Vienna dreaming

Downtown Vienna radiates energy and joie de vivre as you can watch lots of street artists performing even in the alleyways.[Photo by Wang Shanshan/China Daily]

Where to go in Vienna - Tripadvisor

Salm Brau Klosterbrauerei, Rennweg 8, Vienna 1030; 43-1-7995992; this restaurant is situated just 20 meters away from one of the entrances to the belvedere gardens. Specialty features pork ribs and pork shanks. Many have made it a must-have in Vienna. The restaurant has a friendly environment, the staff wears typical Bavarian costumes.

Flohmarkt, Wienzeile, Kettenbruecke, Vienna 1040 (open only on Saturdays); important tourist attraction of Vienna, especially if you want to feel the "local atmosphere". The nearby Naschmarkt is also a market place with fruits, vegetables and restaurants.

The Vienna Prater, Prater 9, Vienna 1020; 43-1-7280516; tourists need to take the tram U1 to Prater Hauptallee and walk along this tree-lined street to the Riesenrad. This historic playground is for the young and the old to enjoy many entertainment rides. It is also amusement park. Restaurants, shops and other leisure facilities are part of the Prater.

Transportation

Daily direct flights provided by Air China and Austrian Airlines from Beijing/Shanghai to Vienna take about 10 hours with a price that varies from 4,000 to 7,000 yuan.

Vienna has the one of the finest public transport system in Europe. A network of bus and tram routes combines with a subway system that is still being developed and extended and suburban rail lines extend some way into the countryside. Moreover, transport within Vienna city limits is integrated, meaning that one ticket is valid on any form of public transport.

Ticket acquisition: Tickets are bought from ticket offices or machines situated in railway and underground stations and at larger bus/tram stops. Single-journey tickets can be bought on board, but cost a little more. Tickets are also available at most Tabaks (shops selling newspapers, cigarettes etc. easily found as each has a sign "TABAK" outside). Tickets can be bought online. You can print them yourself or download to a phone. You can also buy online your ticket to and from the airport which saves having to struggle with a ticket machine on arrival.