August 25, 2009
Aggstein
If you’re visiting Vienna with children and looking for a short break from the city, Aggstein may be the perfect choice. You can get there easily by car or by taking a tour. Kids will enjoy exploring old castle ruins with spectacular views of mountains and the Danube valley down below. You can get ice cream and souvenirs at the entrance, and there is a restaurant inside the ruins in case anyone gets hungry.
Outdoor Seating
There are plenty of little paths, small doors, and hidden rooms to explore:
Aggstein
Fortunately, Aggstein isn’t only interesting for kids. There are also small exhibits with interesting information about this 800 year old castle:
Aggstein Exhibit
If you’re taking a tour from Vienna, you’ll be taken directly to the castle parking lot. If you’re driving there yourself, you might consider parking in the town of Maria Langegg and taking a 1 hour walk through the woods to arrive at Aggstein. The path is very well signed and easy to walk.
Path to Aggstein
During summer, you’ll be able to pick raspberries and blackberries, and kids will enjoy playing on the rocks that line parts of the trail:
Rocks on Path
On your way back to Vienna, driving along the Danube through the Wachau is highly recommended!
Wachau
August 22, 2009
If you’re bored with golfing in the usual European golf hot spots, why not go for something different and try Vienna. It is a superb choice for golfing: its mild climate, beautiful scenery and excellent infrastructure contribute to an enjoyable holiday for the passionate golfer.
We particularly like The FONTANA GOLF CLUB in Oberwaltersdorf, Lower Austria, 18 miles South of Vienna which hosts the annual European Tour’s BA-CA Open. It is ranked as Austria’s second best course, and will be the highlight of a golf escape in the Vienna area.
The course lies at the heart of an exclusive private residential community, and opened for play in 1996 following design by Doug Carrick and Hans Erhardt.
At the clubhouse you’ll find a top restaurant operated by Toni Mörwald, one of Austria’s most talented chefs, a well-assorted Pro-Shop, and a gym and wellness area, which in the summer also includes our vast lake and its sandy beach.
You’ll have the time of your life, great golf, great choice, friendly people, stunning scenery, clean mountain air, and a warm Austrian welcome.
August 17, 2009
Wiener Schokoladekönig
If you like chocolate and fancy old shops, you definitely need to visit the Wiener Schokoladekönig! It’s a new business in a famous old location that used to specialize in buttons for clothing. They still have a collection of old buttons lining the top of the shop, along with a selection of delicious chocolate buttons.
Chocolate Fondue
You can make your own chocolate fondue, or choose from a huge variety of incredible chocolates, most of which come in fun boxes and wrapping and make great gifts.
Box of Chocolates
Inner Wrapping
Even if you don’t like chocolate, the store is worth checking out just for the great atmosphere.
Wiener Schokoladekönig
It’s easy to miss if you don’t know where to look… When walking down the Graben, turn and walk to the Peterskirche. Walk around the right side of the Peterskiche to where you dead end on the back street, and take a right. Wiener Schokoladekönig will be at the next corner on your right. Here’s a map:
August 11, 2009
Rathaus Film Festival
For two months each year Vienna throws a free party, the Rathaus (town hall) Film Festival. This year it’s from June 27th to August 30th. Every day for these two months, from 11AM until midnight, the area in front of the Rathaus is full of people enjoying the free music, international food, and nightly performances on a massive screen.
The Screen
This year the festival is being held in honor of the anniversaries of three celebrated musicians: Joseph Haydn (200th anniversary of his death), Georg Friedrich Händel (250th anniversary of his death) and Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (200th anniversary of his birth). The nightly performances feature a wide range of music from Haydn to Wynton Marsalis. You can find the schedule here.
Since this is Vienna, the food is as important as the performances! Here are a few examples of the 22 international food stalls:
Greek
Japanese
Mexican
So if you’re in Vienna now, or you’re planning a trip during summer, be sure not to miss the Rathaus Film Festival!
August 6, 2009
Brunnenmarkt
Most tourists in Vienna make it a point to visit the Naschmarkt, and rightly so! The Naschmarkt is definitely something that shouldn’t be missed. But what about the Brunnenmarkt, Vienna’s second biggest market? The Brunnenmarkt sees very few tourists, is less expensive than the Naschmarkt, and more “ethnic”, with most shoppers being immigrants from Turkey and the Balkans.
Brunnenmarkt Goodies
The Brunnenmarkt, or Fountain Market, came into being in 1786 in what used to be a suburb of Vienna. It’s fairly easy to get to by subway. From Stephansplatz, take the U3 to Westbahnhof, then jump on the U6 to Josefstaedter Strasse, walk a couple of blocks down Gaullachergasse and you’ll run right into the Brunnenmarkt.
Cheese at Brunnenmarkt
If you like markets and have some extra time in Vienna, the Brunnenmarkt makes a great 2-4 hour excursion. Enjoy!
