Vienna is undisputably one of the world capitals of music. Enjoy virtual music, culture and cook up a Viennese storm while staying at home amid COVID-19
Anyone who has seen the movie, “The Sound of Music” based on a true and inspiring story of the Trapp family singers will agree its melodies are heartwarming.
Its debut pulsates with perseverance and joy as the music echoes through the breathtaking Austrian landscape.
Austria’s imperial capital, Vienna with its baroque cityscapes and lavish palaces provide a perfect setting for the city’s artistic and musical masterpieces.
Renowned composers including Gluck, Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, Schubert and Haydn made Vienna their creative hub. The world capital of classical music is celebrating the 250th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven’s birth in 2020.
Vienna is also home to one of the world’s leading opera houses. The famous Vienna State Opera stages a different program daily, and offers over 60 operas and ballet performances for about 300 days each season.
With its temporarily closure due to COVID-19, the opera house is currently offering daily livestreaming from its digital archives. You can access free performances from the comfort of your home at Wiener Staatsoper.
Viennese Heritage
Music is closely tied to the city’s culture and tradition. Vienna’s status as a cultural centre began in the early 16th century.
In Vienna, historic and contemporary architecture blend in an innovative way. Baroque castles and gardens, impressive buildings, monuments and parks line Vienna’s historic centre.
The Augarten located in the 130-acre Augarten park holds Vienna’s oldest baroque garden. The park also houses the Belvedere Palace, a porcelain factory and Palais Augarten, which is home to the Vienna Boys’ Choir.
Popular cultural heritage sights are Schloss Schönbrunn, Hofburg (Imperial Palace), Spanish Riding School, Kunsthistorischen Museum and MuseumsQuartier.
To support the coronavirus “stay-at-home” mandate, some of the city’s magnificent cultural institutions and museums have moved online.
You can now explore impressive collections and renowned art pieces virtually at Albertina Museum and the Gustav Klimt collection at the Museum of Applied Arts.
Related: Destination Europe
Viennese Coffeehouse Tradition
A visit to a traditional coffeehouse for Viennese coffee and apple strudel is a must on any itinerary. In 2011, UNESCO added Viennese coffee house culture to their list of intangible cultural heritage.
Café Sperl is one of the best places to enjoy authentic apple strudel, said Helena Hartlauer from the Vienna Tourist Board. Watch how to make authentic Viennese apple strudel.
Cooking is one of the best ways to discover Viennese culture at home. Some of the classic Viennese dishes include wiener schnitzel, sacher cake, tafelspitz-boiled beef, apple strudel and kaiserschmarren. Learn how to cook like a Viennese using these authentic recipes.
