OH, VIENNA
There is quite simply no better first impression of Austria than Vienna. Unashamedly opulent, from a coffee to a waltz, the Viennese do everything with added panache. In a city as grand as this, there is no more fitting a place to stay than Hotel Sacher. After a quick slice of their world-famous Sachertorte, head out on a private walking tour and discover the Viennese icons that lie just off of your doorstep.
An undisputed cultural highlight, the next day you will visit the Spanish Riding School, where you will drop in for a private guided tour before an exclusive peek at the morning exercise and a chat with some of the talented riders. Refuel with a Viennese coffee in the traditional Cafe Central before continuing on to the grand Hofburg Imperial Palace and the Sisi Museum, which offer fascinating insight into the private world of the Royal Family. From there, no trip to Vienna would be complete without a visit to the legendary State Opera House.
STORYBOOK SALZBURG
From Vienna, you will take a train west to the charming city of Salzburg. Nestled below steep hills, this fairytale city looks much as it did when Mozart lived here 250 years ago. The birthplace of the famous composer, it’s impossible not to fall in love with Salzburg and as you head out on a private guided tour of the Old Town. Music is at the very heart of Salzburg, and Salzburg Cathedral is no exception. Crowned by a mighty copper dome and flanked by two towers, the cathedral houses an intricate main organ and also bore witness to Mozart’s christening. Speaking of Mozart, tomorrow, you will walk in his footsteps, starting with a visit to his birthplace, No.9 Getreidegasse, which has now been converted into a museum, displaying artefacts from Mozart’s childhood, including the mini violin he played as a toddler. In the afternoon, you will swing by the lavish Mirabell Palace & Gardens with its intricate stucco, marble and frescoes where Mozart used to play as a child. Then, out in the gardens, you may recognize this as where the Von Trapp children learned ‘Do-Re-Mi’.
ALPINE RETREAT
Swap city slicking for mountain climbing as you head up to the Austrian Alps in Hochkönig and spend your days breathing in the fresh mountain air and infectious village charm. Right in the heart of quaint Maria Alm stands Hotel Eder, where urban style meets alpine chic. Take a trip to Eisriesenwelt in Werfen and discover Western Europe’s largest ice cave, with sub-zero temperatures even during the summer. After a day of adventuring, return to your Hotel and refuel in one of the three saunas. Bliss.
LIFE ON THE LAKE
Your final stop in this Austrian adventure is Lake Fuschl, just outside of Salzburg. You will be getting the ultimate royal treatment with a stay at the fairytale castle of Schloss Fuschl, where we will have you arriving in style in the back of a chauffeur driven Rolls Royce. But before you arrive, there’s time for a quick pit-stop just across the border in the famous Berchtesgaden National Park for a relaxing cruise on Lake Konigsee.
The following day, you will head out on a day trip to what is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful lakeside villages in the world; Hallstatt. This UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Region is home to over 7,000 years of history as well as the contemporary skywalk, for stunning views 360 metres above the town. Back at Fuschlsee, you will experience the beauty of the Austrian Lake District on a private tour of the local area, armed with a picnic of gourmet nibbles and visiting the towns of St. Wolfgang and St. Gilgen before gliding across Lake Wolfgangsee.
Vienna
You might have heard – over the dinner party plates or at a private view – how vivid Vienna has displaced many other European cities as being more progressive, more cultured, and more fun. And they are not wrong. A private walking tour of this elegant and radical city will give you a chance to drink in traditional Viennese coffee at the Café Central, wander the grand Hofburg Palace, and learn about the impressive Karl Marx Hof – a beautiful behemoth of a building which was built as radical social housing by Karl Ehn in 1930, and functioned as a stronghold for anti-fascists during the 1934 Austrian Civil War.
Nature
High alpine peaks, crystal clear lakes, glamorous comfort and cultivated culture make for one hefty punch. But they are also the makings of an elegant and edifying luxury honeymoon. Comforting food and breathtaking hikes up into scintillating Salzburg, and sampling the bar life in buzzing Vienna, will make sure that Austria lingers long in the memory.
Every Corner
Where the sachertorte is rich and bitter, and the white Alps scratch the sky itself, Austria – home to mirror-seeming lakes and the outrageously fun winter Krampus Festival – is, despite its genteel appearance, a very surprising country. The country’s most memorable author, Thomas Bernhardt, was often quite glum about modern life – but he did opine on the preference for living a ‘real’ life. Well, a trip to Austria will certainly give you the tools to experience the highest peaks, the richest culture, and the most comforting of foods. And that will take you some way toward the real.
