A Brit and A Southerner

New York Pass Review – Is It Worth the Time and Money?

New York

-

Feb 29, 2016

New York Pass Review – Is It Worth the Time and Money?

Whether you are visiting New York City for the first time or you are a frequent visitor, there are just some attractions that you will want to return to time and time again. At least, that’s the way we feel every time we visit ‘The Big Apple’. But how do you explore all of these attractions affordably? The New York Pass may be an option worth considering! Is this yet another way to sucker-punch you into spending time and money on glorified tourist attractions? Let’s take a look at our New York Pass review based on our recent experiences using the 2-day version of this pass and hopefully by the end of this post you will understand the pros and cons of this.

New York City – The Tourist Traps

What are you interested in visiting? How much time do you intend to spend in New York City? What is your budget? All of these are questions you will likely be asking yourselves each time you visit ‘The City That Never Sleeps’. From the Empire State Building to the Statue of Liberty, New York City is a city of global iconic landmarks…but wait for it…some may also rephrase this to say:

New York city is a city of tourist traps

It’s TRUE! Honestly, you can’t blame all of these attractions in New York City from raising their prices because the reality is, this is one of the most frequently visited cities in the world.

Tourists from all corners of the globe visit all year round and with that brings a desire to experience everything New York City has to offer.

What Is the New York Pass?

The New York Pass will quickly become your friend as it prevents you from running up a large credit card bill pretty quickly (New York is an expensive city!) The New York Pass is a tourist card providing visitors with free access to over 80 attractions in and around the city (in addition to some other discounts and benefits).

Let’s take a look at some of the key incentives for purchasing a New York Pass before looking at some of the awesome attractions you can experience with this.

Financial Incentive

It goes without saying that the KEY benefit of purchasing a New York Pass is financial savings. It’s a pretty simple philosophy to follow but, the more attractions/landmarks you visit during the duration of your pass, the more money you will save!

With NY Pass you can save up to 70% on gate prices when seeing just 3 attractions a day

We will later see that this huge positive is also a potential drawback, but in essence, this is the same with every tourist city card.

Speed Incentive

Fast Track entry! If you have been to New York City before, you will know that one of the toughest aspects of visiting any notable landmark is the long queues that you can expect to experience. Even if you plan on rising early in the morning and heading to the Statue of Liberty on the first Ellis Island cruise…you better be prepared that there will be others thinking the exact same thing!

The New York Pass offers fast track entry to over 15 attractions meaning that you wait time is dramatically reduced. Plus these are some of New York’s top attractions!!

Flexibility Incentive

There is nothing worse than heading to a city like New York and having no idea what you want to do. Planning an itinerary is usually key here but the beauty of the New York Pass is that you can be as flexible as you want.

Whether you have the handy guidebook or download the New York Pass app on your iPhone as we did, you can always have up-to-date information available on attraction opening times making it easy to create an ‘on the fly’ itinerary as you make your way around the city.

The iPhone app is particularly impressive and we certainly found this to be beneficial as we explored New York City. An easily accessible attraction list, customizable itineraries and integrated maps functionality to provide immediate access to your closest attractions are all great features of this app.

Don’t worry, we will be sharing a ’48-hour itinerary to New York City’ with you based on our experiences, so if you are a little more methodical and want everything planned out, perhaps our suggested itinerary will be just for you.

Which Pass Is Right for Me?

Depending on your budget, your desire to see a number of attractions and most importantly, how much time in New York City will determine which New York Pass is right for you. Here is a quick breakdown of the currently available passes along with their prices, if purchased online:

Pass Duration	Adults	Children (Age 4-12)
1 Day	$109	$89
2 Days	$169	$149
3 Days	$209	$159
5 Days	$259	$169
7 Days	$289	$169
10 Days	$339	$179

**Prices updated as of February 22, 2016 (subject to change)

Our 48 Hour NYC Itinerary

Ok, so you decide to take the plunge and purchase one of the above passes. Next up is figuring out what to see and where to go. There is a lot to see and far more than you will be able to experience in one trip, regardless of the length of time you spend here. We recommend planning a rough itinerary with a little flexibility thrown in there to ensure you maximize your time, your energy levels and of course, your New York Pass.

During our recent visit, we followed an itinerary that we want to share with you because we feel it covers a nice blend of popular tourist attractions, hidden gems and iconic landmarks. It’s all about personal preference and what type of attractions interest you. We both love sports, architecture and history so you will see a little bit of all this thrown into our itinerary.

Please note also, this was NOT our first trip to New York City and also NOT our first time at some of these attractions. However, we feel this itinerary would be suitable for all types of visitors.

Day 1

Yankee Stadium Tour – Regular Admission $25
Inside Broadway Tour – Regular Admission $35
Saturday Night Live – The Exhibition – Regular Admission $29
Empire State Building Observation Deck – Regular Admission $32

The total price of the attractions visited during our first day had we purchased them individually without the New York Pass was $121 per person.

Day 2

9/11 Memorial and Museum – Regular Admission $24
Soho, Little Italy and Chinatown Walking Tour – Regular Admission $35
Madison Square Garden, All Access Tour – Regular Admission $26.95
Top of the Rock – Regular Admission $32

The total price of the attractions visited during our second day had we purchased them individually without the New York Pass was $117.95 per person.

Total Cost of 48-hour itinerary – $238.95
Total Cost of 2 Day New York Pass – $169
Total Savings – $69.95 (Per Person)

Possible Drawbacks

A fair review of the New York Pass wouldn’t be the same without sharing a few potential drawbacks of purchasing this pass. Here are a couple that we believe to be true, though we attest that these would not sway our opinion in whether we should purchase the New York Pass:

Time Constraints – Realistically if you are visiting any of New York’s main attractions, you will want to spend some time there. For example, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island cruise is going to take several hours especially if you are visiting for the first time. What does this mean? You are going to be limited to how many attractions you can visit!

Opening Hours – Closely related to the first issue is the fact that the majority of attractions are not open at night. You can plan your schedule to allow for some night activities such as the Top of the Rock or Empire State Building but the majority of attractions are closed by 5:00PM (some even earlier).

Energy Levels – New York City, the ultimate 24-hour city of the world! With that being said, it’s also an incredibly tiring city to explore. Even if you travel by the awesome NYC Subway system, you will still have times where you need to walk around. Of course, New York is a beautiful city to explore, but if you plan on rising early to experience as much as possible with your New York Pass, be prepared to grab some coffee along the way!

Summary

Our New York Pass review will hopefully convince you that this is a great, viable option if you are interesting in experiencing more than just the tourist attractions. Over the next few weeks, we will be sharing some of our adventures experiencing some of the attractions listed in the itinerary above, but an overall review of this pass suggests that this is definitely a no-brainer when you head to NYC.

You have to be prepared to spend money when you head to New York City! But with the New York Pass you can save money and the more you see, the more you save! It’s a simple philosophy and one that we strongly encourage you to follow.

Our 48-hour guide to New York City was done at a comfortable pace and I am convinced you could probably add a couple more attractions in there. One final tip, check out the geography of the attractions and plan accordingly. But more importantly – ENJOY NEW YORK CITY!

Disclaimer – We were provided with two complimentary 2-day New York Passes for our recent trip to New York City. These are solely our personal opinions/experiences and we were not financially compensated for this post.

Why the Heineken Brewery Tour Is an Amazing Experience?

Netherlands

Chris Boothman

-

Feb 25, 2016

19

Why the Heineken Brewery Tour Is an Amazing Experience?

If you are visiting Amsterdam for the first time, you will immediately become captivated by the incredible number of bicycles in and around the city and of course the canals that make the Dutch capital renowned as the Venice of the North. But there is another reason that you will soon love this city possibly more than any other in Europe (or even the world)…Heineken! Not only can you drink as much as you want but you can also have an amazing experience by taking the Heineken brewery tour in the heart of the city.

Having spent the morning taking a free walking tour of Amsterdam, we figured the best way to spend the afternoon was to either visit the world famous Rijksmuseum or alternatively opt for the Heineken Experience. Although we love to wander around art museums, there really was no choice here!!

Heineken + A Brit & A Southerner = ????

I will let you decide what the answer is to the above formula, but if you keep reading, by the end we will share our opinion!

Heineken Brewery Tour – The Experience

Beer lovers around the world, Amsterdam is calling you. Dublin may be the home of Guinness and Berlin may be stereotypical beer capital of the world, but Amsterdam is quietly becoming a popular hotspot for beer drinkers, predominantly because of the presence of Heineken on a global scale.

Visiting ‘The Heineken Experience’ to learn more about why this is such a popular beer is certainly something you should consider the next time you visit Amsterdam.

Ticket Prices

If you book tickets directly online, you will save a couple of Euros rather than purchasing in-person at the ticket office. Online prices are as follows:

Adults – €16,00
Child (Age 12-17) – €12,50
Child (Under 11) – Free

We purchased tickets late morning on our iPhone and showed the PDF tickets at the entrance which was sufficient as they simply scan them and give you a Heineken Experience wristband.

Other Useful Information

The Heineken Experience is open all year round (open 365 days!) and for most of the year opens at 10:30AM daily with final admission at 7:00PM in the evening.

Address: Stadhouderskade 78, 1072 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands

Heineken Brief History

The Heineken dynasty dates back to the mid-19th century, specifically 1864 when Gerard Heineken purchased the Haystack brewery. In 1873, this brewery was renamed Heineken and well…the rest is history!

In 1886, Dr. Elion (a former pupil of Louis Pasteur) developed the Heineken A-Yeast in a local Amsterdam laboratory. To this day, this is still the key ingredient of Heineken beer and helps maintain the unique taste that we all love with this Dutch beer.

Heineken has 115 brewing plants in over 65 countries around the world. Global revenues make Heineken the third largest brewer behind Anheuser-Busch (InBev) and SABMiller.

Later in the tour you can experience the Heineken stables and check out some of the infamous horses that today are primarily used for marketing, along with some of the iconic carts and wagons that were used to transport the beer barrels.

Multimedia Exhibits

The tour itself takes you through a myriad of exhibits, many of which offers interactive features to involve visitors and help learn about the history and mission of Heineken. Perhaps the highlight of this tour is the ‘Experience’ itself, where visitors stand inside a virtual beer can and taken through the history as a beer particle with moving parts, sound effects along with wind and water to add to the overall experience.

All ages will enjoy this experience but for the beer connoisseurs in the family, don’t worry your time will come!

I particularly enjoyed the Heineken sporting exhibit where you can check out the Champions League history along with capturing a selfie with the Champions League trophy itself. Rugby fans can try their luck at kicking a virtual conversion, or perhaps participating in a scrum (a word of warning, this is not for the faint-hearted).

Heineken Brewing Process

Although the recipe for producing Heinken is top-secret, the actual process of brewing beer is well documented and visitors to the Heineken Experience can watch the various stages that are involved in creating such a magical beer. Heineken is made up of the typical primary ingredients: Barley, Hops, Water and of course the infamous and highly recognized A-Yeast!

The fermentation, filtering and bottling process is much the same as many of the world’s other leading beer manufacturers but it is that secret recipe that sets Heinken apart from its competitors, at least in our opinion that is.

During our tour of the manufacturing plant inside the Heinken Experience, we sampled ‘wort’ which is simply malt mixed with water and well, it’s not the best tasting sample you will have here!

But it’s a great way to see and learn about the various processes that are involved in creating the perfect Heineken beer.

Brewing today is understandably different from the original process in the mid-19th Century. Technology has drastically improved and mass consumption has meant that creating large volumes of beer is a necessity.

But the distinct process is still the same and being able to walk around the original buildings including the old brewery with stained glass windows and the iconic copper beer kettles is an exciting experience.

Tasting and Sampling

By now you are probably wondering when you get to sample the finest Heineken brew. Don’t worry, you have multiple opportunities. In fact, visitors receive three beers throughout the tour.

The first time is in the tasting room where you are handed a small glass and shown the appropriate way to drink Heineken. No sips, just a nice amount that glides down the back of your throat and you can fully experience the tastes of Heineken and that special recipe.

At the end of the self-guided tour, you have the option to drink two pints of Heineken or if you prefer, you can have a soft drink. Your wrist band contains two buttons that can be exchanged for the beers.

Alternatively, you can become a certified Heineken pourer in exchange for your two tokens. Regardless of the option you choose, this is a great way to culminate the Heineken brewery tour.

Summary

The Heineken Experience finishes in the store where you can pickup a souvenir glass or other Heineken memento. Earlier in the tour we created our very own Heineken bottle with customized label which we couldn’t resist.

After leaving the Heineken Experience, you can hop on the Heineken canal cruise free of charge, and this will take visitors to the Heineken Brand Store to pick up your free gift (a small Heineken glass) and opportunity to purchase more souvenirs.

Having experienced the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin and the Anheuser-Busch brewery in St. Louis, we were excited to see what Heineken had to offer. We can honestly say that this was our favorite to date, given the self-guided aspect of the tour and also the amount of interactivity and knowledge you can gain from visiting here.

HEINEKEN + A BRIT & A SOUTHERNER = the perfect blend

Amsterdam is more than just canals and bicycles…and the Heineken brewery tour is a great way to find out a little more about this beautiful city! I am sure by now you figured out the answer to the formula above, but for those that are still wondering, I think it’s a pretty obvious response.

An InLinkz Link-up

What to Do in Luxembourg? 5 Awesome Landmarks!

Luxembourg

Chris Boothman

-

Feb 22, 2016

5

What to Do in Luxembourg? 5 Awesome Landmarks!

Europe is blessed to have a number of countries that immediately attracts visitors from all corners of the globe. From Paris to London to Rome to Berlin, the history throughout the continent of Europe is endless. However, what about the lesser known nations that frequently are forgotten? Countries such as Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein, and Luxembourg are nations that are unlikely to be top of many bucket lists. Spending time in two of these smaller countries has now proven that they are extremely worthwhile. Having already visited Liechtenstein, our attention switched to Luxembourg. ‘What to do in Luxembourg’ is the million dollar question that you every right to ask!

Hopefully, after reading this post, you will be able to answer this question and perhaps you will be inspired to add this nation to your next European adventure. Regardless of your future travel plans, I hope you will appreciate the rich history that lies within the medieval walls of Luxembourg City. Keep reading to learn more about this historic nation!

Why Explore Luxembourg?

The final leg of our Eurail journey saw us travel from Zurich, Switzerland to Amsterdam, Netherlands. This was a perfect opportunity to explore Luxembourg! Luxembourg is a country that neither of us knew much about except that it is located in the heart of Europe by Germany, France and Belgium.

Having previously spent a day in the beautiful municipality of Liechtenstein, our opinion on these less recognized nations is far from the typical stereotype.

Luxembourg may be small, but it’s certainly worth a visit. The convenient location makes this nation worth experiencing, even if it is only for a few hours or a day while you move between some of Europe’s more infamous countries.

Luxembourg City used to be a fortress city which was completely surrounded by high stone walls, and although the fortress no longer exists, the stone walls remain and are both a historians and architects dream. More on this particular feature later.

Politically speaking, Luxembourg is one of smallest sovereign nations in Europe but proudly possesses the world’s only remaining grand duchy (led by a Grand Duke rather than a King/Queen/President).

Our time was spent in Luxembourg’s capital, Luxembourg City so the following guide only provides details on attractions and landmarks there. I am intrigued to see what is outside of this urban area because if it offers as much beauty and history as the capital, I am sure there will be even more reasons to visit this country.

Casemates du Bock

Luxembourg’s most iconic landmark has to be the Casemates du Bock. The fortified walls that are present today date back to the 10th century when Count Siegfried built a fortified castle. This location quickly became one of the most powerful strongholds throughout Europe and was renowned as the ‘Gibraltar of the North’ given that defenses here were so strong.

For over 900 years this fortress was preserved, until 1867 after the declaration of neutrality when the majority of the defenses were destroyed. The decision was made to maintain the Casemates rather than destroy them, primarily because they were connected to so many other features and tunnel systems that destroying them would have caused so much destruction to the city as a whole.

But what exactly are the ‘casemates’? Casemate is derived from a Greek word meaning chasm and is essentially a bomb-proof vaulted room intended to protect military personnel and equipment.

17 kilometers of tunnels exist and guided tours plunge visitors deep into these casemates with stories waiting to be discovered at every turn. It’s no surprise that UNESCO identified this as a World Heritage site in 1994.

We enjoyed exploring and learning more about this iconic Luxembourg attraction and look forward to heading back in the summer months to delve deeper into the tunnels and experience the real history here.

Adolphe Bridge and La Passerelle Viaduct

If you love architecture, whether it be modern or traditional, the Adolphe Bridge in Luxembourg City will surely spark your interest. The gorgeous bridge takes traffic across the Pétrusse and is almost 140 feet above the valley floor. Construction started at the turn of the 20th century and was completed in 1903.

To commemorate the late Grand Duke Adolphe, the stunning piece of architecture was named directly after the former monarch. Locally known as ‘Pont Adolphe’, this bridge once held a world record for having the longest stone arch bridge at 153 meters. However, this title didn’t last long as in 1905 a German bridge soon surpassed this.

We walked across the nearby La Passerelle viaduct which is also a stunning piece of architectural ingenuity. This is in close proximity to Adolphe Bridge and connects Avenue de la Gare to the Franklin D. Roosevelt boulevard.

This viaduct dates back to the mid-19th century and is renowned as the ‘Old Bridge’ while the Adolphe Bridge is the ‘New Bridge’.

When you compare the two bridges, it’s interesting to notice the design characteristics of both and whether you are an architecture aficionado or simply a passerby, it’s hard not to appreciate Luxembourg’s two gorgeous bridges that play such an integral focal point in day to day life.

Grand Ducal Palace

I mentioned earlier that although Luxembourg is one of the smaller nations throughout Europe, it remains as the only nation with a grand duchy. The official residence of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg is the Grand Ducal Palace and undoubtedly offers one of the most beautiful spectacles throughout the city.

The facade of the palace is breathtaking and the majestic interior can actually be visited during guided tours that take place in the summer months. It’s not every day that you get to explore a palace that is still a royal residence!

If exploring the Grand Ducal Palace is not enough, just a short walk from here is the stunning Notre Dame Cathedral so both of these landmarks are certainly worth a visit to Luxembourg City on their own.

Monument of National Solidarity

Our tour of Luxembourg City continued at the Monument of National Solidarity after walking across the Adolphe Bridge. Located on Canon Hill a short walk from the bridge, this towering monument was constructed in 1971 and serves as a commemoration for those that fought in the Second World War.

This iconic landmark is more than just a monument. It offers the people of Luxembourg a memory of how the nation fought back and resisted Nazi intrusion, but today perhaps the most impressive feature of this is where it is located and the stunning views that are available across the Pétrusse valley.

An eternal flame burns in front of the monument depicting the everlasting memory of those lives that were tragically lost while other features here represent varying aspects of World War II.

Monument of Remembrance

Just a short walk from the Monument of National Solidarity is Gëlle Fra (Golden Lady) which is another important landmark in representing Luxembourg history. This Monument of Remembrance is a perfect companion to the Monument of National Solidarity as it remembers those in the Great War (World War I).

The 21-meter tall obelisk is the focal point though the bronze statue of a lady sitting on top of this tower represents the Greek goddess of victory, Nike!

Summary

Even if you don’t have much time to spend in Luxembourg, as you can see there is enough to keep you occupied. The capital city is steeped with rich history and this is reflected throughout the architecture and medieval remnants that are still apparent scattered among more modern designs.

Although Luxembourg may not be a country that you would visit without plans to experience a bordering nation, you should certainly consider adding this to your itinerary even if it is just a day trip. Hopefully, this quick guide will give you a few ideas of what to do in Luxembourg and you will have as great a time as we did…even if the weather is not always favorable (remember you are in Europe!)

Have you visited Luxembourg or any of Europe’s ‘other’ small nations?

24 Hours in Vienna – What to See in the Austrian Capital?

Austria

Chris Boothman

-

Feb 18, 2016

14

24 Hours in Vienna – What to See in the Austrian Capital?

If you have read many of our recent posts, you will know that our recent trip to Europe was a fast and furious journey through a variety of beautiful cities and iconic destinations. Given this fast pace, we were limited to the amount of time we could spend in each of our chosen ‘stopovers’, one of which was the Austrian capital, Vienna. 24 hours in Vienna? Just like any other European city, Vienna offers a myriad of historic landmarks and attractions worth experiencing and despite our time constraints, we were able to explore much of the downtown district.

Although many European cities offer guided walking tours, Vienna was one city we opted for a self-guided tour, so after checking into our hotel just north of the River Danube, we headed back to the historic center with our pocket maps in hand. Our only previous experience in Austria was a short visit to Innsbruck the previous year which was enough to suggest our time in Vienna would be enjoyable and intriguing.

24 Hours in Vienna – The City of Music

Vienna’s reputation as being the ‘City of Music’, most notably given that Mozart resided here for three years, meant that much of our focus was going to be on finding some of the historic features that made this such an attractive city for aspiring musicians. After exploring Vienna, it’s not difficult to understand why such great music was composed along the banks of the Danube in Vienna.

Depending on how much time you have to spend in Vienna, this will determine how much is a realistic amount to explore. Having researched some of the best things to do in Vienna, we were ready to head out and start exploring everything the Austrian capital had to offer for ourselves.

We spent the majority of the day in Vienna’s Old Town and why not, given that the area itself is a UNESCO World Heritage site! Of course, we were eager to find Mozart’s former residence but at the same time explore some of the prestigious, Baroque-inspired castles and other stunning architectural designs around the city.

24 hours isn’t very much time to try and fit everything into a schedule, but Vienna is fortunate to have a myriad of landmarks in close proximity to each other.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral

The focal point of Vienna’s Old Town is located right in the heart of the district. St. Stephen’s Cathedral dates back to the 13th-century and is certainly the iconic symbol of Vienna. At over 136 meters tall, the main tower overlooks the rest of the city and offers gorgeous panoramic views (though climbing the 343 steps to the summit may not be for the faint-hearted).

The Gothic design of St. Stephen’s Cathedral makes this one of the most important architectural structures throughout Austria. Today, there is very little left of the ‘original’ 13th-century structure, though the massive gate and Heathen Towers are still preserved to their original state.

Beautiful, ornate details are common throughout the design of this cathedral but perhaps the most breathtaking and memorable feature is the main entrance known locally as ‘Riesentor’ (Giant’s Door/Gate). As mentioned, this is one of the oldest standing features of the original design and emphasizes the rich, elaborate feel of Romanesque style.

One of our regrets was not taking the guided tour of St. Stephen’s Cathedral. The comprehensive tour offers visitors the opportunity to explore the cathedral itself, the catacombs, north and south towers and cathedral treasure.

Are you sold yet on this tour? Don’t worry there is more! Can you imagine walking on the roof of this 13th-century cathedral? That is exactly what you can do during an evening tour between July and September on Saturday’s. I think a return trip to Vienna beckons for us in the Summer months!

Hofburg Palace

A short walk from St. Stephen’s Cathedral saw us pass what I would classify as the ‘ritzy’ part of the city, especially with the type of stores that could be found along this street.

From Tiffany & Co. to luxurious watchmakers Bucherer and Wagner, those that have an interest in participating in a little retail therapy (or perhaps increasing their credit card line!) would love this part of Vienna.

However, a stroll along Kohlmarkt was all about the gorgeous palace that awaits visitors at the end of this street. Hofburg Palace was once the focal point of all imperial power in Vienna. Until the early 20th century, it was home to the former kings and emperors of Austria. Today, it still serves as the official residence and workplace of the President of Austria.

One of the most interesting aspects of Hofburg Palace is the design, purely because construction of all the different wings took so long to complete. As you stroll around the exterior of the palace, you will notice a variety of characteristics typical of numerous periods, ranging from Gothic and Renaissance to the more modern Classic approach.

Directly in front of Hofburg Palace is the Michaelerplatz square which divides the palace from Kohlmarkt. As we approached this square, we noticed that this was used as a location for Christmas markets, with the perfect backdrop of the palace overlooking the festivities. The Michaeler wing of Hofburg Palace is the most frequently visited spot given its location.

Mozart’s House

Let’s return to the musical legacy that helps Vienna maintain the nickname of the ‘City of Music’. Mozarthaus Vienna is the residence where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived for three years between 1784 and 1787.

This is an iconic location in Mozart’s rich history as it is here where he composed the majority of his music.

Located along the cobblestone streets of Domgasse 5 in the heart of Old Town Vienna, Mozart’s residence today is a museum, historical apartment and a presentation of a myriad of his most archetypal works.

Walking Vienna’s Historic Streets

The beauty about exploring a city like Vienna is that just strolling around the streets offers a plethora of gorgeous attractions and reasons to want to stay here for longer. Take a moment to forget about all those iconic landmarks that we have mentioned above and instead, think about allowing yourselves to get lost in Vienna’s historic districts.

This is exactly what we did as we folded our maps and let ourselves become engulfed in Vienna’s history.

Passing by gorgeous buildings such as the Peterskirche, which is a Baroque Roman Catholic parish church and experiencing the late Christmas season decorations made this a perfect city to walk around despite the cold weather.

Quaint cafes and coffee shops are waiting to entice you inside, especially when you see the sacher torte and other delicious looking desserts scattered around the shop windows. But regardless of your desire to sample Austria’s finest cuisine, the grand buildings along these back alleys will keep your attention throughout your time in the city.

Summary

A day in Vienna offered us just a brief glimpse at the rich history and culture that exists on a city sitting on the banks of the Danube River. Everywhere you look there are sounds and remnants that will remind you of Mozart’s former residence here, but perhaps the City of Music should be associated more with the gorgeous architecture that is prevalent on every street corner.

Hopefully we will have the opportunity in the near future to return to Vienna and spend some more time exploring all parts of the city. We would love to head outside the Old Town and see what other hidden gems are available here. One thing is for certain, wherever you visit in Vienna there is sacher torte waiting to be devoured…and why not!

Have you visited Vienna, and if so, what are your favorite attractions here?

New York City – The Tourist Traps

What Is the New York Pass?

Financial Incentive

Speed Incentive

Flexibility Incentive

Which Pass Is Right for Me?

Our 48 Hour NYC Itinerary

Day 1

Day 2

Possible Drawbacks

Summary

Heineken Brewery Tour – The Experience

Ticket Prices

Other Useful Information

Heineken Brief History

Multimedia Exhibits

Heineken Brewing Process

Tasting and Sampling

Summary

Why Explore Luxembourg?

Casemates du Bock

Adolphe Bridge and La Passerelle Viaduct

Grand Ducal Palace

Monument of National Solidarity

Monument of Remembrance

Summary

24 Hours in Vienna – The City of Music

St. Stephen’s Cathedral

Hofburg Palace

Mozart’s House

Walking Vienna’s Historic Streets

Summary

Follow us

Company

Latest Posts

Popular Posts