ESCToday in collaboration with Vienna Tourist Board (Wien.info) will be bringing you a series of articles leading up to the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest in order to showcase and introduce the 2015 Eurovision host city Vienna to our readers. Today we will check out the more than 8o free trips that have been compiled for the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest accredited press, fans and delegations.

ORF, the Austrian national broadcaster in collaboration with the Vienna Tourist Board  has compiled and assembled around 80 free sightseeing tours/trips/social events for the accredited media and journalists who will be in Vienna during the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest.

Imperial Vienna- video courtesy of Vienna Tourist Board

It all won’t be  hard work and no play for the accredited media who will visit Vienna come May, as a special social program has been arranged for their leisure. Journalists will be able to discover the beauty of the magnificent Austrian capital city and enjoy the sights and sounds of Wien!

Vienna is all set to pamper the delegations, artists, accredited media, Eurovision fans and visitors attending the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest. Thousands of Eurovision fans, tourists, journalists are expected to land in the Eurovision 2015 host city to attend the annual musical extravaganza.

Water in Vienna- Video courtesy of Vienna Tourist Board

A very rich social program including sightseeing tours, trips, concerts, musicals, ballet etc and  has been specially prepared for the occasion enabling accredited press, fans and delegations to savour and taste the true essence of Vienna, thus Building Bridges between Vienna and the 40 competing nations at the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest!

Romantic Vienna- Video courtesy of Vienna Tourist Board

Have you booked your trip?

If you are an accredited journalist, fan or delegate you need to register online in order to book  the free sightseeing tours. Online booking of the tours is already open and will be conclude on 4 May. These tours will be running from Monday 11 May- Friday 22 May. You can find the full events/tours schedule and agenda here. You can register here.

General Information About the Trips 4 Free

• It is recommended that you make your reservations in time – the Trips for Free reservation deadline is  4 May, 2015.
• Participation in each programme is only possible with valid accreditation. Make sure to bring your badge to each booked event.
• Watch out for the  volunteers. They will wait at each public meeting point and help gather participants.
• Please be at the meeting points on time.
• In case you won’t be able to participate in a booked event please don’t forget to unregister.

Free Tours/Trips/Events Agenda

1. The Imperial Treasury- exclusive guided tour
2. Creative Vienna Tour
3. Gay and Lesbian Vienna
4. Volksoper: Giselle Rouge Ballet (Performance)
5. City Danube Cruise with a Viennese Breakfast
6. Jewish Vienna Tour
7. Third Man Museum & Vienna Sewers
8. Schonbrunn Exclusive Night Tour
9. Mamma Mia- Musical (Performance)
10. Chill Out Night aboard City Danube Cruise
11. MusikVerein: Kammerorchester Wien- Berlin (Performance)
12. Architecture Old and New- Business University Campus and the Prater
13. 150 years of the Ringstrasse
14. City Cruise with DDSG Danube- Architecture
15. Belvedere Exhibit: Europe in Vienna – The Congress of Vienna 1814-15
16. Vienna State Opera: Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Performance)
17.  VolksOper: Philarmonia Shrammeln (Performance)
18. Wiener Prater and Schweizerhaus
19. Polawalk
20. Vienna Cuisine: Cooking with Chef Konstantin Filippou
21. Vienna State Opera Ballet: Van Manen/Ekman/ Kylian (Performance)
22. Mary Poppins Musical
23. VolksOper: Die Fledermaus (Performance)
24. KunstHistoriches Musem- Vienna Building Bridges Special
25.  Hofburg Palace: Sissi Museum, State Apartments, Silver Collection
26. Alley Tour
27. Music and History: Walking in the trails of Joseph Haydn
28. Waldseilpark Kahlenberg
29. Bungee Jumping and Sunset at Vienna’s Tower
30. VolksOper: La Boheme (Performance)
31.  Summer Night Concert at Schobrunn with Vienna Philarmonic
32. Viennese Markets : The Nashmarkt
33. Visit the United Nations in Vienna
34. Viennese Markets: The Brunnermarkt
35.  Austrian Heartbeats Bus Tour
36.  Viennese Markets: Karmerliermarkt
37.  The Spanish Riding School: A tribute to Vienna
38.  VolksOper: Cosi Fan Tutte (Performace)
39. Konzerthaus Vienna: Gemischter Satz (Performance)
40. 450 years of the Spanish Riding School: A glamorous anniversary
41. Volksoper: Hello Dolly (Performance)
42. Ottakringer Tour
43. Visit World Heritage Wachau
44. Imperial Austria & Wine Enjoyment
45. Viennese Wine Culture: Cobenzl Winery, wine tasting and Heurinjause
46.  The Spanish Riding School: Morning Exercise
47.  Vienna State Opera: La Sylphide (Performance)
48. Musikveiren: Wiener Academy Orchestra
49.  VolksOper: Classic meets Folk Music
50.  Konzerthaus Vienna: Wiener Philarmoniker (Performance)
51. Vienna State Opera: La Cerentola (Performance)
52.  Konzertahaus Vienna: Fridays@7: Wiener Symphoniker & Bläsersolisten (Performance)

NB: Notice that some of the trips/events are scheduled only once whilst others are scheduled several times and are spread out throughout the Eurovision timeframe (11- 22 May). Make sure you book in advance as some of the trips are already fully booked due to the high interest and demand!

Book your tour and enjoy the Vienna experience!

For more information on Vienna you can visit Wien.info and for the latest news on ESC 2015 in Vienna  ORF’s Eurovision website in German.

Stay tuned to ESCToday for the latest news on Vienna, Austria and 2015 Eurovision Song Contest!