1
Vienna, Austria
4 nights
My Plan:
Alpine Metropolis
Rename8 days
About Vienna
Everybody wants to visit Vienna. Not only is it the capital city of Austria, it is an exciting metropolis with a rich background in history, art and especially music. The city is known for its grand Ring Road, lined with impressive buildings including museums such as the Museum of Art History and the Museum of Natural History. If you want to be witness to the opulence of the Habsburg dynasty then make sure to tour the former residences of the royal family at the Schönbrunn Palace and the magnificent gardens as well as the Hofburg Palace and the Belvedere Palace, with its baroque architecture.
Everybody wants to visit Vienna. Not only is it the capital city of Austria, it is an exciting metropolis with a rich background in history, art and especially music. The city is known for its grand Ring Road, lined with impressive buildings including museums such as the Museum of Art History and the Museum of Natural History. If you want to be witness to the opulence of the Habsburg dynasty then make sure to tour the former residences of the royal family at the Schönbrunn Palace and the magnificent gardens as well as the Hofburg Palace and the Belvedere Palace, with its baroque architecture.
Vienna (Wein) has 23 districts (Wiener Gemeindebezirkein) and each district offers diverse attractions including art galleries, café, museums, palaces, restaurants etc. each with its pros and cons. Starting in 1850, as the city kept growing and including the surrounding communities the city gave them numbers for easy clarification and reference. The 1st District (Innere Stadt) is the old town and is encircled by the Ringstrasse (The Vienna Ring Road) which is about 5 km long. It is divided into nine sections; each has a ring extension. In 2001, it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. There is much to see in the inner circle including St. Stephan's Cathedral (Stephansdom), Hofburg Palace, the Natural History and Art History Museum, Wiener Rathaus (Vienna City Hall) the State Opera House and much more. Did you know that there are over 100 museums in Vienna! Besides the museums there are theatres, dance and music halls, restaurants, bars, exhibitions, restaurants, bars, cafes and lots of nature trails. Renowned artists whose works are hung in museums around the world and musicians whose music is played by international symphony orchestras were from Vienna. For example - Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) a symbolist painter and important influential member of the Vienna Secession movement (is there anyone who hasn’t seen his painting “Judith and the Head of Holofernes”; Egon Schiele (1890-1980) the Austrian expressionist who painted powerful personal paintings and Oskar Kokoschka the Expressionist, as well as Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1928-2000) whose startling works can be seen in what used to be his home in the 3rd district. Note: The family was Jewish, their original name was Stowasser and to save themselves during WWII they disguised themselves as Catholics and the young Friedrich even joined the Hitler Movement to avoid being targeted. It was only after the war that he then decided to change his name. Just saying and just mentioning a few of the most renowned Austrian composers, in alphabetical order (feel free to add to this list): Anton Bruckner, Joseph Haydn, Franz Liszt, Joseph Haydn, Gustav Mahler, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Schubert; their compositions can be heard around the world. in opera houses, theaters, concert halls and churches. Hofburg Imperial Palace which was built in the 13th century was the former main residence of the Habsburg monarchy. The palace contains 2600 rooms and some of them are spectacular museums on various themes and exhibitions. The various collections are housed in separate rooms and include musical instruments, weapons and armor, the ceremonial room (State Hall) in the Austrian National Library (Österreichische Nationalbibliothek) one of the most impressive in the world, with more than 12,000,000 books and item. The Imperial Treasury (Kaiserliche Schatzkammer) includes two imperial crowns as well as the Burgundian treasure and the treasure of the Order of the Golden Fleece, the Sisi museum in honor of Empress Elisabeth and so much more. On the outskirts of the palace is the famous Spanish Riding School where to this day they continue the training of Lipizzaner horses. Schönbrunn Palace (Schloss Schönbrunn) which was the summer “vacation” home for the Habsburgs is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is considered Austria's most popular and most visited tourist attraction. It is of great importance for its architectural design and its spectacular neoclassical colonnade and manicured gardens which includes the palm house (Palmenhaus) from around 1880 is home to exotic plants growing in 3 pavilions in this huge greenhouse and the Maze (a terrific place for children as well). St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom) is the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna. It is also one of Austria’s most prevalent attractions with about one million visitors a year! Architecturally it is a very important building in the Gothic style, although it has been added to, altered and redecorated over the many decades or more accurately centuries! However, if it is that “Kodak Moment” you are yearning for, then you will have to climb up over 300 steps to the bell tower for a magnificent view of the city with its colorful tiled rooves. Belvedere is actually two palaces in the Baroque style - the Orangery and the Palace Stables. As well, the Belvedere is home to the Austrian Art Museum with works by leading Austrian artists such as Egon Schiele and Kokoschka Oskar, Gustav Klimt (“The Kiss” is on view, in the Lower Belvedere Museum). The Museum of Art History (Kunsthistorisches Museum), considered one of the top museums in the world, was built near the Imperial Palace in the late 1800’s. There just wasn’t enough room in the Imperial Palace for the incredible huge art collections of the royal family, as well as the most extensive collection of Bruegal art anywhere. Today they also exhibit the works of top artists from the Middle Ages to the 19th century including paintings by Johannes Vermeer, Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio) and Titian (Tiziano Vecelli). The Opera House (Wiener Staatsoper) was one of the first of the monumental buildings to be built on the Ringstrasse and is renowned throughout the world. If you are a real opera buff you will be excited to know that the acoustics have been improved (with great difficulty because the building is under a preservation order). There are daily ballets and operas and visitors are welcome to view the impressive building. The Vienna Prater is a fantastic large public park in Leopoldstadt and the amusement park (The Wurstelprater) usually referred to as "Prater" is on one side of the park, with over 200 attractions including the iconic Ferris Wheel (Wiener Riesenrad) from the late 1800’s.Note: For easy access, an underground railway now stops near to the entrance of the Prater. Traditional dishes of the Viennese cuisine: Wiener schnitzel (veal coated in breadcrumbs and fried), Tafelspitz (boiled beef), Beuschel (a ragout containing veal lungs and heart), Selchfleisch (smoked meat) eaten with sauerkraut and dumplings and Knödel, a type of dumpling cooked in water- to be eaten as (a) a first course or maine or (b) a sweet type for dessert. Note: After the fall of Napolean in 1815, The Congress of Vienna took place. Celebrations and banquets were held for several months and the congress took on a moniker “The Dancing Congress". And thus for over 200 years the beginning of November signals the opening of “party time” and more than 450 banquets are held during the winter period.
Vienna
Free cancellation
Sights on the way 477.18 km | 6 hrs 17 mins
About Innsbruck
The city of Innsbruck, the capital of the Tyrolean region, is nestled in the valley of the INN river surrounded by mountains that rise around it to an altitude between 2000-3000 meters. The height gap between the city and the peaks creates a dramatic and breathtaking view that can be seen from all corners of the city. The SILL River merges with the INN River in the center of the city and then meets up with the Danube.
The city of Innsbruck, the capital of the Tyrolean region, is nestled in the valley of the INN river surrounded by mountains that rise around it to an altitude between 2000-3000 meters. The height gap between the city and the peaks creates a dramatic and breathtaking view that can be seen from all corners of the city. The SILL River merges with the INN River in the center of the city and then meets up with the Danube.
The Innsbruck City Tower (Stadtturm) built in the Middle Ages, where guards kept vigil over the town, is in the center of the town. To get your “Kodak Moment” climb up about 130 steps to the 31-metre-high observation deck overlooking the city and snap away!Near the tower is The Old Town Hall and the landmark of Innsbruck, the Golden Roof (Goldenes Dachl) which is 16 meters wide, and the roof is almost 4 meters high and tiled with more than 2,600 gilded copper shingles. It was built around 1500 by Emperor Maximilian I with high quality 12 impressive reliefs, from the Renaissance, of Maori dancers and Moors.Secret: The reliefs that we see are “copies” – the originals are on display in the museum. In 1724 The St. James Cathedral was inaugurated. The highlight of this Baroque style cathedral is a rare photo from 1530 of Maria and Child Maria Hilfbild/Maria and Child.Continue down the alley of the Old City onto one of the busiest main streets Maria-Theresien-Straße (Maria Theresien Street). Commemorating the retreat of the Bavarian army in 1703, is the column of St. Anne's Annasaule with the statue of St. George, the patron Saint of Tyrol and other saints at the base of the monument. In the center of the street is the Old Landhaus (Altes Landhaus) which was erected somewhere between 1725-1734. It was the regional council meeting place until the new Landhaus was erected around 1939. The old Landhaus, built in the style of Late Austrian Baroque, is a three-story building heavily decorated with pilasters, reliefs and stucco trimmings. The interior is unique and also has a small chapel in honor of St. George in the building. At the southern end of the avenue is the Triumphpforte (Triumphal Arch) a major landmark built in stone in the year 1765. Note: The Triumphal Arch was originally being built in honor of the wedding of Archduke Leopold. He was the son of Empress Maria Theresa and Francis Stephen of Lorraine – who passed away just after the wedding. Thus it was decided that the Triumphal Arch would be a commemorative for both occasions - one side of the monument represents the wedding and the other side is a memorial to the Emperor. It is not a surprise that most of the city's economy is based on winter sports and tourism mostly in the summer. In winter, the city is a hub for skiing, snowshoeing and excursions in the Alps. One can easily get to the various sports complexes by cable car and carriages that leave from the suburbs of the city directly to the Alps. There is a variety of sites and entertainment spots throughout the city: For skiing fans please note that on the south side of town is the famous Bergisel Ski Jump (Bergiselschanze), which hosts many international competitions throughout the year (hosting the first one back in the early 1920’s). Needless to say there are many “Kodak Moments” from the summit of the mountain. And one of the most amazing parks is the Karwendel Nature Park which you can get to from the city. Take a break and hop on the cable car from the city center to the Hungerburg station, grab the next Nordkette funicular and be ready for a breathtaking “Kodak Moment”, a view of Innsbruck and a panoramic view of the mountains. You can also stop at the stations on the way up and get to the zoo or another stop at the suspension bridge. Less than 17 km east is the nearby town of Wattens, known internationally for the “Swarovski Brand” and you can see it all in their museum called the “Crystal World” (Kristallwelten). As you would expect, the museum exhibits jewelry, fashion accessories, home decorations and a huge variety of pieces, all made of crystal.
Innsbruck
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Enjoy the Road Like Never Before
477.18 km | 6 hrs 17 mins
2
Innsbruck, Austria
3 nights
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