The Experience
The elegance of Old Europe is alive and well in Vienna and is yours to experience on an independent journey. Visit the hall where Mozart gave his first recital and walk the grounds of spectacular Schönbrunn Palace. Day 1: Vienna
Arrive in Vienna, one of Europe,™s most glorious cities and once a center of vast political and cultural influence. After clearing customs and immigration formalities, meet your Guardian Angel and transfer by private vehicle to your hotel. The balance of the day is at your leisure.
Hotel Imperial or Grand Hotel Wien
Day 2: Vienna/Schönbrunn
This morning, meet your local guide for a walking tour of the city, featuring the Habsburg,™s Hofburg Palace, the Imperial Treasury, Gothic St. Stephen,™s Cathedral with its glazed tile roof and the famous Ringstrasse with its 19th-century buildings. You may like to stroll through the colorful Viennese Naschmarkt, where vendors sell local produce such as wines, schnapps and vinegar. After lunch, transfer by private vehicle with your local English-speaking guide to the magnificent Schönbrunn Palace with its beautiful grounds. The palace was the summer home of the Habsburgs and contains over 1,400 rooms. Your visit includes the Hall of Mirrors in which Mozart performed for the Empress Maria Theresa when he was only six years old, as well as the extensive formal gardens. As you return to your hotel, make a photo stop at the Belvedere Palace to enjoy its beautiful view of Vienna.
Hotel Imperial or Grand Hotel Wien | Meals: B
Day 3: Vienna Woods
Leave the city of Vienna behind this morning with your driver-guide and private vehicle for a sightseeing excursion to the charming Vienna Woods. Visit Mayerling, scene of the suicide pact between Crown Prince Rudolph and Baroness Maria Vetsera. Then a hunting lodge, it was replaced by a convent by the bereaved emperor. Continue to nearby Heiligenkreuz, a magnificent Cistercian abbey. On the return trip to Vienna stop at the Seegrotte, a former mine and now a fascinating underground lake, where you can take a motor boat trip for the best view of the reflections before returning back to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure, though you may want to enjoy a slice of the famous Sacher torte at one of Vienna,™s cafés and take in the Viennese coffee house culture. Alternately, visit the shop of the Chocolate King,, a local producer of high quality chocolate where you may enjoy a chocolate fondue in summer or savor delicious hot chocolate in winter.
Hotel Imperial or Grand Hotel Wien | Meals: B
Day 4: Vienna
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight.
Meals: B