Post Tour Day 1: Melk Abbey and the Blue Danube!
This morning our tour ended. We had breakfast with some of the others and then went to the train station to head to Melk Abbey in the beautiful Wachau Valley! Melk was established in the 11th century as a fortified Benedictine abbey before being destroyed by fire. The Habsburgs commissioned architect Jakob Prandtauer during the Baroque period of the 18th century to remake the abbey which he did with its' 200 foot high dome, symmetrical towers, and gilding throughout. The abbey's restoration project was finished in 1996 for the 1,000th anniversary of the first reference we have to a country called Osterreich. We toured the abbey with an English speaking guide and on our own. I would say the Marble Hall, library and Church are the highlights of Melk.
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Enjoying our river cruise with the Austrian flag in the Wachau Valley!
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Cruising the Blue DanubeWe had done a river cruise on the Rhine so we thought why not do one on the other great river we would be seeing, the Danube! It was windier with cloudy skies for this cruise, but getting to see the beauty of the Wachau Valley from the river was so worth it! We saw some beautiful Baroque buildings and some amazing old castles! It was a perfect day away from bustling Vienna.
Pro-Tip: We had bought three combo tickets in the Vienna train station that included train travel to Melk, entrance to Melk Abbey, a river cruise from Melk to Krems, and train travel from Krems back to Vienna for cheaper than if we had bought them separately. We found it helpful to have our reservations already in hand. Make sure to check in at Melk and the river cruise kiosk for your actual tickets. |
Hueriger Weinhof Zimmermann
I really wanted to experience a Heuriger while in Vienna, and on the way back into the city from Melk seemed like the perfect opportunity. The district of Neustift am Walde was on the way and would be a good point from which to get back to our hotel after. We took the train from Krems getting off at Spittelau and hopping on the underground to the Nussdorfer Strasse stop. We then took the #35A bus to the Agnesgasse stop and headed up the hill to Weinhof Zimmerman and our dinner in a peaceful vineyard setting. The food was delicious, the new wine surprisingly good, and the setting idyllic. It was a wonderful and relaxing last evening in Vienna.
Post Tour Day 2: Schonbrunn Palace and Travelling to Prague
A Morning Spent at SchonbrunnWe really wanted to see Schonbrunn and its' gardens so we designated the morning we were leaving Vienna to the task. We got there first thing in the morning to see most of the gardens before our timed entry into the palace, and then finished up in the gardens after. In 1693 Emperor Leopold I ordered the building of a hunting castle on a foundation destroyed by the Turks. By the mid 18th century it was expanded as Maria Theresa made it the official summer residence of the court. The interiors are a magnificent Rococo style and gave insight into the times of Maria Theresa and Franz Josef. We thoroughly enjoyed walking through the gardens and getting to see the interiors of the palace, both a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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These Are A Few of My Favorite Things
We thoroughly enjoyed the architectural gem that is Vienna lit up at night. Brett and I sat for quite some time on some steps just enjoying the beautifully lit buildings and each others company. I also loved seeing the artifacts and art of the Hofburg Treasury and Kuntshistoriches Museum. We also took in a free organ concert at St. Peter's that had beautiful music in an amazing setting.
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