredible diversity of nature and to travel back in time through the history of our planet. The museum building itself, opened in 1889, is the identical twin of the Art History Museum which faces it across Maria Theresia Platz. The Natural History Museum's exhibitions are divided between two floors: the lower floor is dedicated to Europe's most extensive collection of precious stones, minerals and even meteorites, as well as a number of displays surrounding prehistoric culture, the evolution of humankind, and paleontological discoveries. The famous Venus of Willendorf, a figurine estimated to be 30,000 years old, is on display here. On the upper floor, visitors can explore a huge collection of different animal species, including insects, birds and mammals. Not only do these exhibitions provide fascinating insight into the history of taxidermy over the centuries, but they also give us the opportunity to see now-extinct creatures such as Steller's sea cow.

The park at Schönbrunn Palace was opened to the public around 1779 and since then has provided a popular recreational amenity for the Viennese population as well as being a focus of great cultural and historical interest for international visitors. Extending for 1.2 km from east to west and approximately one kilometer from north to south, it was placed together with the palace on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1996. As a young girl, Maria Theresa took over the Schoenbrunn estate from her father, Charles V, who had mostly used it as a pheasant hunting preserve. Thus began the glorious era of the castle and the park. It is one of the most beautiful in Europe, modeled after the French baroque ones.

Constructed in the 17th century, the immense Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna was the summer residence of the Austrian imperial family for several hundred years. Its stunning Baroque architecture, lavish interiors and beautiful gardens are well worth a visit. Built in the 17th century, Schloss Schonbrunn, to this day one of Europe's most beautiful Baroque palaces, was for many years the imperial summer residence. Among its guests were many famous visitors including Mozart and Napoleon! Wander around its lavish rooms - of which there are a grand total of 1,441 - and admire the sumptuous Rococo style decor. Don't miss the splendor of the Great Gallery, where imperial banquets were held, the exotic flair of the Chinese Cabinets - the locations of Maria Theresia's secret meetings with her Chancellor, and Charles I's abdication in 1918 - as well as the surprisingly modest private suites of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Isabel. As well as the beautiful palace itself, the immense Schloss Schonbrunn complex features stunning gardens filled with sculptures, the fascinating Imperial Carriage Museum, and the Tiergarten, the oldest zoo in the world. Stroll through the wonderful gardens to the Gloriette, which offers beautiful views of the palace from its hilltop location.

Stephansdom is one of Vienna's most recognisable symbols, standards on the ruins of an earlier ancient Roman church, built and dedicated to St. Stephen in 1147. Of this, only the Giant's Gate and the Heathen Towers still remain. The cathedral is crowned by a 137-meter tall spire. The Gothic-style Steffl tower, or Little Stephan, as it's ironically known, can be seen from all over Vienna. A snail's-pace climb up the tower's staircase will reward you with unforgettable views over the city center. Pay a visit to the must-see Catacombs, the entrance to which is through a chamber under the North Tower. Constructed at the end of the 14th-century to house remains from the area's overcrowded graveyards, the Catacombs were closed in 1783. Today, the major attraction is the Ducal Vault, which Rudolf IV had constructed for the Habsburgs in 1363. The Cathedral's North Tower itself is home to the massive Pummerin Bell, rung only on special occasions such as New Year's Eve. Als visit the elaborate tombs of the many important people who have had the honor of being buried inside the cathedral throughout history, and it was the site of Mozart's wedding and funeral.

The Albertina Museum, located in the heart of Vienna, is home to one of the world's largest and most important graphic collections, with more than 65,000 drawings and around a million old master prints. The museum is housed in the former palace of the Duchess Maria Christina and her husband Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen, an avid art collector after whom the gallery is named. Each floor of the museum is home to a different exhibition. The second floor is dedicated to the gallery's permanent collections, and throughout its sixteen rooms, visitors can admire some of the most important pieces of art from the past 130 years. Discover everything from French impressionism to German expressionism to the Russian avant-garde, and more, with Monet, Renoir, Cezanne, Matisse, Miró and Picasso being just some of the iconic artists displayed here. On the first floor, visit the 22 State Rooms occupied by various Habsburg family members over the course of 100 years. Travel back in time to Imperial Vienna as you explore their luxurious living quarters, which are still partly decorated and furnished in their original style.

All the plants that provide so much delight throughout the year in Vienna’s parks and gardens are expertly cultivated here. the first place in Europe to cultivate tulips was Vienna, even before the flower became a trademark of the Netherlands?

Schönbrunn Zoo is a 17-hectare (42-acre) zoo in the city of Vienna, Austria. Established in 1752,it is the world’s oldest zoo still in operation. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, being a part of the Schönbrunn Palace gardens.