Vienna: Noshing, shopping, lingering romance

The splendid city of Vienna.
I could spill rivers of blue Danube ink, gushing with superlatives, to try to do the city justice.
It's the city that vaulted Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn and Strauss into our universal music consciousness.
It's the city that gave rise to the brilliance of Freud, was annexed by Hitler, published the world's first newspaper, produced the delicious sacher torte, and was home to the imperial Hapsburgs.
It's a city of culture, class and beauty, a city of churches, castles, art collections and concert halls.
A city that has elevated the coffee house and the horse and carriage to the highest level.
If you're short on time, make every moment count by utilising the hop-on, hop-off tourist bus. Vienna Sightseeing Tours threads all of the must-see sights together. For more information, see www.viennasightseeingtours.com
Vienna's coffee houses are a revered institution. It's ironic that the rampaging Ottoman Turks, who desperately tried to seize Vienna because of its strategic importance, inadvertently sowed the seeds for one of the city's great legacies.
Defeated Turkish forces left behind many bags of coffee beans, giving rise to the great cafe society. Four centuries later, the coffee houses, resplendent with red velvet seats and lavish wall mirrors, remain central to the city's social heartbeat.
They're sprinkled liberally throughout the city. Be sure to sample kaffee and kuchen (cake).
Shopping, noshing and lingering is a most alluring pursuit in the heart of Vienna, particularly on the Karnter Strasse and in Stephansplatz, around the cathedral.
The only notable rivals to the profuse and frenetic foot traffic are the army of cyclists and the fairy-tale sight of many horse-drawn carriages. Vienna's love affair with this romantic form of transport stretches back many centuries, and the fiaker, as the locals call a carriage-rider, is a top job. The tourist-driven business is heavily regulated and securing a licence to be a fiaker is highly sought after. It was not until 25 years ago that women were allowed to apply for a licence.
The central terminus for the horse and carriage trade is outside Vienna's august Gothic cathedral of Stephandsdom, its 13th-century soaring spires dominating the skyline.
The Steffl, as the locals affectionately call it, was severely damaged by bombing raids during World War II. Its rebuilding was a potent symbol of hope as Austria emerged from the ashes of conflict.
The Staatsoper, the Vienna State Opera House, is unquestionably one of the world's most acclaimed concert halls. The masterworks of Mozart, Beethoven and company continue to be performed every week at the opera house, which also offers daily tours. The Renaissance-style Staatsoper has a grand entrance hall and majestic staircase, setting the perfect tone for a magical evening of stirring classical music.

TOP TIPS
Vienna is perceived as being a pricey destination, but it doesn't have to be. For an affordable and fulfilling stay, rest your head at the family-run Austria Classic Hotel Wien, which has been operating within the same family for more than 200 years. Traditional, elegant and friendly, with all the comforts of home, this central city establishment is a real gem. www.classic-hotelwien.at
Emirates flies daily from New Zealand to Vienna via Dubai. Fly in comfort with their award-winning, in-flight cabin service and facilities. For the best-price airfare specials to Europe, check out www.emirates.com/nz