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Ultimate Vienna
Arrival
This afternoon, your guide will meet you in your hotel lobby for your first introduction to Vienna. During your walk,you will see the soaring St. Stephen’s Cathedral with its distinctive ceramic tile roof.
Exeter International Extraordinary Experience
Your guide will take you through the interior of the cathedral and then you will head to the roof. Take a special elevator, walk through the eaves, and head right out onto the roof of the cathedral. This walk will give you one of the more unusual perspectives of historic Vienna.
Later, continue your walking tour. Your guide will also show you some of the most famous coffeehouses of Vienna along with some of the grand buildings and monuments along Vienna’s storied Ringstrasse.
Palace Splendor
Today your driver and guide will take you to the Belvedere Palace and Gardens. This palace was built as the summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy. Your focus today is on the Upper Belvedere which holds one of the most amazing collections of Klimt in the world.
Afterward, drive back toward your hotel via the famous Ringstrasse. Stop for a coffee and light snack at one of the famed cafes along this route. If you like, you can also pop into one of the most famous markets in Vienna – the Naschmarkt.
Back in the center, bid farewell to your driver and take a short walk to visit one of Vienna’s newest museums – the Heidi Horton Collection. This world-class private art collection opened in 2022 and features the personal collection of Heidi Horton, a local billionaire, ranging from classical modernism to contemporary art. Highlights of the collection include works by Damien Hirst, Andy Warhol, Marc Chagall, and more.
Vienna Delicacies
Exeter International Extraordinary Experience
This morning your local food insider will meet you in your hotel lobby. Today you will have a tour using public transport (and walking) of her favorite local markets and unique Vienna food producers. These aren’t big productions, but local family-run businesses. During the walk, you will not only taste samples of the food, but you will also learn more about Austrian everyday life and food culture.
Later, you will visit Schönbrunn Palace, closely connected with Maria Theresa, one of the Hapsburgs’ greatest Empresses. Originally designed by Johann Bernhard Fischer Von Erlach, Maria Theresa gave Nikolaus Pacassi the contract to expand the summer palace. The palace stands today as a combination of Austrian Rococo and Classic Baroque symmetry. Today’s visit is the highlight route – featuring approximately 20 of the most gorgeous rooms in the palace.
Shopping Spree!
Today, meet your special insider guide and enjoy a day of shopping in Vienna. Vienna has a rich history of local high-quality handicrafts, and your guide will introduce you to some of the best. From fine crystal to milliners to porcelain to silver, there is much to discover right in the city center. Your guide today is a local shopping expert and can tailor the day around whatever you would like to discover.
Later, visit one of the finest art museums in Europe, the Fine Arts Museum (Kunsthistorisches Museum) in the Museum quarter. Here you will find a vast array of paintings including Bruegel, Vermeer, Velazquez, Rubens and Rembrandt. Also in the collection, you will find an important Egyptian collection and other items from antiquity. This museum houses the personal art collection of the Hapsburgs, built over the centuries. Indeed, the building itself was constructed for the sole purpose of housing the ever-expanding collection.
Spanish Riding School
Today, meet your guide and walk to the entrance of the Spanish Riding School where a Stable Guide will be waiting for you. This is the oldest and last Riding School in the world where classic dressage is still practiced in its purest form.
You will enjoy a dressage performance that lasts just over an hour. After the performance, meet your stable guide for an introduction to the Spanish Riding School its history, its riders, and the architecture of the palace. Today, post-performance, you will have a private tour of the arena, the stables, and the equipment room.
Later, bordering the pedestrian area is the fantastic Albertina Museum. This was once the residence of the favorite daughter of Empress Maria Theresa, so part of the museum contains opulent staterooms with original furniture and lots of gold. The collection spans Classical Modernism to the present including Monet’s “Water Lily Pond”, Degas’ “Dancers” and Renoir’s “Girl” among other pieces.
Austrian Wine
Exeter International Extraordinary Experience
Today, your driver and special wine guide will meet you to head to the hills outside of Vienna – the Vienna Woods. Today you will experience wine from the vineyard to the glass and meet interesting local vintners who are eager to share their love of wine with you.
Continue your journey
Want to extend your stay? Vienna combines ideally with Prague and Budapest.
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Truffle Hunting
This morning, you will be transferred to Buzet in Croatia where you will meet a truffle hunter and his dogs. This is a family truffle business located in a small village. Head into their private woods to see how the dogs find the truffles!
Afterward, bring your find back to the farm and learn how to wash and prepare them. Your hostess will create a special truffle- focused lunch for you.