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| Friday, 19 October 2012 |
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| A TALE OF TWO CITIES | |||||||||
| Berlin and Vienna promote two-city experience to Canadians | |||||||||
| Lindsay Kyte | |||||||||
“These are two cities that have a lot in common and their differences also complement each other,” said Kirsten Schmidt, public relations, visitBerlin. “Berlin is rich in history. You can’t escape it. The good, the bad and the ugly have come out of Berlin and we showcase all of it. But Berlin is also evolving and alive with creative energy,” said Schmidt. This is the second year the Vienna Tourist Board and visitBerlin are jointly presenting the two-city experience. From important historic anniversaries to an abounding art scene, from baroque palaces to cutting edge design and the “art of enjoyment,” Berlin and Vienna present visitors with fascinating European city experiences. “In Vienna, we like to enjoy the finer things in life,” said Astrid Pockfuss, media relations, Vienna Tourist Board. “A good meal, the opera, galleries. And you can even go for a rollercoaster ride before seeing the Vienna Boys Choir.”
An hour apart by air, Berlin and Vienna are among Europe’s top city destinations for Canadians. In 2011, a record number of 44,176 Canadians visited Berlin, an 11.8 percent increase over the previous year. During the same time, Vienna welcomed 46,759 Canadians, surpassing 2011 by 8.1 per cent. Berlin and Vienna have much in common. With Berlin’s Museum Island and Vienna’s old town, both cities boast UNESCO World Heritage sites. Music is a big part of both Vienna and Berlin’s culture with three opera houses in each city, as well as the world’s two best symphony orchestras, the Vienna and the Berlin Philharmonics. Vienna is a city that never sleeps --- literally. “We have no official closing time, so nightlife starts around midnight and goes until early morning,” said Pockfuss. “If you don’t know what to do in Vienna, go to City Hall. There’s always something going on.” When it comes to museums, the choices are seemingly endless with hundreds of museums in Vienna and Berlin, ranging from high art to world-class collections to quirky special interest exhibitions. Both cities offer trendsetting design and architecture, ranging from Neo Classicism to Art Nouveau to Modernism, along with bold contemporary styles, with 600 galleries in Berlin. Berlin and Vienna also have very individual city personalities. Vienna combines the old and the new, the simple and the elegant with the city’s art and design, palaces, balls, coffee houses as well as food and wine. Modern Berlin has developed into a hotspot for artists, fashion, legendary nightlife and a decidedly relaxed lifestyle. Whereas visitors come to Vienna to re-live the romance of a bygone past and feel the vibes of turn-of-the-century modernism, Berlin visitors want to experience living history, new trends and see for themselves why 24 years after the Berlin Wall, the city has turned into one of Europe’s top destinations.
Getting to Berlin and Vienna has never been easier for Canadians, with most major carriers offering frequent flights. As well, after initial delays, the new Berlin Brandenburg International Airport (BER) is scheduled to open Oct. 27, 2013. Both cities have exciting new attractions and accommodations to offer for 2013. Information on Vienna is at vienna.info and Berlin is available at visitBerlin.com. |
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