This roman­tic palace encap­su­lates Vienna’s impe­r­i­al ele­gance and charm. Designed by the Vien­nese archi­tect August Sicard von Sicards­burg in the 1860s, the orig­i­nal build­ing was bad­ly bombed in 1945 so much of what you see today is recon­struct­ed. Only the main facade, the grand stair­case and the Schwind Foy­er were orig­i­nal­ly spared. Inside, there are fres­coes by Moritz von Schwind and a famous series of Mag­ic Flute fres­coes on the veran­da. It’s not just good look­ing either, it’s also one of the world’s most esteemed opera hous­es and counts the likes of Mahler and Strauss among its pre­vi­ous direc­tors.