4 Days in Vienna: From Schönbrunn Palace to St. Stephen's Cathedral

“thumbnail|right|The majestic church in the Zentralfriedhof is a monument to the importance of death in Viennese culture Traditional Vienna is but one of the many façades of this city; the historic center, a UNESCO world heritage site, is sometimes begrudgingly compared to an open-air museum. But Vienna is also a dynamic young city, famous for its (electronic) music scene with independent labels, cult-status underground record stores, a vibrant Monday through Sunday club scene, multitudes of street performers, and a government that seems overly obsessed with complicated paperwork. However, people are willing to go out of their way or bend the rules a little if they feel they can do someone a favor. The Viennese have a singular fascination with death, hence the popularity of the Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery), where there are more graves than living residents in Vienna, as a strolling location and of Schrammelmusik - highly sentimental music with lyrics pertaining to death. Old-fashioned Sterbevereine (funeral insurance societies-literally translated "death clubs") provide members with the opportunity to save up for a nice funeral throughout the course of their lives. This service does not exist solely to save their children the hassle and expense - it is considered absolutely mandatory to provide for an adequate burial. Vienna even has the "Bestattungsmuseum", a museum devoted to coffins and mortuary science. The country’s morbid obsession may be correlated with its higher suicide rate when compared with the rest of Europe. Here too, the socialist Vienna has its hand, the city also offers a socialized undertaking service, with hearses branded in the same department of public works logo as the subway cars, and a link to the transit-planner on their website. thumbnail|right|Ever since the Polish king Sobieski gave Vienna the coffee acquired from his victory over the invading Turks, the Kaffeehauskultur is an...”

Wikivoyage: Vienna · Wikivoyage

“thumbnail|right|The Austrian Parliament in Vienna at dusk Vienna is potentially one of the safest cities in the world for its size. There are no slums or districts you should avoid. In general, you can visit any part of the city at any time of the day without taking many risks — just use your common sense. The Prater (fair grounds/amusement park area) is said by some locals to be less safe at night, though more in reference to pickpockets than anything else. The Praterstern railway station is a magnet for drunks, homeless people and drug addicts, but they generally do not bother passers-by. As a general rule of thumb, it's best to avoid train stations, parks (especially Reumannplatz) and some larger subway stations at night, but even then, nothing bad should happen to you. As in any major city, watch out for pickpockets who grab and run when boarding the U-Bahn. Petty crimes (like jackets 'going missing') are more common and normally go unreported and won't get much sympathy. There have been a very few racist assaults in Vienna (even some by the police themselves). One runs the risk of being pickpocketed. Schwedenplatz, along the Ring, is sleazy in the evenings, but basically harmless; the Stadtpark, along the Ring, to the East, is a bit deserted at night and therefore best avoided. Prostitution is legal, even on the street, and is common around the area of the Prater. Ironically, some of the areas are a stone's thrown from the UNODC Headquarters (the UN agency responsible for combating human trafficking) and are human trafficking hubs for all of Europe. Many of these prostitutes are not registered and a high number are known to be trafficked, so take care if seeking their services. It is safer for everyone involved to visit a brothel. Women dressed in a certain manner walking around these areas alone at night might feel uncomfortable being checked-out in a certain way but there is no real danger. (There is no male street-prostitution to speak...”

Wikivoyage: Vienna · Wikivoyage

“All of Vienna is very safe, and the Innere Stadt is certainly no exception. However, pickpockets are very common here, especially in crowded areas and the Rathaus, so make sure to keep your bags/wallets safe. When visiting a cafe and sitting outdoors (especially the outdoor cafes in the Graben), it's wise to not leave bags or jackets unattended, especially if you chose a seat near the edge, where somebody can easily grab your stuff. Police officers can easily be found and are helpful and reliable. A lot of the areas may look shady and secluded at night, especially Karlsplatz, Schottentor, and Am Hof - but the chances of encountering any crime is incredibly low. During your visit here, you might be asked by a homeless-looking person to buy a magazine (usually called Augustin). In some situations, even touching the magazine will make the seller charge you money (usually €2). If they ask you to buy it, shaking your head and saying "No, thank you" ("Nein Danke") will make them leave you alone. Be careful when visiting the Innere Stadt (especially the Ring) during late January/early February - on one of these days, the Wiener Akademikerball occurs, and with that, there are mass protests near the Ring and the Graben during the nighttime. Although the protests don't turn violent and are usually peaceful, in 2014, it resulted in several broken windows and arrests. Do not be alarmed when seeing boarded-up stores during this time - its just a precaution. During the protests, it's best to avoid the Ring between Karlsplatz and Schottentor.”

Wikivoyage: Vienna · Wikivoyage

“). Foreigners are not exempted from this law. The law also covers chanting Nazi phrases like "Sieg heil" and the performance of the Hitler salute. Never do that, not even as a joke. It would deeply embarrass your Austrian friends. Religious Swastikas are exempted from this rule, but you should still avoid displaying the symbol to avoid any potential misunderstandings.}} Austrians take formalities and etiquette seriously and good manners (Gutes Benehmen) can take you a long way in a social situation. * When entering and leaving public places Austrians always say hello (Grüß Gott as formal greeting and a normal Hallo as a semi-formal greeting) and goodbye (Auf Wiedersehen). When entering a small shop, one should say "Grüß Gott" to the shop keeper when entering and "Wiedersehen" when leaving (the "Auf" can be left off). Phone calls are usually answered by telling your name, and finished with Auf Wiederhören. * If you want to greet people in an informal way, use Servus. This greeting is used among friends and also in the countryside (for example, when meeting people at hiking). Servus is also used to say good bye and is common not only in Austria but also in Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia and southern Germany. Although standard German greetings such as "Tschüss" or "Hi" are used in cities, most Austrians prefer to be greeted with Austrian greetings. * Do not raise your voice, lose your temper, or shout in public; in Austria this is highly frowned upon. * When being introduced to someone, always shake them by the hand, keep the other hand out of your pocket, say your name and make eye contact. Failure to make eye contact, even if out of shyness, is considered condescending. * Some Austrians have a custom of kissing the cheeks twice when friends meet, except for Vorarlberg, where people kiss each other three times as in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Fake air kisses work too. When you're not sure whether this is appropriate, wait until...”

Wikivoyage: Austria · Wikivoyage

“thumb|Brötchen and Pfiff at Trzesniewski * * * * *”

Wikivoyage: Vienna · Wikivoyage