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Vienna City Breaks

Vienna City Break

Vienna city breaks offer an enchanting excursion into Austria's Baroque capital, which for centuries was under the rule of the impressive Hapsburg Empire. The grand and imperial city inspires the sounds of the Strauss waltz or Brahms lullaby, as you explore the majestic palaces and magnificent mansions in the Innerestadt. Culturally the city is a musical gem, with classical composers such as Beethoven, Schubert, Strauss, Haydn, Brahms and Mozart having performed and lived in Vienna. The city is now home to an impressive State Opera House and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, offering more classical performances each year than any other city.

Historically Vienna began as a Celtic settlement on the banks of the River Danube, which later became a central European base for the Romans. The strategic location of the city enabled it to become a magnificent empire, which peaked during the reign of the Hapsburg dynasty. The prosperity of the city began to decline in the late nineteenth century and the coffee houses of Vienna became home to intellectuals like Freud, Mahler and Klimt. The city survived Nazi occupation in World War II and remains an enchanting capital city, influenced with Germanic organisation and Italian romanticism.

Today on a Vienna city breaks, visitors can expect opulence and luxury to surround them, with the best in music and cuisine being available. Excellent coffee, cream cakes and an array of gourmet cuisine from top restaurants throughout the city cater to its visitors, and a Vienna city break would not be complete without experiencing the Vienna Boys' Choir or visiting the famous Spanish Riding School, to see the Lippizaner stallions.

 

 


Essential Information on Austria

Money

The unit of currency is the Euro (EUR), which is divided into 100 cents. Currency can be exchanged at banks and bureaux de change available in all towns, but it may be easier to use the ATMs. Banks are closed on Saturdays and Sundays, but exchange offices at airports and major city rail terminals are open seven days a week. Major credit and debit cards are widely accepted though some small hotels and restaurants may only accept cash. Travellers cheques are also accepted.

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Passports / Visas

The borderless region known as the Schengen area includes the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. All these countries issue a standard Schengen visa that has a multiple entry option that allows the holder to travel freely within the borders of all.

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Communications

The international access code for Austria is +43. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). The area code for Vienna is (0)1. Public telephone boxes can be used for direct dial calls within the country and overseas. Austria's mobile network operates on the 900 and 1800 bands for GSM. Internet cafes are widely available.

Source: www.wordtravels.com