Imperial Vienna and the Best of Eastern Austria

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Imperial Vienna and the Best of Eastern Austria

The great Habsburg dynasty ruled over Austria for many centuries. During this time many castles and palaces were built, both for the emperors and the aristocracy, many of which are also set in stunning parks. This programme will show you some of the most splendid buildings in the area of Vienna as well as some other historically and architectonically important structures and the most fascinating and varying landscapes.

Suggested Programme

Day 1

Arrival and dinner at your hotel.

Day 2

Walk through the historic streets of Vienna and explore St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the posh shopping mile on Kärntner Strasse and the Imperial Vault, which is the most important burial place of the Habsburgs. Enjoy a visit to the Church of the Augustinian Friars, where Emperor Franz Joseph and Sisi exchanged their marital vows in 1854, and explore the Hofburg, which houses the Sisi Museum, the Imperial Apartments and the Imperial Silver Collection. In the former private rooms of Franz Joseph and Sisi you can see some of the original furniture, valuable silverware and private possessions of the Habsburgs. Furthermore you can visit Schönbrunn Palace, the former summer residence of the Habsburgs.

Day 3

Explore the hunting lodge Schloss Hof with its spectacular grounds that once belonged to the most celebrated military commander of the Habsburg Empire, Prince Eugene of Savoy. See the magnificent stately rooms and get an insight into what life was like in imperial times. Enhance today’s excursion with a visit to the excavations of Carnuntum, once a prosperous Roman settlement. Discover ancient treasures and hidden secrets at three historic and archaeological sites in Carnuntum.

Day 4

Travel with your tour guide to the Semmering area, where the UNESCO- protected Semmering railway, known as the first mountain railway in Europe, runs. Take the train from Gloggnitz up the Semmering and visit the information centre. Afterwards your local guide will take you on a guided bus tour to get to see the most beautiful structures and viaducts. Visit the Railway Adventure World in Mürzzuschlag and take some coffee and cake in an antique imperial carriage. On your way back to Vienna we recommend you make a stop at Seegrotte Hinterbrühl, a cave system with a beautiful grotto under a former gypsum mine. Explore the old mine with its mystic tunnels, a museum dedicated to mining and its patron Saint Barbara, and take a boat trip across Europe’s largest underground lake.

Day 5

Visit Austria’s second-largest lake, Neusiedlersee. Travel to Rust where a local guide will take you on a walk through this picturesque town, famous for its many storks and wineries or explore Schloss Esterházy in Eisenstadt during a guided tour. Then head to a typical “Heuriger” tavern for lunch, before a horse-drawn carriage will pick you up and take you on a scenic drive. Continue your tour by boat on a cruise on the lake Neusiedlersee. A visit to this renowned wine growing area wouldn’t be complete without a visit to a vineyard. Enjoy a wine tasting and take the opportunity to ask an expert everything you’ve always wanted to know about wine before returning to Vienna.

Day 6

Included Services:

5 nights incl. HB in a middle-class hotel in Vienna
5 x dinner in the hotel
1 x guided tour of Vienna
1 x entry to Imperial Vault
1 x entry to Hofburg incl. State Apartments, Sisi Museum and Imperial Silver collection
1 x entry to Schönbrunn Palace
3 x local guide max. 8 hrs
1 x entry and guided tour of Schloss Hof
1 x entry and guided tour of Carnuntum
1 x journey on the Mariazellerbahn Gloggnitz – Semmering
1 x entry to information centre Semmering
1 x guided bus tour of Semmering
1 x entry and guided tour of the Railway Adventure World Mürzzuschlag incl. coffee and cake
1 x entry and guided tour of Seegrotte Hinterbrühl
1 x entry and guided tour of Schloss Esterházy
1 x “Heuriger” lunch buffet
1 x horse-drawn carriage ride & boat cruise on Neusiedlersee
1 x wine tasting incl. bread and water (2 white wines, 2 red wines, 1 sparkling wine or dessert wine)

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Imperial Vienna and the Best of Eastern Austria