Vienna is a whole other world after Bratsilava – the city of the Hapsburgs with wide streets, palatial buildings and all the energy you expect in a bustling city. Bill and I visited Vienna in 1987 following an early Rick Steves book before he became famous.
Our local tour started on a bus around the Ringstrasse and then a walking tour of the city center. Another brassy, overweight, middle-aged tour guide – Maria Gabriella.
After the tour we made our own adventure. First some refreshments at an outdoor cafe for our first round of Viennese coffee and sweets. Cynthia really wanted to visit the Sisi Museum and apartments so we all went for or culture fix. “Sisi” was Empress Elizabeth wife of Franz Joseph I. The first half of the museum was exhibits of the serving and cooking ware – acres of silver, porcelain, gold, copper pots, and crystal. The second part was her apartments with her life history. She wasn’t very happy, despite all the wealth and privilegea and died at 60 by an assassin.
For our next adventure I led the group in what they thought were circles to find a highly recommended restaurant for Wiener Schnitzel. Between my Google maps and bird-dog Bill we found Gasthaus Zer Opera. The schnitzel was good but my dish, roasted calf liver with creamed spinach, was amazing.
And then just because we needed more food we went to the famous Cafe Sacher at the Hotel Sacher for their famous Sacher Torte chocolate cake. Seven euros for one piece ad it wasn’t worthy in my opinion.
We popped into St. Stephens Basilica church.
After skipping dinner on the boat to take naps we got dressed up and loaded up on busses to see a concert. The performance was lovely with classical music, opera singers and dancers. Definitely a worthwhile excursion.Wiener Residenz Orchestra played music from Mozart and Strauss both Austrian composers.
