Vienna city breaks

Vienna owns 'The Kiss' and loves lovers. Any time's right for a romantic weekend in Vienna. Fall into each other's arms on Rathausplatz's frosty winter ice rinks, or stroll hand in hand down cherry blossom-strewn Hainburger Weg in spring. If you're there on New Year's Eve you could learn to waltz in front of St Stephen's Cathedral: lessons are free, just bring a partner and feet.

For more highbrow pursuits, head to Belvedere Palace and sigh in front of 'The Kiss', then lounge around languidly on the Museum Quarter's street art. After that you could go over your Vienna holiday plans at Café Landtmann - if you're lucky you might even manage to bag what was Freud's favourite table.

Vienna's great for any size of break The historic Innere Stadt could have been built with an eye on 21st-century Vienna city breaks. Compact to a fault, packed with big-ticket attractions and home to more legendary coffee houses, theatres and glossy shopping streets than really seems fair, this bite-size centre's a neat fit for short holidays.

With more than a weekend in Vienna to spare, seek out the city's coolest quarters. Hip Margareten is best for lavish Art-Deco design and the vast Naschmarkt flea market. Serious shoppers in Vienna will go for the heady mix of cute pop-ups and department store giants in Mariahilf. And, if you're on a budget, Donauinsel is the city island to cast away on for the price of a U-Bahn ticket.

Springtime in Vienna is all mild, blossomy prettiness, while autumn brings you gentle mists, giving you the perfect excuse for hot chocolate with whipped cream in cosy cafes. What's more, both are great seasons for flight deals to Vienna.

Come summer, cheap Vienna holidays are trickier to find. Don't avoid this time, just book wisely and remember: Donaukanal beaches and coffee on the hoof cost next to nothing.

Winter holidays in Vienna are about Christmas markets and action-packed ice rinks, making it a bit of a festive legend. If your pockets are deep, Innere Stadt hotels are luxurious and lovely in December. But even a winter holiday is workable on a budget; book rooms outside the city centre, hunt down hotels offering cheap Vienna packages and browse the markets with caution.

Come to Vienna to stare shamelessly. Even locals still get stopped in their tracks by the sheer grandeur of the city, and no one is immune to the impact of tourist attractions in Vienna, such as St Stephen's Cathedral and the Imperial Palace.

So just go with it, be touristy and, when you can't decide what to do in Vienna next, duck into a coffeehouse for a breather.

The Spanish Riding School

Every Lipizzaner stallion is directly descended from an Arab warhorse, so if you're thinking Strictly Come Ponies, think again: these snowy white steeds may be graceful, but they can also handle themselves.

Pitch up any weekday morning at the Spanish Riding School and you can see the Lipizzaner in rehearsal for less than the price of coffee. Schönbrunn Palace

The former Empress of Austria's summer residence is the most-visited tourist attraction in Vienna, but don't turn up expecting to nip round in five minutes.

This impressive Baroque palace is so immense that guided tours are mandatory - fortunately, they're also fascinating and multilingual.

MuseumsQuartier (MQ)

This 60,000-square-metre spread of art and architecture sprawls across the city's 7th district.

The Leopold Museum alone could fill an entire day, but if you're short on time choose Museum Moderner Kunst (known as 'mumok') for its art by modern masters and Kunsthalle Wien for its contemporary works. If you're looking for what to do in Vienna with kids, ZOOM Children's Museum has play areas and creative exhibits.

Vienna Prater Park

Prater Park has a famous Ferris wheel and dozens of other classic Vienna activities spread over six million square metres of lush, green space. The funfair is summer only, but the big wheel revolves all year round.

Goldenes Quartier

Vienna's historic centre isn't short on shops to make you forget all financial reason.

The most ridiculously tempting are in the Goldenes Quartier; if you're in the market for haute couture or ready-to-wear designer labels, this is where to go. And if rampant spending isn't on your what to do in Vienna list, check out the quarter's Imperial architecture; it's even grander than the shops.