Is Vienna the most beautiful city in Europe?

Vienna is known as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. It is nestled on the iconic Danube River and was once the capital of the mighty Austrian Empire. While Austria may be a small country today, the capital Vienna was built to serve a much larger empire. The grandeur of the Austrian Empire can be seen in the impressive Schonbrunn Palace (now considered the jewel of Vienna).

Another must-see historical city in Austria is the timeless city of Salzburg where the classic film, music sound was filmed. Austria is one of the most beautiful countries in Europe and its Austrian Alps are home to some of the most majestic mountains in Europe.

Vienna – The imperial city to visit

Vienna’s old city center has been a World Heritage Site since 2001 and the city is also known as the city of music. It was the home of many famous classical musicians like Mozart and Beethoven.

• Ancient: Capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire
• Located: On the banks of the Danube
• Last name: “Vienna” in German

Vienna’s old city center is rich in architectural ensembles and has many baroque palaces and gardens – reminders of its glorious imperial days at the heart of an empire in the past. Many of its grand buildings date from the late 19th century.

Everywhere you go in the historic center, you are reminded that Vienna’s imperial grandeur is the legacy of the mighty Habsburg Monarchy. For more than six centuries, the powerful Habsburg family ruled from Vienna.

Related: This is how many days you need to see Prague and what you need to experience there

A modern city with a powerful heritage

Vienna is home to almost 3 million people – around a third of Austria’s population and was the largest German-speaking city in the world at the start of the 20th century. Vienna is a city with an age-old café culture and is famous for being one of the most livable cities in the world.

• Population: 2 million (almost 3 million metropolitan area)
• Capital: from Austria

Being in the heart of Europe, it’s also an easy train ride from many other iconic European cities like Budapest, Prague, Munich, Bratislava and Salzburg.

• Necessary time : About 3 days in Vienna

So is Vienna the most beautiful city in Europe? Not really. But while many may consider other European cities like Prague, Paris, Rome, Budapest and Lisbon to be more beautiful than Vienna, it is still one of the most stunning and historic cities in Europe. It is a city where one can feel the imposing presence of the imperial period of Europe.

Visits to Vienna are normally part of a Central European tour that includes Prague and Budapest. Another way is to take a relaxing and romantic cruise on the beautiful Blue Danube – it connects some of Europe’s biggest cities like Vienna and Budapest. Visitors are often surprised at how different European cities can feel from each other.

Related: Here’s why a few days are enough to see the best of Salzburg, Austria

What to see in Vienna

It is one of the most visited cities in Europe, attracting over 17 million visitors each year. Take the time in this magnificent to see the city’s magnificent museums, beautiful concert halls and one of the greatest opera houses in the world.

Today, the Imperial Art Collection can be seen in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna – it is filled with countless priceless works by Old Masters. Another historical museum to see is Natural History Museum (Naturhistorisches Museum) – there are so many museums in Vienna that one will be spoiled for choice.

Top attractions in Vienna:

• Hofburg Palace Complex: contains the Imperial Chapel and the Spanish Riding School
• Kaiser Apartments: Imperial apartments
• Kunsthistorisches Museum: Houses The Imperial Treasures
• Schönbrunn Palace: The summer residence of the 1441 rooms of the Habsburgs
• Inner City: The historic city center
• Natural History Museum : A Natural History Museum
• Belvedere Palace: A baroque masterpiece
• The Vienna State Opera: One of the largest and most impressive opera houses in the world

One of the atmospheric things to do in Vienna is to attend classical concerts and listen live to the city’s rich heritage of composers like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Johann Strauss ( father and son), Johannes Brahms and Gustav Mahler, and others.

Another very different attraction while in Vienna is to see the WW2 Flak Towers – these are massive anti-aircraft towers that were built so strong that people gave up trying to tear them down after the war. Today, they’re used for high-end cafes with a view, fallout shelters, and more.