Arrival in Vienna: Vienna is one of our (many) favorite cities, so we were excited about sharing it with our best buddies, Ann and John. Taking a train from Salzburg, we found our hotel in the center of town, a short walk from St. Stephens Cathedral / Stephans Dom.
On their first visit to Vienna, Ann & John needed to enjoy many “must see” places that we had seen on previous visits. We all took the trams to the Schönbrunn Palace and explored the lovely grounds for a while before we split up. Ann & John would then tour the palace, while Sara and I set off elsewhere. After each day of exploring, we would meet again to share dinner and the evening.
On other days, Ann and John explored the Belvedere Palace, which houses a fine art museum, the fabulous Kunsthistorisches (Art History) Museum, and the Hofburg, formerly the imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty, which now houses National Library, the Spanish Riding School (home of the white Lipizzaner horses), the Sisi Museum, Emperor Franz Joseph’s Private Quarters, the Augustinian Church & Monastery, and so much more.
At St. Stephan’s Cathedral / Stephansdom we attended a performance of Mozart’s Requiem with musicians and a huge choir. The beautiful Gothic cathedral was filled for this concert. When in Vienna, it’s easy to find great music, especially if you like Mozart.
Voice Mania: During our stay we learned about this International A Capella Festival. We enjoyed a concert at Peterskirche (St. Peters Church) around the corner from our hotel. We also stood in a light rain listening to A Capella groups perform from balconies overlooking the pedestrian areas. A little wet, but still great fun.
We also heard the famous Vienna Boys Choir, singing along with the Men’s Choir in a mass at the Hapsburg Chapel in the Hofburg. It was certainly a treat. The boys sang beautifully, and behaved, when the men were not watching, like boys.
Stadtpark in Vienna: On a lovely, sunny day, Sara and I enjoyed this beautiful city park, that features monuments to Viennese heroes, musical and otherwise. There’s a classic statue of Johann Straus playing his violin, and another of Franz Schubert.
The Naschmarkt is another great place to eat and shop. It’s an open marketplace, nearly a mile long, with plenty of stores, restaurants and quirky shops, as well as the fresh produce you expect at such markets. You can find all kinds of food here.
From Austria to Slovakia: Bratislava
Slovakia’s capital, Bratislava, is only an hour east of Vienna, so Sara and I planned to make the day-trip. On our appointed day, Ann felt ill, so we became a threesome: Sara, John, and Evan. We took the train east from Vienna and then a local tram to cross the Danube River into Bratislava. The Most SNP Bridge, including the so-called “UFO” above it, is a relic of the Soviet occupation.
Coffee & a Walking Tour: After exploring the lovely Old Town Center and making an essential cafe stop, we joined a “free walking tour,” happily in English. Our guide was great, charming, fun, and full of stories. This is her hometown, and she knew everything about it. Between the Old Town Center and the Bratislava Castle on the mountain, we saw the major sights: the Old Towne Hall, St. Martin’s Cathedral, Michael’s Gate, the Primate’s Palace, Maximilian’s Fountain, and the Bratislava Castle. From the castle we walked back into town, to find a recommended restaurant where we sampled the beer and delicious Slovakian cuisine. We joined several young men who had walked the tour with us. It was quite an international group. We especially enjoyed both the food and the conversation.
All European cities feature statues and monuments, but those we saw in Bratislava were uniquely whimsical and fun, clearly not the classical portraits of cultural heroes to be seen elsewhere. Here are just a few.
Back in Vienna we frequented a small cafe/restaurant near our hotel. One night the four of us were seated next to a lone traveler from England. With a language nearly in common, we enjoyed chatting with Jack Linley, a retired teacher and headmaster from Yorkshire, who now writes books for a living. Inspired by his own experience, his fiction focuses on a headmaster in a fictional Yorkshire town. Since his first novel “Teacher, Teacher” appeared in 2007, he’s written 15 more, under the name of Jack Sheffield. Chance meetings like this provide some of our favorite travel experiences.
Places to Eat: We returned to some of the great places to eat in Vienna. Figimuller, is a little hard to find, for it’s in an alleyway between streets, but claims to be the birthplace of Weiner Schnitzel, and the food is fantastic. Then there is the Zwolf Apostelkeller (12 Apostles’ Cellar), with great Viennese food, hospitality, and with a violin and accordion duo for entertainment, visiting each table. Go to the Griechenbeisl, (since 1447) the oldest inn in town, for a classic ‘Wiener Schnitzel,’ or the favorite of Emperor Franz Joseph himself, the Boiled Beef Dinner. It’s wise to confirm your reservation, since these are very popular restaurants.
After a great time in Vienna, it’s time for our travels to end. At the airport, we say goodbye to Ann and John, who head back to their Florida home, while Sara and I head back to New Jersey. It’s been a great trip, but we look forward to returning home.
