Cristina-Estera Klein

Austria Guide and communication scientist

Tours in German, Spanish and English

The storyteller

I am Cristina-Estera Klein, I am a state-certified Austria Guide and have been living in Vienna for over ten years. I grew up in the west of Austria, surrounded by mountains, and came to Vienna to study. I was immediately captivated by the city.

On my tours I would like to introduce my guests to Vienna, the city that constantly fascinates me anew, in all its different facets, colors and moods. My studies in journalism and communication science, as well as Romance studies and history, combined with my interest in art, music and cultures, provide me with a good basis for my work.

I see my work primarily as story telling. For me, this means making the past visible for a moment through storytelling and using stories to inspire laughter, amazement or reflection.

The dream of the urban jungle

But I’m not just interested in conveying the past: on my walks, I also attach great importance to giving my guests an insight into and a feeling for what it means to live in Vienna here and now. Who are the inhabitants of this city? What different cultures can be found here? What makes Vienna a city worth living in? What challenges do the Viennese have to face?

As part of the Austria Guides For Future, I am now going one step further and consciously taking a look into the future. What does the city we want to live in tomorrow look like? This future is both socially and ecologically just. Nature will be given generous space, as it has become a central component of urban development as green and blue infrastructure. Urban heat islands are just a dim memory from times gone by. Public space is made for people, inviting them to linger and meet, instead of servicing cars. High-quality housing is affordable for everyone, energy-efficient and adapted to different demographics and lifestyles.

How can this utopia become reality? In my city walks, I point out concrete ideas, projects and measures in Vienna that are already building a socially and ecologically fairer future. In doing so, we not only look at the actions of the administration, but also at inspiring community projects in particular.

Further topics

In addition to tours on the topics of climate protection, the environment and urban development, I also enjoy guiding people around the city on political (memory) cultures, women’s history and art in public spaces.