![]() The breadth of the collection is a testament to the Habsburg’s desire to lead the way in science and exploration. Though the conservationist in me is a bit turned off by natural history museums, the collection in Vienna’s Natural History Museum is quite impressive, and thoughtfully presented. Natural History Museum Venus of Willendorf. In particular the Egyptian collection, with its numerous shabti figurines and blue hippo statue from the Middle Kingdom, and room upon room of Greek and Roman antiquities, are worth lingering over. The building also includes a number of well-curated collections deserving of their own fiefdoms within the larger collection. You will find Vienna’s Fine Arts Museum packed with art, crafts, and cultural totems from seemingly every region of the world, particularly the far flung corners of the Habsburg Empire. Fine Arts Museum (Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien) From the historic grandeur of the Fine Arts Museum to the Albertina Museum’s restrained mix of classic elements and modernism, the architecture of Vienna’s museums is reason enough to explore these palaces of art, history, and culture. In Vienna, the quality of the museums is evident not just in the exquisite collections, but as much or more by the splendor of the museum buildings themselves. There is room for everyone, but if you want one of the better seats along the railing, even with reservations you’ll want to arrive early and be at the front of the considerable queue to get in. Truth be told, unless you’re a serious horse person, half an hour is more than enough to get a sense of these magnificent creatures. The session was long (an hour or so), but you can take a seat if you want to watch the entire session. ![]() This acclimatizes both humans and mounts to a broad range of skills and abilities. The Riding School divides the practice session into two groups of horses, with a range of skill levels amongst both horses and riders in both groups. ![]() It trains the horse to focus toward the center of the arena when instructed to execute certain commands. She told me that they do this to direct their focus. I noticed that they hug the walls of the ring quite a bit, so I asked one of the attendants working the crowd. But as the session progressed, the subtle agility of the horses and the riders’ ability to finesse the horses was astounding. I’ll admit that at first our Saturday morning practice session seemed a bit sleepy and ho-hum. Attendance is limited, so visitors are encouraged to book tickets (online) early to assure that they get to see these amazing creatures and their highly skilled riders. The “school,” which also offers more traditional performances, regularly opens its morning practice sessions to the public. It seems weird to plan any part of a vacation around going to watch someone “practice.” But Vienna’s Spanish Riding School, and the opportunity to watch the incomparable Lipizzaner stallions do their thing, is an exception worth making. Sixteen Wonderful Reasons to Visit ViennaĮmbed from Getty Images The Spanish Riding School So, now that you know why to go, let’s discuss where you should plan to visit. And it makes the Austrian capital a unicorn amongst A-list European destinations. ![]() That said - this feeling, confirmed by other experienced travelers, is something I’d call this a quantifiable element in Vienna. Granted, I was there off-season (early February), so your mileage may vary. Visitors spend less time and energy overcoming crowds and noise, and rarely suffer input fatigue. It’s delightful, and, more importantly, it’s a quality that makes every other experience quantifiably easier and more enjoyable. ![]() Even amidst the traffic and crowds, everything is somehow not very loud or frenetic. And so it was that on my first day wandering around Vienna, before turning on a microphone or donning my headphones, it struck me completely out of the clear blue sky (literally) that, “This is a really sedate city.” By that I meant that Vienna is not just quiet, but there’s a blissfully unhurried, casual, quiet and respectful vibe about the place.Ĭoming from Dublin, where the touristy parts of town are flooded with people partying and having a good time, and everything feels busy, noisy, and harried all the time, I find Vienna relaxed and - kind of soft and gentle. In my other life as a sound designer, I experience the world through sound I listen to everything. If the goal of travel and vacation is to get away from our everyday lives for a while, eat good food, see new things, and relax, then Vienna, with its schnitzel, Sacher-Torte, Spanish Riding School, and spectacular museums, may be the unsung hero of Europe’s A-List. ![]()
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