Page 14 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Austria

12  INTRODUCING A USTRIA

Two Days in Vienna another former imperial residence
with formal gardens. End the
day by taking the metro once
Exploring Vienna’s cobbled again to Prater (p108), north of
streets, lavish churches the Danube. This park is a huge
and grand architecture is a expanse of lawns and trees. It
fascinating journey through is an ideal spot for a stroll or a
centuries of history. bicycle ride. Look out for the
Prater’s iconic Riesenrad (Ferris
• Arriving Vienna’s Schwechat
Airport is located 19 km wheel), which attracts visitors
(12 miles) southeast of the city until late in the evening.
centre. The CAT (City Airport
Train) takes around 20 minutes A Week in
to reach the city centre. Eastern Austria
Striking façade of the Spanish Riding
• Getting Around Vienna has School in Vienna • Airports Arrive at Vienna’s
an extensive, reliable public Schwechat Airport, which is
transport system and it is Opposite the Hofburg is the the best entry point to access
possible to explore a great famous Spanish Riding School Eastern Austria.
deal of the city in a short (p71), where white Lipizzaner • Transport There are good rail
period of time. stallions peer at passers­by from connections between Vienna
their street­side stables. Head and Eastern Austria’s main
west across the monu ment­ towns. A car is essential for
Day 1 lined Ringstrasse to the exploring areas such as the
Begin your exploration of Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum Neusiedler See, the Waldviertel
Innere Stadt or “Inner City” with (pp88–91), one of the world’s and Vienna Woods.
a visit to the Gothic cathedral leading collections of antique
Stephansdom (p62). Its spire treasures and old masters.
domi nates the busy square of Days 1 & 2
Stephansplatz. The Mozarthaus Day 2 See the Vienna itinerary.
Vienna (p61), where Mozart Start by exploring the cluster of
com posed the Marriage of sights that are within easy walking Day 3: Eisenstadt and
Figaro, is just a few steps away. distance of the Innere Stadt. the Neusiedler See
Next, head to the south of Just west of the Ringstrasse is the Head southeast from Vienna to
Stephansplatz, where the pedes­ vibrant MuseumsQuartier explore the town of Eisenstadt
trianized Kärntnerstrasse sweeps (pp86–7), home to the Leopold (pp158–9). Visit the Baroque
past boutiques and cafés. Museum, the modern art gallery chateau Schloss Esterházy (p158).
Venture to the west ern end of MUMOK and a growing number Next, pay a visit to Haydn-Haus
the Innere Stadt to see the of cafés and theatres. Take a (p159), now a museum dedi cated
Hofburg (pp68–9), a vast complex short east ward stroll from here to to composer Josef Haydn. From
of palaces and offices that was Karlsplatz, site of the late­Baroque here it is a short distance to the
once the symbolic heart of the master piece, the Karlskirche Neusiedler See (pp156–7), ringed
Habsburg Empire. Visit the (pp98–9). Continue on to the by fishing villages and grassy
Reichskanzleitrakt, the former Belvedere (pp102–3) to explore plains. The town of Rust (p156),
apartments of Franz Josef, (p73) its beau tiful gardens and art with its seasonally nesting storks,
and the Schatz kammer, or museum. Next, board the U4 is the most pic tu resque of the
treasury (p73) for a taste of metro line from Karlsplatz station lakeside settle ments. Round the
former imperial splendour. to Schönbrunn (pp114–15), day off with a drive around the
northern end of the lake to the
reedbeds and marshes of the
eastern shore, a landscape best
enjoyed in the Seewinkel
National Park (p157).
Day 4: St Pölten and Melk
Visit St Pölten (pp136–7), a lively
market town with a well­
preser ved Baroque centre. Reserve
most of the day for the stunning
abbey at Melk (pp146–7), located
30 km (19 miles) west. The abbey
contains a host of artworks, a
historic library and a dizzyingly
The giant Riesenrad, or Ferris wheel, at Prater decorated Baroque church.
For practical information on travelling around Austria, see pp354–9

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Country itinerary template “UK” LAYER
(SourceReport v1)
Date 15th January 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm