Vienna, the old imperial city in the heart of Central Europe, is more strongly defined by its rich history, its impressive spectrum of architecture, art and music, its vibrant traditions and pioneering developments than almost any other capital on the Continent. Its countless monuments in stone, from the Baroque Hofburg and Belvedere palaces to its Jugendstil railway stations to the idiosyncratic apartment block by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, pinnacle in the mirror image of the Gothic cathedral reflected in the Post-Modernist glass façade of the Haas Haus. It is this and much more which made Vienna a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.
Top theatres and concert houses, diverse museums and exhibition halls and a whole host of events and festivals provide a very varied cultural programme. The bright and cheerful Prater park and funfair, famous the world over for its giant Ferris wheel, and the verdant Vienna Woods promise diversion and relaxation. Vienna`s humming coffee houses and traditional wine taverns are the perfect place to study the Viennese way of life; the city`s many endearing attributes – its horse-drawn carriages, delicious cuisine and unique Spanish Riding School – will make any visit here an unforgettable experience.
310 marvellous photos show the Danube metropolis in all its glorious variety: its mighty churches and palaces, its splendid boulevards and tiny medieval streets, its sophisticated shopping malls and temples of sublime art, all of which help to create an absolutely unique atmosphere in this city hovering between the past and the present. Six specials tell of the powerful Habsburg dynasty, the city`s famous musical history, its art ancient and modern, Schloss Schönbrunn, contemporary Viennese architecture and its legendary wine taverns.

VIENNA – a big city with a big heart between the traditional and the modern
THE HUB OF VIENNA – the city centre
THE RING – a metropolitan boulevard
THE SUBURBS – from Biedermeier to High Baroque
From the New Danube to the Danube Canal
Woods, water and fresh air – the green metropolis

Specials:
600 years of the Habsburgs – culture, commerce and Catholicism
An exquisite culture – Vienna, the city of music
Vienna – epicentre of art ancient and modern
Schloss Schönbrunn – the Habsburg`s Versailles
Vienna – pioneer of contemporary architecture
The Heuriger – the legendary Vioennese wine tavern