Another day, another new city. We left Cesky Krumlov this rainy morning to begin the journey to Vienna. We took vans through the small backroads of the Czech Republic and Austria for most of the trip and I really enjoyed the scenic and tranquil beauty of the small villages and landscapes along the way. It is especially pleasant to be looking at vast fields of wheat and rye and then spotting a castle just sitting there on a hilltop casting its shadow across the area. Not something you see in the states!
We arrived in Vienna and left our luggage at the Magdas Hotel. This place has a great story and a great cause. It is operated by refugees who have relocated to Vienna and has established apprenticeships to help them learn skills and trades in the tourism industry. Everything inside the hotel has been upscaled or repurposed, from the shelves in the rooms made from train car luggage racks to the desk made of cabinet doors, the end table made of half a chair, or the mirrors on the wall cut from doors, the place is special. It was too early to check in though, so we stowed our luggage there and then headed out to exchange money and do a quick orientation. Again, we met up with a free tour of the history and culture of Vienna after the orientation and began learning about some of the iconic landmarks.
Our guide Mattias took us through Stephensplatz, the main commercial and cultural square in the city, and discussed with us the history of the incredible St. Stephen’s Cathedral that towers over everything else in the city. The gothic spires seem to stretch to the heavens and seem to transport a person back to another time! It largely dates to the mid-1300s and is the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Vienna. It is possible to climb the 360+ steps to the observation level of the tower, but I ran out of time to make the climb. The tour continued on and soon we found ourselves in front of the grand Hofburg Palace complex. This is the current seat of government for Austria and dates back to the first family of Austria, the Hapsburg Dynasty. Maybe the most famous of the family was Empress Maria Theresa who ruled the empire while having 16 children and overseeing an expansion of Austro-Hungarian power and influence. She successfully married her children into the ruling houses of nearly every other European country and they largely ruled the continent through the 18th and 19th Centuries. The Hofburg complex is impressive, and again I am struck by how accessible the presidential homes and parliaments of these countries are compared to that of the U.S. these days. A person can literally walk on the sidewalks outside the building, just meters from the doorway. There is security, sure, but it doesn’t feel like there is a divide or separation between the people and government in these European nations like there is back home.
Dinner at Griechenbeisl after the tour really hit the spot, especially after I had my first schnitzel of the trip! Several of us walked around with our tour leader, Izzy, after dinner and enjoyed an evening view of Vienna. We strolled through an outdoor festival being set up in the courtyard of the old city hall that featured food vendors, music, and an evening movie on the side of the building. We had all heard about the amazing chocolate cake at Cafe Central so we stood in line for a bit to get our chance to get a taste. This place is known for the many historic figures who frequented it over the years, like Freud and Trotsky, and the desserts were pretty great too! Very near our hotel, there is a huge amusement park called the Prater, and we decided it needed to be further explored. After dark, it is all lit up and seems to draw you in, so we relented. The highlight was a huge 117-meter (383 feet) tall tower with swings that rotated around it, going all the way to the top and back down. The thrill of being belted into a swing and twirling around nearly 400 feet above the ground was only matched by the stunning view of Vienna from the top! What a thrill and what a great way to end my first day in this beautiful city!
Bill and Jeff's Historical Travel Blog 