By Barbara Grüll-Cação, Vienna Unwrapped
If you go on a city break, you are likely to exhaust your physical energies in day-time walks, museum visits, and shopping sprees. My home town Vienna, one of the best holiday destinations is no exception to the rule.
My tip: Pick a good hotel (see my top choices in hotels Vienna Austria for an early evening rest, and recharge your batteries for a few nights out.
1. Concerts
There are one to three dozen concerts taking place in Vienna each day, classical concerts as much as those playing jazz and contemporary tunes. While it is a well known fact that Vienna is prime in classical music, few people know that the Austrian capital is also a leading spot for electronic music in Europe.
2. Operas
Vienna has one of the best opera orchestras, opera choirs and ballets in the world. The Vienna Opera House stages dozens of classics, from Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro to Verdi’s Rigoletto. They are full of catchy tunes and colourful stage settings, and therefore delight opera amateurs as much as opera pros.
3. Dance Balls
Before you say anything: All clichés about ballroom dancing Viennese ladies waltzing in glittering dresses are true. There are more than 300 sumptuous dance balls every year, many of them in glitzy locations such as the Imperial Palace. The main ball season is between January and March, though there are also a few balls in the spring and summer.
4. Theatres
A visit to a Viennese theatre, such as the Burgtheater, is a good way to brush up your German. If you prefer less challenge, go for one of the English language theatres, or for the historic marionette theatre in Schonbrunn Palace, which stages separate performances for adults and for children.
