We suggest! It can be very difficult to get tickets for a performance by The Spanish Riding School; an easier way to see the beautiful Lipizzaner horses in action is to buy a ticket for their morning exercise which takes place in the Stallburg on Josefplatz from 9.40am Tuesday to Saturday.

Vienna's many years as capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire has ensured a legacy of grand architecture, majestic palaces and cultural maturity that is almost unsurpassed. The old innerstadt around the Stephansdom cathedral is a wonderful maze of medieval alleys and squares lined with cafés and shops. If this is your starting point then you will simply be overwhelmed at the contrasting space and grandeur of the Hofburg Palace complex which contains a dazzling array of palaces, gardens and art collections. The Schönbrunn Palace on the outskirts of town is definitely worth a visit and at the end of a busy day what better way to unwind than to enjoy a Viennese coffee and a slice of sachertorte at the Imperial Hotel next to the Staatsoper.