Must-see in Vienna: a first-timer's guide

A brief history Vienna grew from the Roman camp of Vindobona on the Danube into the seat of the Habsburg dynasty, who ruled much of Europe from here for over six centuries. Imperial wealth built its palaces, opera houses and ring boulevard, while around 1900 the city became a laboratory of modern art, music and psychoanalysis. Rebuilt after 1945, it is now known for classical music, coffee houses and one of the highest qualities of life in the world. 10 must-see attractions 1. Schoenbrunn Palace — the Habsburgs' summer residence, with gilded state rooms, a vast baroque garden and the Gloriette viewpoint. 2. St. Stephen's Cathedral — the gothic heart of the city; climb the south tower for rooftop views over the old town. 3. Belvedere Palace — two baroque palaces housing Klimt's "The Kiss" and Austrian art from the Middle Ages to today. 4. Hofburg Palace — the winter residence, home to the imperial apartments, Sisi Museum and the treasury's crown jewels. 5. Kunsthistorisches Museum — Bruegel, Vermeer and Raphael in one of Europe's grandest museum buildings. 6. Spanish Riding School — Lipizzaner stallions performing classical dressage in a white baroque hall. 7. Naschmarkt — a long market street of spice stalls, meze counters and Saturday flea-market bargains. 8. Prater and the Giant Ferris Wheel — a huge green park with a historic funfair and the 1897 Riesenrad. 9. Vienna State Opera — nightly world-class performances, cheap standing tickets and daytime guided tours. 10. Hundertwasserhaus — a playful, uneven, tree-filled social housing block that broke every architectural rule. Tip: buy standing-room opera tickets an hour before curtain, and leave one afternoon for a classic coffee house.