Vienna - the city of music ... and much, much more.
Our shore excursion “Vienna City Tour: Austria’s Capital in a Nutshell” was great fun and we got to see the city key sights and learn more about its history.
My first impression of Vienna? Loved it – so clean, so beautiful with a wealth of things to enjoy and do It’s a proud city of music, art, culture, great shopping and fine food – perfect as a city break, and most definitely a city to which I’m eager to return.
For centuries, Austria's beautiful Baroque capital, Vienna, was the centre of the Hapsburg Empire. As well as all this history to dip into, you can also enjoy gourmet cuisine, pastry creations (including apple Strudel), wonderful coffee, romantic carriage rides, formal gardens… and of course, the Lipizzaner stallions at the world-famous Spanish Riding School. If you like to shop, Vienna has an abundance of shops and markets. Be sure to go to Kohlmarkt for top notch retail therapy. The area is home to traditional Viennese jewellers Wagner, Bucherer and Schullin, as well as international luxury brands. I popped into the H&M shop - beautiful building, and you must try the vintage lift!
In winter, there are also the traditional Christmas markets and nativity plays – a great way to get into the Christmas spirit. Most of the city's tourist attractions are within the largely pedestrianised inner-city area, so easily accessible by foot. Further afield is the Prater amusement park with its huge Ferris wheel, and the magnificent Schonbrunn summer palace. The Wiener Prater public park is a great place for families to enjoy a day in the sunshine. You can also take trip to the Vienna Woods, with its wine taverns to enjoy. Don't forget to visit St. Stephen's Cathedral - the symbol of Vienna. Construction commenced in the 12th century and today, it is one of the most important Gothic structures in Austria.
Why not book a visit to the Vienna State Opera? This famous stage offers a different program every day, with over 60 operas and ballet works on around 300 days per season. Just be aware their famous New Year concert requires advance booking of up to one year, so do contact me in good time if this is on your wish list. Our guide then left us with some free time to do some shopping or go to a traditional coffee house for really good coffee and a delicious pastry at a marble-topped table. I did both.
Back on the ship (which was already beginning to seem like home: “the mother ship”), it was time for a champagne aperitif before lunch, followed by a snooze on the top deck. There are loungers and deck chairs, plus blankets, dotted around the deck – so it’s so easy just to relax in the sunshine or chat with your fellow guests nearby. There is also the pop-up bar on the top deck, which “pops down” when there are low bridges. However, today I opted for cosy takeaway coffee and cookies from the Crystal Bistro, to keep me going until dinner.
Other shore excursions in Vienna included “Museum of Fine Arts & Art Chamber” and “Imperial Schonbrunn Palace”. If you want to see Vienna without a guide, the ship runs shuttles to the centre. For those looking to be active, there was the “Danube Island Bike Discovery” excursion. The ship has a stock of bikes on board for its various cycling excursions, so it’s all made easy for you.
If you’d like to visit Vienna – either as a city break or as part of a cruise itinerary or specifically to visit the Christmas Markets – just give me a call on 020 3432 2510 for a chat. Once I know what would make your perfect stay, you can relax, while I do all the research for you, and then make all the arrangements.