STUTTGART & BADEN-BADEN

4 - 8 AUGUST 2010

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STUTTGART

In the midst of Germany’s technological and industrial region, Baden—Württemberg, surrounded by traditional vineyards and deep in the Nektar Valley, lies the city of Stuttgart. This is the area where the Nektar River flows and where Diamler and Benz pioneered to create the first motor vehicle, giving way to the automobile revolution that we know today.

Airmalta flight KM 316 departed Gudja Airport at 06.30 hrs and arrived in Stuttgart at 09.00 hrs. From the arrival lounge in terminal 1 I walked to the right (going out of Customs) towards terminal 3 to find the i-punkt tourist information centre.

If you are staying for 3 nights or more in Stuttgart or its suburbs, it would be convenient to purchase a 3-day visitors ticket for unlimited travel on all means of transport. This costs €10.50 for zones 1 and 2 (city centre) and including the journey (once only) form the airport to the centre. However, if you intend to travel to places outside zone 2, like Ludwigsburg, then a ticket for the entire network costs €13.90 for 3 days.

Transport in Stuttgart during weekdays is very efficient. On Sunday transport is less frequent. The S-bahn and the U-bahn practically cover the entire city and its suburbs.

During my stay in Stuttgart I was accommodated at the City Hotel, Uhlandstrasse 18. This is very good 3 star hotel in the city centre, clean, comfortable, reasonably priced and close to a supermarket and an Italian restaurant called La Piazza. The U-bahn stop Olga-eck is just 200m away opposite the supermarket (open 07.00 - 22.00) and you will be in the Main Train Station (Hauptbahnhof stop) in just 3 stops (only 5 minutes).

At 10.00 I was welcomed by a nice female receptionist who spoke English and who also gave me the room so early in the day. Infact all hotel staff are very friendly and helpful. And by the way the buffet breakfast was also a bonus.

Arriving so early enabled me to start my sightseeing soon. So the very first place I decided to visit was Ludwigsburg.


Ludwigsburg

Ludwigsburg is a very beautiful small town, named after Duke Eberhard Ludwig von Württemberg who, in 1704, started to build the Ludwig Palace, one of Germany’s largest baroque palaces. To this Palace he later added the Schloss Favorit, a hunting lodge and country seat in Favorit Park (1713-1728), as well as Seeschloss (lake castle) Monrepos (1764–1768) about 2.4 km apart.

Ludwig Palace palace (entrance €6.5) reminded me of Versailles and is a good example of baroque architecture with precious furnishings and the Ceramics museum. The surrounding gardens known as the Blühendes Barock are also worth visiting (entrance €7.5).

Ludwigsburg could be reached by S5 stopping at Ludwigsburg Station and following the signs to the Palace through the beautiful town. Or else one could stop at Favorit Station and walk through Favorit Park to the Schloss Favorit then proceeding to Ludwig Palace and baroque gardens. On the way back out, about 1.3 km far from Favorit Park you can also reach the Monrepos lake castle.

Stuttgart City Centre

The busiest area of the city centre is Konigstrasse, a shopping avenue that starts from the Main Station and finishes at Eberhard Strasse just across Calver platz. Schloss platz is the place where many open events take place such the open air concerts, including the famous Stuttgart Summer Festival.

Stuttgart is famous for two automobile museums, the Mercedes Benz Museum as and the Porsche Museum. I visited the Mercedes Benz Museum (S1 Nektarpark) which undoubtedly presents an excellent exhibit of the history of automobilism in Germany and the development of the Mercedes car industry. One could still see the first one stroke engine invented by Daimler and Maybach in 1885 at Bad Canstatt just outside Stuttgart. There are various original exhibits amongst them the first car produced by Daimler and the various models that followed which show how the motor car evolved throughout the years.

A visit to this museum (entrance €8) should be a must not only for car lovers but also for those who admire the development of technology which sometimes we take fore granted. I would however remark negatively on the audio sets distributed to visitors, which leave much to be desired. I noticed many visitors who had to return to the entrance to change the set because it was defective. Mine, for example, stopped working in the middle of my visit because it showed a low battery level. This is a pity, and the Museum operators should see to this problem immediately as it could spoil a lovely experience.

Other places of interest in Stuttgart are:

New Porsche Museum – Porscheplatz 1
Directions – S-Bahn – S6 towards “Leonberg” or “Weilderstadt” until Neuwirtshaus, Bus – No. 501, 502, 503, 503M or 591 to stop Porsche
Opening Hours –Tuesday through Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Closed Mondays
Admission Price – Adult: 8 Euros;Reduced price: 4 Euros

Main Train Station – A great view of Stuttgart can be seen from station’s tower.
Opening Hours – April – October: Tuesday – Sunday 10:00am – 9:00pm
October – March: Tuesday – Sunday 10:00am – 9:00pm Thursday until 9pm
Admission – free

Schloss Square and The New Palace

The Art Building - Kunstgebäude, Schloßplatz 2
Directions - U-Bahn - U5, U6, U7 - Stop Schloßplatz; Straßenbahn - Line 15 - Stop Schloßplatz;
Bus - Line 42, 44, N1, N2, N3, N4 - Stop Schloßplatz

Old Palace (Altes Schloss) & The Württemberg Museum - Schillerplatz 6
Opening Hours - Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm
Admission price - Adults: 3 Euro Reduced: 2 Euro Children under 14: Free

Art Museum (Kunstmuseum Stuttgart) - Kleiner Schlossplatz 1
Directions - Bus 42 or 44 to Schlossplatz; Underground lines U5, U6, U7 and U15 to Schlossplatz;
S-Bahn transit to Stadtmitte station
Opening Hours - Tues - Sun, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Wed + Fri, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Mon closed
Guided tours (without prior reservation) Wed + Fri, 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. Sat + Son, 3 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Admission Price - Collection (including exhibitions in the collection area) € 5 Reduced €3.50 Family € 11
Special exhibition (including collection) SIMPLY VIDEO €8 Reduced €6.50 Family €18
Guided tours € 2.50 / reduced: €1.50

Johannes Church (Johanneskirche) - Gutenbergstraße 11
Directions - S-Bahn: S1 - S6 - Stop Feuersee

Television Tower - Jahnstraße 120
Directions - Street Car: No. 15 or U7 to "Ruhbank"
Opening Hours - Daily 09.00 – 22.30
Admission price - Adult €5

Solitude Palace
Directions - Bus: No. 92- Stop Solitude
Opening Hours - Tuesday – Sunday: April - October 9:00 am - 12:00 pm and 1:30 pm - 5:00 pm - Sun and bank holidays 9 am - 5 pm; November – March 1:30 - 5:00 pm. Sun and bank holidays 10 am. - 4 pm.
Admission Price - Adults € 3.30 Reduced € 1.70 Family Pass € 8.30

State Gallery Stuttgart - Konrad-Adenauer-Straße 30-32
Directions - Subway: U1, U2, U4, U9 and U14 - Stop Staatsgalerie. Bus: No. 40, 42 and 43
Opening Hours - Wed, Fri, Sat + Sun 10:00 am - 6:00 pm - New: Tues + Thurs 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Monday closed – Art Night once per quarter 6:00 pm – midnight
Admission Price - Special Exhibitions: 10,00 € / 7,00 €, Children up to age 12 free Young persons (age 13-20) 2,00 € Combi-Ticket (including collection) 12,00 € / 9,00 € Art Night 16,00 € / 14,00 €
Collection All-Day-Ticket 5.50 € / 4.00 € free admittance on Wednesdays and Saturdays

State Theatre - Oberer Schloßgarten 6
Directions - Subway: U1, U2, U4, U9 and U14 - Stop Staatsgalerie. U5, U6, U7, U14 and U15 - Stop Hauptbahnhof. Bus: No. 40, 42 - Stop Staatsgalerie

Stifts Church Schiller Square - Stiftstraße 12 (Mitte)
Opening Hours - Monday to Wednesday: 9:00am - 5:30pm; Friday to Sunday: 9:00am - 5:30pm; Thursday: 12:00pm - 5:30pm

City Hall & Market Square - Marktplatz 1
Directions - U1 and U4 Stop Rathaus
Opening Hours Market – Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday 7.00 - 12.30

Rotenberg Chapel - Württembergstraße 350
Directions - Bus: No. 61 from the train station in Untertürkheim - Stop Rotenberg
Opening Hours: 1 March to 1 November: Tues – Sat 10.00 a.m – 12.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. – 5.00 p.m
Sun and public holidays: 10.00 a.m. – 12.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. – 6.00 p.m
Admission Prices: Adults € 2.20 Reduced rate € 1.10 Families € 5.50

The Calwer Passage - Calwer Strasse

Schellen Tower


The Surrounding Hills

As already mentioned Stuttgart is surrounded by hills and vineyards, parks and gardens. I have drawn up an itinerary which could be performed in one day to enjoy the beautiful views and natural experience of Stuttgart’s surroundings.

Start by taking U1 (direction Vaihingen) or U14 (Heslach) and stop at Sudheimer Platz. From there take a funicular (Seilbahn) up to Waldfriedhof (graveyard). This is a graveyard with a difference as it is located in the open forest.

After descending, take again the same U-bahn in the opposite direction and stop at Marienplatz from where you could board the Zacke, an old rack and pinion tram taking you up the hill to Degenloch. Stop at Haigst where there is a small belvedere known as the Santiago de Chile platz. From here enjoy a beautiful view of the city.

Afterwards proceed by the Zacke again to Degenloch from where you may take the U5(direction Monchfeld) or U7 (direction Killisberg) and stop at Bopser. Walk for about 20min up the hill through the Bopserweg and follow the signs to reach the Weissenburg Park and Teehaus. From there you can again enjoy a panoramic view of another part of the city.

Walk back to Bopser U-bahn stop and proceed from there to Killisberg by U7. To the left after a short walk you reach the Killisberg Park, an expansive area of greenery and flowers among small ponds making this park a nice place for relaxation. If you are not afraid of heights in the middle of the park there is an open spiral tower where you can climb 173 steps to the top to enjoy a beautiful view of the city.

BADEN-BADEN

Saturday 7 August was a warm and sunny day in the area. So we decided to go to Baden-Baden, a resort in the heart of the Black Forest and still in the Baden- Württemberg region. Baden-Baden is best known for its therapeutic bathhouses. The train departed from Stuttgart at 09.00hrs and the journey took us just one and a half hour changing once at Karlsruhe. It is very convenient to buy a Baden-Württemberg Ticket which costs €28 from ticket machines (€30 from desk office). This is valid for unlimited travel for the whole day after 9.00am on weekdays (any time on weekends and holidays) on regional and local trains as well as local buses and trams (U-bahn, S-bahn) anywhere in the region.

The train station of Baden-Baden is far out of the town centre in the suburb of Oos. Don't try walking, unless you afford at least an hour before you reach the centre. It’s better to take Bus 201 (direction: Lichtenthal) which runs every 10 minutes from the station and stop at Leopoldsplatz.

The ride usually takes 15-20 minutes depending on traffic conditions. The old town is on your left, the Kurpark and Kurhaus and the beginning of Lichtenthaler Allee just round the corner to the right.

The Baden-Württemberg Ticket it is valid on the bus.

Another option to see the town without walking is the fancy "train", touring the town centre, Lichtenthaler Allee and the road to the Merkursberg funicular hourly from March to October. The City Train is a hop on hop off system, the ticket (adults 5 €) is valid for a whole day of unlimited travel.

Merkur Mountain

From Leopoldsplatz take bus 204 or 205 which takes you to the funicular reaching the Merkur Mountain. The buses run every hour and bus 205 also runs to/from the train station.

The funicular runs every 8-15 minutes depending on demand. Return fare is 4 €. You can buy tickets either from the souvenir shop in the station or from a ticket machine. KVV tickets are not valid on the funicular.

The funicular is remarkably steep, 54% in the top part of the line.

When you arrive at the top, there is a tower whose top you may climb through an internal lift and some stairs. From this tower you may have a wonderful panoramic view of the area and the black forest.


Geroldsauer Waterfall

From the funicular station you could take the hourly Bus 204 to get to Geroldsau.

As you arrive in front of the terminal Malschbach (Malsch Bacher Street) in Geroldsau, you may proceed with a short walk in the main road on the left to reach the parking place. However the road is very busy with traffic and is a bit dangerous. So it is recommended to take a short deviation through a path through the Schwarzenweg and a then climb through a path on the left to reach the parking place in just under 5 minutes. Then just cross the road towards the parking place and from there follow the signs. From there a 1.4 kilometers path leads through the woods to the waterfall.

You would be crossing the stream through a nice wooden bridge and then proceed along the stream upwards until you reach the waterfall. If you stop to take pictures it takes around 45 minutes to reach the fall. In a little walk further up (300m), one arrives at the forest restaurant Bütthof. Return back could be quicker and easier and could take less than 25 minutes.


The Neues Schloss

If you have time to spend at Baden-Baden, it would be interesting to visit the New Palace which lies high above the old town and near to the Stiftskirche. It is the former home of the Margraves of Baden-Baden.

SEVILLA

26 – 29 JUNE 2010

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Sevilla is the beautiful capital of the Spanish region of Andalucia. It is the largest town in Southern Spain, the city of Carmen, Don Juan and Figaro.
According to legend it was founded by Hercules on the banks of the Rio Guadalquivir (river) and is one of Spain’s largest historical centres in Europe. The Romans called it Hispalis and to the Moors it was known as Isbiliya. Its high point in its history was following the discovery of America.
Sevilla is famous for the Bell Tower of La Giralda, standing next to the cathedral (one of the largest in Christendom), and also for the Alcázar Palace. Part of its treasure includes Casa de Pilatos, Torre del Oro, the Town Hall, Archive of the Indies (where the historical records of the American continent are kept), the Fine Arts Museum (the second largest picture gallery in Spain) , plus convents, parish churches and palaces.
Santa Cruz, La Macarena, San Bartolomé, and Triana (on the other side of the river) are the most famous quarters. The street of Las Sierpes, La Maestranza bullring, María Luisa park and the riverside walks are all representative images of Sevilla.
Ryanair flight left Malta on Saturday 26 June at 13.55 and arrived at Sevilla at 16.45. Immediately outside the airport there is a bus stop from where to take the bus to the city centre. The bus leaves every 30 minutes on weekdays and every hour on Sunday/holidays. However there are extra trips at peak times both on weekdays and on Sundays. The ticket costs €2.30 and the bus stops at Avenida de Portugal. However the point of departure from the city centre back to the airport is Avenida del Cid just around the corner. The trip from airport to centre takes from 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic.

I stayed at Hotel Melia Seville, a lovely four star hotel just about 300m from the bus stop in Avenida de Portugal (5 min walk) (http://www.booking.com/hotels/hotel/es/sevilla/hotelmeliasevilla.html?label=gog235jc;sid=883c46fe749ec5326affee1164484378)

This hotel is very close to the Plaza d’espagna, about 10 mins walk to the bus station at Prado San Sebastian and about 20 mins walk from the Cathedral. To reach the Cathedral one could take the tram from Prado San Sebastian to reach the old city by public transport. The tram practically leaves Prado San Sebastian and stops at Plaze Nueva which is just about a 20 mins walk. A single bus/tram ticket costs €1.5 but if one uses public transport frequently, then it is more convenient to buy an unlimited day ticket for €6. There are also carnets of 10 journeys costing €10.

Unfortunately, the transport system is very difficult to understand. It is also difficult to communicate with personnel because very few speak English. It is more possible to communicate in Italian than in English.

There are two important bus routes which perform a circular tour of the city, starting from Prado San Sebastian station. These are C1 which goes south to the other side of the River while C2 goes north towards the Santa Justa Train Station. Both lines cover the same route from opposite directions.

There are other buses which connect with stops on the route but these pass just outside the old quarters. It is advisable to obtain a bus map in order to plan a journey. There is an information office at Prado San Sebastian where staff are very helpful even though they do not communicate very well in English.

To move inside the old quarter and see the monuments and Churches one either has to walk or hire a bicycle. Walking is tiresome especially during the very hot midday hours. Temperatures in Sevilla ranged from 37 degrees Celsius at 14.30 to 34 degrees at 19.00 and 28 degrees at 22.30. Weather is fine and sunny but not so humid and gets dark at around 22.30. It is advisable to protect oneself from the extreme sunlight. However most of the streets outside the old quarter are shaded by trees while in the old quarters the streets are narrow and quite shadowy. The streets connecting Plaza Nueva to Plaza Duque de la Victoria is the main shopping area. This area is shaded by tents hanging from side to side of the buildings, thus providing some shelter during hot hours. Shops, except the large department stores, close for the early hours of the afternoon.

Sevilla is also full of parks. This is quite impressive for there is so much greenery in a city which is really scorching hot. These parks are ideal for relaxation and for moving away from direct sunlight, but be prepared to walk on yellow Sahara sand in all the walking paths of the such parks.

The bicyle is a very popular means of transport in Sevilla. Streets in the centre provide bicycle paths for cyclers thus making it easy to travel around the city on a bike. You may hire a bikefrom near the Torre Del Oro, on the bank of the river.

Sevilla is famous for its tapas, the traditional Spanish snacks. Infact there are many cafes and bars and Cervecerias and less restaurants. And beware that restaurants open around 20.30 or 20.45. Some also open at midday between approx 13.00 and 16.00.

There is a good Italian restaurant “Ristorante San Marco” at Calle del Dottor Pedro Castro just next door to Hotel Melia Sevilla.

Another good Spanish restaurant is “La Raza” at Avenida Isabel La Cattolica.

There are also a number of Restaurants at Calle Betis on the other side of the river opposite the Torre del Oro to the right, crossing the San Telmo bridge towards Plaza de Cuba.

Suggested Tours
You could find a good tour of the old quarter on the following link:
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/seville/0065010008.html

Not included in this tour but worth visiting are the Alameda de Hercules and the Ancient Wall of the City near the Basilica de la Macarena.

Sevilla is an excellent place for a short break. To visit all musuems one requires more time. Musuems and attractions such as the Isla Magica Amusement Park are usually closed on Mondays.

Sevilla is connected to the other Andalucian towns such as Cordoba and Granada through the Renfre Train Network which departs from Sta Justa Train Station. A train journey to Cordoba takes about 1hr 15min while to Granada it takes 3hr 15min.

VIENNA

3RD – 7TH APRIL 2010

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Vienna is a wonderful place to visit. Its historic buildings, palaces and monuments are reminiscent of an imperialist era as the capital of the Austrian Empire. But above all, Vienna is also famous for classical music and in the early 19th century, the city was home to many great composers of the classical music era, such as Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Vienna is also the city of the waltz and has been immortalized by the famous Blue Danube Waltz (An der schönen blauen donau) composed by Johann Strauss Jr. Johann Strauss Jr, whose father Johann Strauss Snr was also a composer (famous for the Radetsky March) has become an international Austrian icon.

Air Malta had a very convenient flight to Vienna leaving on Saturday at 06.50 and arriving in Vienna at 09.00. The Vienna Airport (Wien Schwechat) is served by very efficient transport that takes you to the city centre in less than 25 minutes. The most popular and least expensive of all is the S-Bahn train journey (S7) to Wien Mitte (€ 3.70) from where one could proceed with the same ticket to the final destination in the centre by using the U-bahn (Metro) which is also very efficient. So, I managed to arrive at my hotel around 10.00 and I had practically a whole day for sightseeing.

The Hotel I choose to stay in is found in the Innere Stadt (City Centre) which is the first district of Vienna. Vienna has 23 districts. The Hotel is Hotel Kaiserin Elizabeth in Wiehburggasse, just a few metres from the Stephansplatz Metro station which is an ideal location for enjoying the best of the city. http://www.kaiserinelisabeth.at/

This hotel is an awesome place to stay in, both for its facilities as well as for its location. I doubt if I could get a better hotel in the city centre considering also that I obtained a good rate through booking.com. The Hotel’s interior is very elegant indeed and boasts of an impressive hall with two large paintings, one portraying Emperor Franz Joseph and the other portrait features his wife Elizabeth of Bavaria, better known as Sisi, to whom the hotel is dedicated. In fact there are also two statues of the Empress, a small one near the reception and a bust near the main entrance.

The hotel room was decorated in royal style with distinguishing brass chandeliers matched to other wall mounted chandeliers. The room was spacious and included a full desk, two armchairs and a small round table. There were other facilities such as a bag shelf, a 31 inch flat screen TV and an electronic coded safe box inside the wardrobe. Most important of all is the cleanliness of the room which was excellent. The room has also a double door which makes it more sound proof.

Breakfast was very good and the staff was all very friendly and helpful. The staff at the reception also helped me buy a ticket to the concert by the Vienna Mozart Orchestra which was scheduled to take place at the Konzerthaus on the same evening of my arrival.

As already stated, Stephansplatz (St Stephen’s square) may be the best location to reach all the attractions and sightseeing in the centre of Vienna. Infact it is located at the fulcrum of the so-called Ring, a single circular road which surrounds the inner city. This means that whatever place you wish to visit within the ring, it may be reached in not more than 10 minutes walk from this square. This is indeed a great advantage if you are on a short stay and would want to make the best out of it. It is also worth mentioning that unlike places outside the ring, the streets adjacent to Stephansplatz, like Graben, and Kartnerstasse are full of life in the evening or at night.

Public Transport

Public Transport in Vienna is very efficient. Most of the time, if you decide to do your sightseeing on foot, and you are staying in the inner city, you may not need to use the metro. However in cases where you use public transport it is much more convenient to buy a 24-hour ticket which is valid as from the time it is validated. Such ticket may be obtained through the machines inside the metro stations, from ticket sales offices of the Vienna Transport Authority or from tobacconists.

There are other tickets for a longer duration. The different tickets are listed below:

24-hour ticket (€5.70)
18-hour ticket (€10.00)
72-hour ticket (€13.60)
Single ride ticket (€1.80)

There is also the Vienna Card which is valid for 72 hours (€18.50) provides also discounts for various attractions.

What to see in the Inner City

The Inner City practically contains most of the important historical sites of Vienna. This is the very centre, which is like a round wheel formed by the ring with, as already said, Stephansplatz as the fulcrum. The most important sites and monuments lie within the area encircled by the Ring road and on the Ring’s external border.

Sightseeing of the inner city may be organized into two parts; one focused on the area to the east of Stephansplatz and the other to the west, where the most important Viennese monuments (including the Hofburg) are found.

Here is a good way of sightseeing the inner city
www.your-friend.info/fileadmin/downloads/PDF/Vienna-Map.pdf If you would like to perform all important sightseeing in one day, especially if there’s good weather and no rain, here is a way how to do it. You will need a map of the centre.

Start from Stephansplatz (you may start with a visit inside the cathedral) then move towards Rotenturmstrasse to Sonnenfelsgasse until you arrive in front of the Jesuitenkirche (Jesuit Church). You walk back same street and through the first alley on your left walk to Bäckerstr and then across to Wollzeile until you come in front of the Café Diglas. Move through Strobel, cross Schulerstrasse and then turn left through Domgasse. The building opposite Blutgasse is Figaro Haus where Mozart wrote his opera Figaro’. Continue walking through Blutgasse and turn left through Singerstrasse then right through Grünangergasse as you arrive in front of the Franziskanerkirche. Walk through Weihburggasse towards Palais Coburg which lies in Coburgbastei. Then proceed to Parkring which you should cross towards the Stadtpark (City Park). Visit the Stadtpark where you will find the famous statue of Johann Strauss.

After taking a rest at the Stadtpark exit through Lothringerstrasse which is a street parallel to the ring. Along Lothringerstrasse you will see, to the left, the Konzerthaus and the Akademie-theater. Further down to the left of Schwarzenbergplatz you will see to your left the monument to the Soviet Army - Sowjetisches Ehrenmal (who fought against the Germans in the world war). As you cross Schwarzenbergplatz you will reach Karlsplatz and the famous Karlskirche. On the opposite side of Karlsplatz you will see the Musikverein, the venue of the famous Vienna New Year concert.

Walk along the side of the Musikverein to Kärntner Ring from where you can reach the beautiful Staatsoper. This can also be reached through an underground passage from Karlsplatz.

As you walk along the side of the Staatsoper, through Operngasse you will find yourself in front of the famous Albertina Museum. Walk to the left through Philharmoniker Strasse towards the Burggarten where you can see the monument dedicated to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. From the exit of the Burggarten cross Burgring towards the Museum Quarter. There are two identical buildings opposite each other, the Natural History Musuem and the History of Art Museum. In the middle of the square there is a moment dedicated to Empress Maria Theresa.

Go back to Burgring and walk towards Heldenplatz and enjoy a magnificent view of the semi-circular Hofburg façade with the monument of Prinz Eugen in the centre. Through the left facing the statue, walk through the passage into the Royal Palace courtyards until you reach Michaelerplatz. Inside the Hofburg there is also the Imperial Chapel where every Sunday at 09.15, there is holy mass accompanied by the Vienna Boys Choir. Seat reservations to attend such mass are made at least two months before the performance (€5-29).

Before you leave the Hofburg building note the entrance towards the Imperial Palace Apartments which you should find time to visit later during your stay. A visit to the Imperial Apartments also includes the Silver Collection Exhibition and the Sisi Museum. Opposite the Imperial Apartments entrance there is the entrance to the Spanish Riding School.

In Michaelerplatz at the Michaeler Kirche (St Michael’s Church) on Easter Sunday there was holy mass accompanied by the music of the Church’s choir which performed Mozart’s Spatzenmesse (Messa Breve).

From Michaelplatz walk through Herrengasse to Figlgasse to the Minoritenkirche. Back from Herrengasse continue towards Schottenkirche and then straight to Schottenring where you will immediately notice the Votivkirche. From Schottenring proceed to Dr Karl Lueger Ring and you can see the first of three other beautiful buildings at the Ring border. These are the University, then the Rathaus (Town Hall) and finally the Parliament Building. Across the road, on the opposite side of the Rathaus lies the beautiful Burgtheatre. Next to the Burgtheater there is the Volksgarten with an entrance opposite the Parliament. Inside the garden there is the Theseus Temple.

One last effort and you would have nearly seen it all. Walk towards the Museum Quarter from Burgring and see the lovely architecture of the Volkstheater. You are now at the very beginning of Vienna’s famous shopping street, Mariahilferstrasse.

The Maltese Church

In Kärtnerstrasse there is a Church called the Malteserkirche (the Maltese Church) built in the mid-15th century. The church is dedicated to the Order of the Knights of Malta and is of relevance to Maltese visitors to Vienna.


The Imperial Apartments – Hofburg

A visit to the Hofburg gives an insight of the troubled life of Empress Elizabeth known as Sisi who’s tragic death (she was stabbed to death by an Italian anarchist) ended her tormented life which was always in contrast with the strict etiquette of the royal court. The ticket for the visit (€9.9) includes the Imperial Apartments, Sisi’s museum and the Silver Collection.


Schonbrunn Palace

A visit to Vienna would be incomplete if one does not visit the famous summer retreat of the Austrian Imperial family, the Palace of Schonbrunn. Surrounded by a magnificent area that includes a park and a bush, Schonbrunn is a jewel. It is esthetically beautiful from the outside and royal and wealthy on the inside. Walk behind the Palace up to the Gloriette where you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the Palace gardens and also part of the city.

Visit the Imperial Rooms. You will be given a time on the ticket to indicate when you would be allowed to enter the palace. Take an audio guide (free of charge) and listen to the history of the Hapsburgs and their life in the Palace.

Schonbrunn can be reached by using metro line U4 (direction Hutteldorf) stopping at Schonbrunn station. From there you walk for about 10 minutes to reach the main entrance.

The Belvedere Palace

The Belvedere is a baroque Palace complex built by Prince Eugene of Savoy. It consists of the Upper Belvedere and the Lower Belvedere and its gardens. Today it houses the Österreichische Galerie Belvedere museum. It may be reached by metro line U1 (direction Reumannplatz) stopping at Sudtiroler Platz and a short walk of about 5 minutes.
UN City, Donaupark and Donauturm

A visit to the UN City and the Donaupark would be a nice experience.

You may reach UN City by metro line UI (direction Leopoldau) stopping at Kaisermühlen – Vienna Int. Centre. From UN City you can walk through the Donaupark to reach the Donauturm (the Danube Tower). There is a lift that takes you up the tower (€5.9) to the Restaurant and Panorama.

On the way back from Kaisermühlen – Vienna Int. Centre you can stop at Vorgartenstrasse (same Metro line U1) and visit Mexico Platz where you find the beautiful church of St Francis of Assisi. You can walk towards Handelskai, which is the quay on the banks of the river Danube from which river tours depart.


The Prater

The Vienna Prater (from latin pratum meaning meadow) is a large public park, part of which is dedicated to an amusement park bearing the same name. The famous Reisenrad (Giant Ferris Wheel) in such amusement park is today a synonymous of Vienna.

You may reach the Prater through the metro line U1 and stop at Praterstern.


Where to Eat

Viennese food is good. The most famous dish is the Viennese Schnitzel which is the austrian version of the italian “Scaloppa Milanese”. For those who like to eat liver, this is included in many Viennese dishes.

There are many good restaurants which serve Viennese or International cuisine. One word of advice. If you go into a restaurant and you don’t want surprises at the end when you see your bill, then I suggest, you consult the menu.

Finally, be careful of restaurants that are attended by very few patrons. Also be aware that if you are offered red carpet treatment then you are going to pay for it.

I would recommend the following restaurant:

La Cantinetta
Dr Karl Lueger-Ring 8
http://www.lacantinetta.at/