Living and Travelling in Italy: Vienna, Austria

April 16, 2012

We had the opportunity of going to Vienna, Austria this weekend for the European International School Heads’ Conference.

While George was attending sessions I toured the city on my own on the first day following Rick Steeves’ Best of Europe walking tour.

Vienna is the one of Europe’s cultural capitals. It is the home of the rich Habsburg heritage. Many of the buildings still today relfect 18th and 19th century elegance. Classical music is heard everywhere. People nurse a pastry and coffee over the daily paper at one of the many small quaint cafes.

My stops included the Opera House, museums and churches and cafes. I went to the Spanish Riding School located in Hofburg Palace. This is the home of the renowned Lipizzaner stallions. I was able to go in and watch their morning exercise routine.

One side of the Opera House

Horse Stables

Morning Exercise

Hofburg Palace

St. Paul's Church

Inside St. Paul's Church

St. Stephen's Cathedral

Inside St. Stephen's

Since Sacher Torte is Austria home of this chocolate cake which is two layers of cake separated by apricot jam and covered in dark-chocolate icing, served with whipped cream, I decided to go in and have some for lunch. It was pretty good.

Later in the afternoon I met up with George and we went to the Belvedere Palace to see the Gustav Klimt exhibition.

Belvedere Palace

We had dinner out at a local Viennese restaurant.

Gates of a concentration camp/ a Jewish prisoner

Gates of destruction

On Saturday I went on a spouses tour which took in Dorotheum, the world’s oldest major auction house. From there we went to the Austrian National Library which is the largest and to be considered to be the most beautiful library hall in the world. Next was a visit to Demel, which produces the best chocolate and pastry in the world. We had lunch at the opera house followed by a Viennese Waltz Dance lesson.