Vienna offers a potent mix of opera and Opec

The Life: High art and low-brow snacks for the business traveller can be found in Vienna.

The former imperial Schonbrunn palace in Vienna. AP Photo
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Vienna is about opera. Last week it was also about Opec.

Q&A: Why you should visit Vienna

Last Updated: June 13, 2011

I am not an oil minister, UN diplomat or mezzo soprano. Why should I go? Vienna is a tourist's paradise, with museums housing baroque masterpieces and gifts to the Habsburg royals. St. Stephen's Cathedral punctuates the centre of Vienna with its lacy spires, and palaces dot the landscape. For the kids, there is also a highly-rated zoo, the Tiergarten Schonbrunner.

How do I get there? Abu Dhabi residents will have to stomache an extra hour's car ride to catch the only direct flight to Vienna in Dubai.

When should I go? Spring, summer, fall--any time of year but the harsh winter.

What should I know? Forget vegetarianism. Austria takes its cue from Germany, where pork and potatoes are king. Fresh fruit is extraordinarily pricey, so stock up at your hotel's breakfast.

Both offer drama, the glitter of wealth and the opportunity to be packed uncomfortably close to others for hours. You must go yourself to judge the quality of the acting.

High art and political power mix in this city's leafy streets, and business travellers here will get a taste of both.

First, meet up with old pals at any of the five-star establishments clustered near the opera, including the Hotel Bristol, an old-world marvel favoured by the UAE's Opec delegation. For a more lively scene, stroll down to the InterContinental, the hangout of the Venezuelans, Iranians and, we are told, Libyans.

If your budget is not on their scale, drag your suitcase to the Levante Parliament, a modern designed hotel tucked behind the government hall. It sits by the subway that will shuttle you across the Danube to the UN complex, where diplomats debate human trafficking and nuclear renegades.

Have lunch at its well-priced cafeteria, which serves an international menu of salmon sashimi and chicken cordon bleu. After a rough day of multilateral negotiations, walk across the river to Prater amusement park, where teenagers frequent the Ferris wheels and haunted houses while their elders can enjoy a drink in the park. Should you be weary of work associates, shell out €3.50 (Dh18.44) to send them on one of the many whirlygigs equipped with disco lights and a pulsating soundtrack - that will guarantee headaches all round.

Now liberated from their company, hire a chauffeeu-driven Mercedes-Benz to the opera. Stop by its outdoor cafe for an aperitif, and order dinner in advance - your wiener schnitzelwill be ready once you emerge at the intermission.

Coming up is Puccini's Tosca, the opera that tells the story of the Kingdom of Naples's struggle to maintain its hold on Rome after the invasion of Napoleon. The work's premiere, scheduled during a time of unrest in Rome, was delayed for fear of inciting the public. What better way to distract yourself from troubles back home?

Top 5: Places to eat in Vienna

1 Artner for simple steaks and a complex bill

2 The UN cafeteria

3 Umar Fish, a Turkish restaurant in Naschmarkt

4 CapaTosta, a garden pizzeria near the Intercontinental

5 Any bratwurst kiosk

The Quote: "Vienna. The city that will become your coffin ... Vienna is telling lies with its facades and its people, it is full of lively demons of the past." Igor Stiks, Bosnian novelist