Vienna City Tours
In case you are interested in exploring Vienna on your own, we have compiled a short city tour that allows you to see the major attractions within a few hours and provides you a glance at Vienna the way it really is. Starting point of the tour is at Schottentor which is reachable by the U2 (that is the violet-colored subway) or by many tramway lines such as the D tramway which departs from the Southern train station Südbahnhof. From there you can already see the first attraction of the tour. The University of Vienna is a monumental building that is home to thousands of students who are soon-to-be academics. In addition it has a history that dates back far into the 11th century. Follow this direction and you will be at the town hall, the Rathaus within a minute or so.
On top of this building you can find a small statue - the Rathausmann. It is a statue that has reached cult-like status in Vienna and is often used in promotional pieces by the city of Vienna. In fact it is not small at all. The statue is more than two meters tall in reality! On the other side of the Ringstrasse you can see the world-famous
Burgtheater that opened its gates under the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph II. In case you are already craving for the first rest on your sightseeing tour, the Café Landtmann is a superb way to experience Viennese Culture.
This has and largely still is one of the hotspots for celebrities, artists and everyone that tries to be one of these as well as the Viennese upper class. This is also reflected in the prices being charged so if you are looking for a cheaper way to witness Austrian coffee culture head on for a less expensive café. Well, now that you are refreshed and relaxed you quest for the real Vienna continues. Follow the Ringstrasse counterclockwise and a short walk later you will stand in front of the Austrian Parliament, home to the Nationalrat and the democracy in Austria. In front of the building, the Pallas Athene, is a statue that is being photographed by thousands of tourists on a daily basis..
