Forty years ago Ilived for 2 years in Vienna. I'm Jewish and that says a lot in a city that didn't quite get over it's dislike of Jews. We went to visit our relatives graves "All -star cemetery" and didn't quite have the same experience. We had to stop by the main gate and get the numbers where our relatives might be buried. We signed in amongst a lot of suspicion. We were given a machete . - what the heck? The Jewish graveyard of all the graveyards in Vienna the Jewish graveyard has not been maintained. The tombstones were upended, we actually saw bomb casings, deer roamed and rabbits hobbed and sure enough we macheted our way to some of the paths. We located our ancestors name that had been enscribed on another's tomb since our family was never found after the Holocaust. We tried to clean it up as best we could but what can you do? We went back to the entrance, returned the machete and went back to the rented rooms. Our landlady disgustingly added - "the Jews never care for their dead, it is disgraceful.: Mind you, the graves in the other religions are maintained by the government ... so what has changed?

First time I visited Vienna was in 1962, with a friend driving from Heidelberg, Germany to Greece. We went to Vienna, at my request, mainly to see the Wiener Riesenrad, Vienna Ferris Wheel from the movie "The Third Man." We were there for three days and enjoyed all of Vienna, but I loved the Ferris Wheel, as I had loved and continue to love "The Third Man."

Or : Visit the Karl-Marx-Hof, the half-mile long worker’s housing project, painted rose and blue and a masterpiece of twentieth-century architecture with its Art-Deco statues of "Knowledge," "Health," and, of course, "The Sower, " a reference to the rallying song "Arbeiter von Wien" [Workers of Vienna] : ‘’We are the sowers of the world that’s coming. " While you’re there visit the intimate and friendly "Waschsalon" Museum, chronicling the achievements of Red Vienna in the fields of Public Health, architecture, education, etc. The Museum, located in the old worker’s washrooms, presently hosts an exhibition devoted to the Press (Socialist and other). After which you can follow the footsteps of Leon Trotsky, not only to Cafe Central, where he argued late into the night with the future leaders of the Austrian Republic, but also to the old building of the Arbeiter-Zeitung, the "Worker’s Daily," which still preserves the library where the leadership met. (Stalin, who lived around the corner, was pointedly not invited. That explains everything.) Paul Werner Editor, The Red Vienna Reader

Does one always have to complete a 'boozy tour' in NYT travel articles?

Good evening, editors! FYI -- I lived in Vienna for several years, along the "D" Tram. It ends in Nussdorf, not "Nussberg" as the article states... I wish you all a very peaceful 2018 (and beyond!) "Austro Girl" ;)

In addition to all the human-created delights, you can also enjoy wonderful walks in nature. Beavers and (elk-sized) red deer live within the city limits in the Danube National Park, downstream from the city centre, while the Vienna Woods (the last gasp of the Alps) run right up to the edge of the city to the West. A great way to work off all the Sachertorte you had.

Vienna is beautiful during the holiday season with lots of Museums and shops still open on Christmas or day after. I was there 3 years ago and really enjoyed the city, the food, and the culture.

By all means see the opera for free with the outdoor seating. The Metro is great and clean. Austrian rail is on time of course and spotless. The bike trails along the river are great. So much solar and wind power in Austria.

Having lived in Vienna for over 25 years, my wife and I agreed that in 36 hours you can't even scratch the surface. What about the Schoenbrunn Palace, the Prater, the Danube itself? The city has a soul that takes time to discover.

I second the Spanish Riding School suggestion, I’d also suggest Naschmarkt and the nearby Succession building. I used to go there frequently during the summer to do research at the Arnold Schoenberg Institute. It’s one of my favorite cities. You can never get enough Vienna.

My wife has a cousin who lives in Vienna we would like to visit. Bu we won't be going while the Neo-Nazis are in power. I know. Most tourists don't care about politics.

Vienna is perhaps the most underrated city in Europe. We just got back from taking our small group tours to Vienna and our guests were more than thrilled with it. There are over 40 Christmas Markets in the city, our favorite being in the Spittleburg area behind the MuseumsQuartier. They loved the Spanish Riding School, the Sigmund Freud Museum and the interactive Haus der Musik. The food is wonderful, our favorite restaurant being the trendy Heuer AM Karslplatz with its modern menu including fresh produce and a garden dining area for the summer. The trams are perfect for easily and inexpensively getting around this absolutely charming city. Go for it! Steve Solosky www.travelingprofessor.com