CITY IN BRIEF

Vienna may be one of Europe's most elegant capitals of culture and music, but it also has plenty of edge — groovy designers, wine made within the city limits, stylish beds, and tasty restaurants. Nowhere is "The Art of Enjoyment "mastered so well as it is in Vienna.

The city lies in the center of the new Europe and thus, of a market of more than 450 million people. Due to its geographic location, Vienna has optimum links to the new growth markets in Central and Eastern Europe. More than 300 international corporations have set up their Eastern European headquarters in Vienna. Major international organizations, such as the UN, UNIDO, IAEA and OPEC, are based in this city.

Enjoy the living history by easily walking in the footsteps of the Habsburgs, visit the splendid baroque Schönbrunn Palace and the Spanish Riding School, or stroll along the magnificent Ring Boulevard and take a look at the heart of the former vast Habsburg Empire, the Imperial Palace.

Vienna is also the Metropolis of Music. Strike the right note at first-rate concerts and enjoy an unrivalled selection of music - from opera to musical. More famous composers have lived here than in any other city - in Vienna, music is literally in the air: Waltzes and operettas have their home here, and so do musicals „made in Vienna," which have conquered international audiences.

For the fourth year in a row, the Austrian capital ranks first in Mercer's quality of living survey. The city's urban planning is considered a global model. It is known for its musical and cultural legacy as well as being the seat of international agencies such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).