Vienna

  Days 12 ,13, 14

    Driving along the Danube Valley, we reached our final destination. Vienna! We had an evening walk around the Austrian capital, which ended at St. Stephen's Cathedral, and from there we found dinner at a small and cozy Italian restaurant where we dined on pizza! Vienna's city center  is a large circle. Inside the circle is old town surrounded by the Ringstrasse, which was the location of the city wall.  The tram runs around the circle with several stops, so this is a great way to see the city as well. (Rick has an audio guide for this) We strolled through Vienna and found our way back to our hotel for a good nights rest.  

   The following morning began with a tour of "The Third Man" museum.  This museum is an amazing collection of memorabilia about the movie and also post war Vienna. The museum is definitely worth a visit. After, we walked to the Kunsthistorisches Museum. This museum contains the Hapsburg art collection. You could easily spend two or three hours here admiring the artwork. Many rooms have center seating so you can sit and take it all in.  

   Vienna has many offerings. Museums, fine shopping, restaurants, music, and Nachmarkt, a large market square offering lots of dining choices and also stalls selling local produce and other goods.

   Our last dinner together was relaxing, enjoyable, and a nice way to say good-bye to our fellow travelers and our guide Thomas.  This was our second trip to Europe, and it will not be our last. Rick Steves' has made the experience wonderful, educational, and eye opening. Group travel is perfect for Scott and I, but we also had time to wander around on our own with confidence!

   In conclusion, Scott and I are so happy we chose a Rick Steves' tour for our first, and second trips to Europe.  We are already planning the third tour and are even going to  Paris and London on on own. Traveling with a Rick Steves' group has opened up a whole new way of travel for us. We are never bored, have learned to pack light and be comfortable with it. Tasting new food, sipping local drinks, meeting local people, and learning about the history and lifestyles of other countries makes you realize how tied together our cultures around the world are.  

                                                                               KEEP ON TRAVELING