Vienna
MAIN ROUND & FINAL WEEKEND
Life is good in Vienna. What the Viennese have long known to be true is also officially confirmed: Vienna has been voted numerous times as the world's most livable city.
The reason for this outstanding quality of life? Vienna has more green space than virtually any other. It is a place where you can relax – there are even parks in the heart of the city – or enjoy the sport. The Austrian capital also has excellent infrastructure and is one of the safest major cities on earth.
From decorative flowerbeds to unspoiled nature – there is plenty to discover in green Vienna. It comes as no surprise that the Vienna Woods on the city’s western fringes are referred to as the lungs of the city. There are countless vantage points elsewhere in the city including the Danube Tower, Kahlenberg and Cobenzl, all of which can be easily reached using public transportation.
The “beautiful, blue” Danube is complemented by the New Danube with its outdoor recreation areas and skaters’ paradise on Danube Island. The Danube Canal cuts through the centre of the city and is transformed into a stretch of bars and restaurants each summer. Highlights include the 4.5km long Prater Hauptallee and the famous Wurstelprater amusement park. Vienna’s trademark Giant Ferris Wheel is also impossible to miss.
Vienna boasts 27 palaces and 163 other residences - examples of the city’s illustrious history wait on virtually every street corner and the capital’s coffee houses are the perfect places to dream of imperial days of yore. A trip around Vienna‘s magnificent Ringstrasse boulevard is always a special sightseeing experience whether you are on foot or taking a ride in a traditional fiacre. The magnificent boulevard is lined with parks and breathtaking buildings. The religious and geographical heart of the city is St. Stephen’s Cathedral with its giant and famous bell “the Pummerin”.
From November on, a skating rink and light installations in the adjacent park set the mood for the Vienna Christmas World at Rathausplatz. Thousands of lights create a homey atmosphere as Christmas decorations in Vienna's Old City and shopping streets. Romance and enjoyment come together at the Advent markets. The biggest of these is the traditional Christmas Market during the Vienna Christmas World. The Christmas markets in front of Schönbrunn Palace and the Kunsthistorisches Museum enchant against an imperial backdrop, while the market on Spittelberg derives its charm from the ambience of the old Biedermeier district.
Thanks to the diverse cultural offerings, numerous magnificent buildings and lively and diverse scenes with local neighbourhood events of all kinds, the capital city is a popular tourist destination throughout the year for all ages, young and old.
Wiener Stadthalle
Capacity: 9,300
About the arena: With over 300 events and around one million visitors each year, Wiener Stadthalle is Austria’s largest event centre and one of Europe’s top ten arenas, with a capacity of up to 16,000 (depending on the event). Situated in an ideal location, the wide and varied programme of events at the Wiener Stadthalle includes something for audiences of all ages. The list of personalities who have appeared at the venue in the past few decades reads like a who’s who of the worlds of international sport, culture and entertainment. Music legends like Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan and Rod Stewart, as well as contemporary superstars such as Robbie Williams, Lady Gaga and Linkin Park, have all played to full houses here. Every year, the Wiener Stadthalle plays host to Austria’s biggest ATP tennis tournament, the Erste Bank Open. Since 1958 Hall D, which holds up to 10,000 people, has been the centrepiece of the facility. At 92m in length, 17m high and with flexible stage elements, the hall is unbelievably versatile, with a wide variety of possible set-ups. Already in 2010 the ninth Men’s Handball European Championship took place in the Wiener Stadthalle and triggered a huge handball festival.
Matches of the EHF EURO 2024: Main round and final weekend
