Vienna City Guide
Official Name: Wien
Capital: Vienna is the capital of Austria , and also one of the nine States of Austria.
Interesting for backpackers might also be the density of hostel accommodation this rather small European capital has to offer. All together 11 hostels, from Hostelling International hostels to private independent hostels - often run by (former) backpackers and experienced hostel residents themselves - you can find everything to go easy on your budget but still have proper accommodation surrounded by adventures youth in a youth-hostel.
Official language: German (Deutsch).
Visa: Citizens of European Union , United States , Israel , Japan , Malaysia , Singapur, Corea , Canada , Australia & New Zealand as well as Argentina , Bolivia , Chile , Costa Rica , Ecuador , El Salvador , México , Panama , Paraguay , Uruguay & Venezuela do not need Visas if their maximum stay is 3 months.
Citizens of Colombia , Cuba , Honduras , Nicaragua , Peru & Dominican Republic as well as Africa and Arabia countries need a visa with maximum stay of 3 months.
Backpackers attention: In every Hostel you will need your passport or any other valid travel ID to check-in.
Currency: Euro
Visa, Mastercard and Maestro widely accepted. (In hostels it is better to arrive with at least enough cash for the first night)
Weather:Vienna is situated has a Continental Pannonian climate, characterised by temperatures in July of above 19°C ( 66°F ) and annual rainfall usually under 800mm.
July and August can be very hot and winter is surprisingly cold, especially in January. May and August tend to be the wettest months. Damp maritime winds sometimes sweep in from the west, and it is not uncommon for the ‘Föhn', a warm wind from the south, to make its presence felt the entire year.
No worries for the backpacking Vienna in winter, the vast majority of hostels in Vienna has central heating.
Vienna Sights and Museums
The biggest sight in Vienna is probably the whole inner city and the street that closes it in (Ringstrasse). Apart from that there is the Hundertwasserhaus & Kunsthaus in the 3rd district, there always are good exhibitions and the houses themselves are already worth going there; the ‘Wiener Prater', a funpark (Wurstelprater) where the famous Ferris-Wheel (Riesenrad) is situated and a huge area of parks and woods, perfect to relax!
Vienna Entertainment
New Year concert: ‘Wiener Philharmonica Orchester' (Philharmonic Orchestra of Vienna) introduces the New Year with a version of the ‘Wiener Walzer' (Vienese Walz)
Donauionselfest: Free music festival in Vienna at the end of June on the Danube-Island, including many stages with all kinds of music, a fun-park, …
Wiener Festwochen: Vienna 's Theatre-Festival in June. Big and small productions are being performed in theatres & other stages all around the city.
Viennale: Austria 's biggest Film-Festival in October or November. All kinds of movie productions are being shown all day long in the loveliest cinemas of Vienna . The first film usually starts at 11am and the last picture-show is not before 1am !
Christmastime: With the beginning of December all around Vienna are opening Christmas markets, selling all kinds of products from food to little souvenirs, homemade liquors and of course punch and hot wine! The biggest and probably most commercialised is located in front of the Vienna's city-hall, popular as well but more traditional are the markets on the University Campus, Spittelberg, the Belvedere and in Resselpark which has the best hot wine in town (at the Schilcher stand).
Vienna Transports
The underground system in Vienna is very good:
- on-way-ride: €1.50
- 24h ride: €5
- 3-day-ride: €12
- whole week: €12.50.
Where the underground can't take you, there will be buses or trams!
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