Vienna

Vienna is the capital of the Republic of Austria. It is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre. As the former home of the Habsburg court and its various empires, the city still has the trappings of the imperial capital it once was, and the historic city centre is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Vienna stands at the heart of Europe, smack on the intersection between the East and West. Conquerors--Celts, Romans, Babenbergs, and finally the Hapsburgs--have all left their marks. Now Vienna is the sole EU capital with a UN headquarters.

Viennese architecture tends toward the massive. You feel quite small walking the city center as monumental buildings brood over you, and many visitors have reported a coldness to Vienna that they can't really put a finger on.

But there is a warmth to Vienna as well. Coffee shops buzz with life, trams full of people clatter along, crisscrossing the city in abundance.

Vienna has a good public transport system, which includes commuter rail, underground, trams (trolleys), and buses. The subway system is very efficient and will take you to within a few minutes walk of anywhere you are likely to want to visit.

Viennese speak Austrian German, though there is a special Viennese accent all its own. Standard (Northern) German however, the version usually studied by English speakers, will everywhere be readily understood. People in jobs dealing with foreign visitors usually are fluent in English, though English is not as universally spoken as in northern European countries, and signs (including descriptive signs in museums) don't as often include English translations as in some other European countries, so those who don't speak German may find a traveler's phrase book or billingual dictionary useful.