May is the perfect time to go to Vienna because the Vienna International Festival is on!  Called the Wiener Festwochen, it’s a month of arts grandeur and fun. The festival was established in 1951 as an effort to “demonstrate Austria’s will to survive” after the ravages of the Second World War.  Here are a few of the things I’m looking forward to:

Vienna’s National Library

• Wozzeck: a solider befriends and supports a prostitute, falling in love until he learns that he’s been betrayed.  Opera.
• Out of Context: it looks like this could be called Opera in Underpants.  Definitely interesting.
• Will You Ever Be Happy Again: with all this talk of happiness (you’ve seen the superfluous supply of books, blogs, magazines, and newspaper columns, right?), it seems that perhaps these artists have come to the same conclusion as I.
• In the Garden of Eden:  This free exhibition is a collaboration between musicians and street vendors in one of Vienna’s oldest markets.

For more information on Wiener Festwochen, visit the official website.  Oh, and if you’re on a tight budget – Vienna is a capital city after all – then check out some of the free admission events.  Don’t forget a stop at Cafe Aida, one of my favourite pink hideouts, while you’re in Vienna or take Marcus’ tip for a day trip to Grinzing.

Best of Vienna Tips

Our Best of Vienna Travel Tips collation will give you plenty of ideas for you trip to Vienna. Find out about more fascinating Vienna museums. We’ve also researched some of the best places to stay in Vienna for all budgets.

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