Retirement Holidays – Top Ten Things to See in Vienna

Vienna is a vibrant city known for its rich culture, colorful history, sophisticated arts and magnificent architectural structures and is the perfect destination for a holiday when you retire. You could spend weeks wandering around this elegant and beautiful city, but the following are some of the highlights:

1. Schonbrunn Palace. Schronbrunn means “beautiful spring”. This is the most popular tourist destination in Austria because of its magnificent garden, captivating park, sophisticated architecture , strategic location and interesting activities. Visiting Sconbrunn will give you good idea about Vienna’s history and culture.
2. Hofburg Palace. This magnificent architectural structure of Hofburg is the current residence of the Austrian President. In history, Hofburg housed some of the most powerful people in Vienna. Nowadays it doesn’t just showcase its political history, but also a great many other Austrian historical architectural structures. The National Library, Imperial Treasury, Spanish Riding School and Museum of Ethnography and Squares of Heroes are found here, making this a great place to visit if you’re into culture and arts.

3. St Stephen Cathedral. No tourist could miss the spectacular architecture of St Stephen Cathedral. St. Stephen is the center of Christianity in Vienna. This is also where the Archbishop of Vienna resides. You can also find in here the tomb of Emperor Frederick III. Also, this is where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s funeral was held.

4. Klosterneuburg. This is ideal for tourists who love visiting Museums. Klosternunerg was founded by Leopold III in honour of his wife. Visiting here you can learn how Austrians produce their wines on the Wine Cellar Tour (and tasting); if you want the religious tour, go for the Imperial Tour and see the collections from Middle Ages to the Modern Era. You can also try the Sacred Tour to have a glimpse of Verdun Altar where some scenes in the bible have been recreated.

5. Belvedere Palaces. Belvedere is a must see for tourists interested in history and visual arts. Belvedere consists of 2 palaces, and was built for Prince Eugene. It was home then to the ruling dynasty. It now houses 2 museums (upper and lower). Both feature Austrian paintings. In the upper palace, you’ll find the Austrian Gallery where they exhibit paintings from the 19th and 20th century. In the lower palace, the Austrian Museum of Baroque Art, 18th century paintings are displayed.

6. Kunsthistorisches Museum. Visit Kunsthistorishes Museum and see the great art collections of the Imperial family. Some of the collections include famous artists such as Raphael, Rembrandt Vermeer and other well-known artists. There are also artifacts from ancient Rome, Egypt and Greece.

7. State Opera Houses. Music is part of Vienna’s history and culture. You can choose from different state operas which play different types of music. Volksoper Wien, the Musikverein, and the Konzerthaus operas are all found here.

8. CafÈ Sacher. After strolling around different museums, architectures and opera houses why not take a break and try the famous coffee and Sacher cake. Experience the ambiance of a typical Viennese coffee house atmosphere.

9. Mariahilferstrasse shops. A trip will not be complete without getting souvenirs from the places you visited. For the fashionistas, the shops in Mariahilferstrasse is a must see. This is the trendiest shopping area in Vienna from clothes, fashion accessories to everything else.

10. Naschmarktchmarkt. If you are into affordable shopping, you can try Naschmarktchmarkt. This is the largest open market in Vienna. Find affordable and interesting stuff. Clothes, fruits, foods and so many things are available here. On Saturdays, you may see different tourists like you.

Alex is a journalist and financial blogger. He writes on everything from travel to green tech and writes a consumer blog for Coupon Croc .