In which hotel to stay and what places to visit – you already know, but what should you not do while in Vienna? Let’s figure it out!

1. Bring Mozart sweets to all relatives

Original candies in a silver wrapper are sold at Furst confectionery (Salzburg), everything else is just mass production. They can be bought all over the world, so there is no point in taking them as a souvenir. Better to stock up on Mozart chocolate liqueur and Wolford tights.

2. Assuming everyone speaks English

Despite the fact that it is taught in all schools as a second, sometimes you may not be understood. Here, the Austrian dialect of German is used. The capital, for example, has its own accent – Weinerisch. However, all residents know “standard German”.

3. Buy water in stores

In Vienna, you can drink water from the tap. In addition, in any institution it is served free of charge (the main thing is to ask correctly – Leitungswasser), and in the city you will find a lot of fountains where you can drink on the spot or take water with you. A glass or iron bottle will definitely come in handy on this trip!

4. Expect shops to be open on Sunday

On Sundays, the people of Vienna devote their time to relatives and friends who live far away, so on Saturday early in the morning you can stumble upon long lines in supermarkets. The only thing that is open all week are souvenir shops. Stores at gas stations will also save you 24/7, but prices are also higher there.

5. Buy a ticket to the legendary Vienna Opera

If you are not a fan of classical music and want to go there for a tick, you shouldn’t. If your goal is to see the interior, book a guided tour of the opera for € 9 per adult. For students and children, the ticket will cost € 4, for pensioners – € 7.

Standard tickets will cost a pretty penny – up to € 240, so if you are not sure of your love for opera, use this life hack. Come to the box office of the opera 1.5-2 hours before the performance and be ready to stand in line for at least an hour. For each performance, the Vienna Opera sells 567 standing tickets for just € 10. Also take a scarf with you – you can “take” your place with it.

6. Do not pay for the metro

It is easy to be tempted as there are no turnstiles at the entrance to the metro. However, inspectors in civilian clothes regularly check the availability of tickets at the stations, so if they catch them, you will have to pay a little, a lot, and € 105. Therefore, do not forget to validate the ticket at the entrance and do not throw it away until the end of the trip. And if you are staying in Vienna for more than 3 days, we recommend purchasing a 24/48 hour pass or Wochenkarte.

7. Do not take a swimsuit with you

Even if you go there in early spring or late autumn, don’t forget about the Therme Wien. In 2011 and 2014 it was named the best resort in Europe. To visit, you must take with you, in addition to a swimsuit, slippers, a towel and, if possible, a bathrobe, so that you can later dine at the restaurant. The cost for adults up to 3 hours ranges from € 14.5 to € 22.5 (see the official website for more details).

8. Wear clothes that hide your face

On October 1, 2017, Austria introduced a law prohibiting any headwear or clothing that hides the face. The fine is € 150. The Austrians decided not to discriminate against Muslims and to formulate the law without using the words “hijab” and “burqa”. However, street musicians and artists have suffered from this. There was even a funny incident with a fined guy in a shark costume who just handed out flyers.