WJ Tested: Austria – Vienna City of Fine Arts Tour
Day 14:
Uniworld River Princess arrived in Austria’s capital city Vienna early in the morning and docked at Liegestelle on the Danube canal. Vienna is a very popular river cruise port on the Danube so we awoke to find quite a few other river cruise ships also tied up. Shortly after breakfast we met with a local art historian tour guide for Uniworld’s included Choice Tour (Vienna City of Fine Arts).
Austrian Academy of Sciences
Vienna History:
Hundertwasser House
The 3.5-hour guided tour included driving into the heart of the city, a stop to see Hundertwasser House, a visit to the Jesuit Church near Bäckerstrasse, and then a guided tour of the Kunst Historic Museum.
Jesuitenkirche – Jesuit Church in Vienna, Austria
Jesuitenkirche Baroque Interior – Jesuit Church in Vienna
Our guide was excellent and was thoroughly knowledgeable of the paintings and artifacts she showed us. The time we spent in the Kunst Historic Museum was just long enough to provide a brief overview, but this is a museum we could spend days revisiting in order to see everything on display.
Viennese Culture:
Kunst Historic Museum
Kunst Historic Museum Guided Tour
Gustav Klimt in the Kunsthistorisches Museum
Rembrandt Self-Portrait
When our time at the Kunst Museum was over we returned to the coach for the drive along the Ringstrasse (a large road that circles the city) and past many famous landmarks including the Austrian Parliament Building and Vienna City Hall. We found the tour ideal for passengers that have previously visited Vienna, and also have an interest in some of the world’s most famous works of art.
Austrian Parliament Building Vienna
Vienna City Hall
Those that wanted to remain in the city center for the afternoon could easily do so, or could stay on the coach for the return journey to River Princess. For those staying in the city it was then possible to take a cab directly to the ship (20+ euro), or the U-1 (2 euro per person) to the Vorgartenstrasse metro station (we found the Vienna metro system one of the easiest to navigate) and a 5-minute walk back to the ship.
We returned to River Princess in time for cocktail hour in the lounge, followed by our final dinner in the restaurant. Our meal started with a delicious baked goat cheese appetizer, transitioned to the traditional Weiner Schnitzel entree, and was completed by the Pastry Chef’s version of Sacher cake – a fine ending to a successful and insightful river cruise!
Baked Goat Cheese Appetizer
Traditional Wiener Schnitzel
Sacher Cake
Local Viennese Food & Drink:
Gaststatte Pfudl Along Bäckerstrasse
Uniworld Optional Tours in Vienna:
If You Go:
Continue Reading WAVEJourney’s Uniworld Eastern Europe Explorer River Cruise Review:
Cruise Overview | Bucharest | Peles Castle | Bran Castle | Bucharest City Tour | Uniworld River Princess | Giurgiu: Embarkation | Rousse to Varna & the Black Sea | Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanassi | Captain’s Welcome Gala | Vidin, Belogradchik & Baba Vida Fortress | Iron Gates | Donji Milanovac | Viminacium Archaeological Site | Sava River | Belgrade City Tour | Deck Dining | Vukovar & Osijek | Cruising the Danube to Budapest | Budapest City Tour | Budapest Parliament Building Guided Tour | Gabcikovo Hydroelectric Dam and Lock | Bratislava City Tour | Captain’s Farewell Dinner | Vienna City Tour |
Notes: WAVEJourney travelled from Bucharest to Vienna as guests of Uniworld River Cruise Collection from July 25 to August 8, 2012.
March 2019 Travel Tips and Tales Newsletter By WAVEJourney Greetings! Spring is here in the Northern Hemisphere and WJ has big travel plans! How about you? Chat with us and let us know where you’re going, what you’re doing, and ask for the advice and travel tips you need to enhance your adventures. After a […]