Wiener Konzerthaus, Vienna

After the great Musikverein and its famed Golden Hall, Vienna's most illustrious concert venue is the Konzerthaus, home to the Wiener Symphoniker, three concert halls, the Akademietheater and a studio theatre. Built in late Secessionist style in 1913 by the great Austrian theatre-building duo Fellner & Helmer, it boasts a lovely, illuminated wrought-iron-and-glass canopy, surmounted by octagons and a half-moon gable.

Up to four simultaneous performances – in the richly decorated Grosser Saal, the Mozart-Saal and the Schubert-Saal, plus the new Berio-Saal – can be staged. The classical music programme here tends to be a bit more varied and adventurous than the Musikverein's, with the odd nod to cabaret, jazz, world music and even pop.

No matter what time of year one visits Vienna, there will be great offerings to see at the Konzerthaus. Needless to say, the acoustics are excellent, with new features that improve sound quality especially due to its moderate size which brings each music experience closer to the audience. Meanwhile, the seats are spacious and comfortable, which is not a given for some of these older venues.