Let me start with one piece of advice. It is one hell of a walk to the Royal Palace. Sensible footwear is in order. The Royal Palace was the home to the Kings of Hungary. It is part of the Buda World Heritage Site.
Inside the Royal Palace complex there is the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum.
From the Royal Palace you get amazing views across the Danube into Pest.
I would recommend a visit to the Royal Palace. It is a great way to spend an afternoon whatever the weather.
Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
There is nothing better to do after a walking tour than eat some good food in a local restaurant. This was certainly the case in Budapest.
Like the idiot I am I have forgotten the name of the restaurant. All I can tell you is that it is on the top of Castle Hill in Buda. The meal itself was delicious. It consisted of pork, potatoes and red cabbage and washed down with a bottle of the local brew. Even better it was spent with good company with some of the people from the walk.
Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
After arriving in Budapest I was at a loss on deciding what to do on my first full day. I noticed that there was a flyer for 'Free Walking Tours.' Always taking advantage of anything that is free I looked to find my way to the meeting point at Vorosmarty Square. It seem at one point I would be the only person there. However, before 10:30 a lot more people turned up.
The tour was due to last 2.5 hours. The first 30 minutes seemed wrapped up in telling the history of Hungary. Fascinating it is but my bum was starting to feel numb sitting on the steps. Eventually we set off and soon we were bombarded with the sights and stories attached to them.
The tour itself took in the highlights of Buda and Pest. Crossing the Danube and making our way up Castle Hill. The guide was excellent telling stories as we made our way. A lot of these stories were funny and made the walk go a lot quicker. The tour ended up finishing past the Castle in Buda. We were more than happy to tip the guide. She recommend a fine restaurant to have lunch.
Free Walking Tours in Budapest offer four tours. The original morning walking tour, the afternoon tour, the Communism walk and the Jewish walk. All are free with just a tip to be paid out to the guide. It is part of the United Europe Free Tours Group. They also operate free walking tours in Berlin, Prague, Bratislava, Sofia, Ljubljana, Kiev and Bucharest.
As a solo traveller I enjoy walking tours. It is a great way of meeting fellow travellers and also a great way of familiarising yourself with a new city.
I am pleased to admit that my second visit to Vienna was more successful than my previous one. At least I avoided getting food poisoning and I also managed to get to see more of the city.
Vienna as a city has always held a fascination for me. I love history and art. The reason for my first visit was to see the ‘Madonna del Prato’ by Raphael. Sure enough I managed to get off my sick-bed to get to the Kunsthistorisches Museum. However, I left Vienna I felt that there was some unfinished business.
During the four days I spent in Vienna I managed to get to see the following:
St. Stephen’s CathedralInside the CathedralJudenplatz Holocaust MemorialThe Roman RuinsThe HofburgThe NaschmarktZentralfriedhofVienna at NightSchönbrunn Palace
I felt that I managed to experience a lot more of what Vienna has to offer. Yet there was still more that I wanted to see.
Overall, I loved my time in Vienna with its history, sights and smells. It is a city while a capital city still felt small enough to explore by foot and getting yourself lost. To experience an authentic Viennese coffee shop was a joy or experiencing the busker playing the cello outside the Hofburg on a cold Saturday night. These are the memories that never go away.
Yes, Vienna can be expensive but with careful planning there are bargains out there. Sometimes the best experiences are free. Would I visit again? The simple answer is yes. If Vienna is good enough for me then it will be good enough for you.
Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
Like all major cities Vienna offers a discount card to all visitors to help the budget conscious traveller. The Vienna Card costs €19.90. It lasts for 72 hours and it entitles you to more than 200 discounts across the city.
The major discount would be the free travel on public transport for the 72 hour period. You are also entitled to discounts on major museums and attractions such as the Hofburg and Schonbrunn Palace. However, the discount is only between 10-20%. You also receive discounts for restaurants and shopping up to 20%.
The problem with the Vienna Card is that to get value out of it you will have to cram a lot in the 72 hours. Especially with the museums. You could end up running through and not really appreciating the exhibits. This could lead to a case of museum fatigue. Personally I like to take my time when visiting museums and art galleries to take everything in. Also most museums and galleries are only open from 9-5.
To get the most out of the card I suggest that you carefully plan your 72 hours and stick to that plan. Otherwise if you want to take your time and visit the occasional museum but still want to take advantage of free travel then I would recommend that you purchase a 72 hour public transport ticket. This currently costs €14.50.
In short I felt that the Vienna Card will represent value with planning but it may not suit everybody including myself.
Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
The Schönbrunn Palace is one of the most visited attractions in Vienna. In 2011 it attracted over 2½ million visitors. Schönbrunn literally means ‘beautiful spring’. The palace was the summer residence of the Habsburgs.
Schönbrunn Palace
My visit took place in March but I could why it is so popular. There were plenty of visitors from all around the world. Visiting on a Sunday meant it felt full and there was some queuing involved. A visit to the Schönbrunn consists of two areas. The palace itself and the gardens.
The Entrance to the Palace.
When touring the palace be aware that you may be hearing the information through the audio guide as you heard in the Imperial Apartments at the Hofburg. Also you are unable to take any photographs. In fact you are not allowed to take any bags into the palace. The tour itself was fascinating and there were some interesting exhibits. However, I felt it do not last too long and was value for money.
My mood changed when I went into the gardens. This is the real attraction of the Schönbrunn. Despite it being March and weather was a little chilly the gardens looked magnificent. I must have spent at least three exploring. There were paths leading off to the zoo and woods. When you climb the hill towards the Gloriette you are treated to splendid views. I found myself taking plenty of photographs.
View of Schönbrunn from the GlorietteThe Gardens
I made my way up to the Gloriette. Maybe it is just me but I was disappointed to see it used as a cafe.
The Gloriette
Overall, I enjoyed my visit to the Schönbrunn Palace, especially the gardens. Sure they would look better in the summer but I feel that it could be too crowded to enjoy. I was glad that I visited in March.
You may have read in a earlier post that I had planned to visit the Balkans in September 2013. After much planning I am pleased to share my schedule with you.
Balkans 2013
Split 9 – 11 September
Dubrovnik 12 – 14 September
Mostar 15 – 16 September
Sarajevo 17 – 19 September
Belgrade 20 – 22 September
Ljubljana 23 – 25 September
Zagreb 26 – 28 September
There were plenty of places I wanted to visit. However, I did not want to get into the situation where I am forever on a train or coach. It was quality time I wanted to spend in these places.
I am looking forward to the trip and will be counting down the days until departure.
Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
The Hofburg Palace was once home to the Habsburg Family who ruled the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It is now home to the President of Austria.
The reason for my visit was to look was the chance to see the three museums that are located inside. They are ‘The Imperial Silver Collection”, Sisi Museum and “Imperial Apartments.”
Before entering I would recommend that you take a walk around the building. Whatever the weather or time of day it is a magnificent structure to view. Sadly my photographs does not do it any justice.
Hofburg PalaceThe Hofburg at Night
Imperial Silver Collection
This is home to a collection of dining services, glassware and silverware. There are certainly impressive collections of china that have been accumulated from around the world. I suspect that a lot of the pieces were used only sparingly. The most impressive exhibit must be the ‘Milan Centrepiece,’ It stands at thirty metres long. There is also the Grand Vermeil Service which could serve up to 140 people at one sitting. The collection is a perfect opportunity to take photographs as you marvel at the opulence of the Habsburgs.
Milan CentrepieceGrand Vermeil ServiceImpressive piece of china
Sisi Museum
Next up is the Sisi Museum. This is dedicated to the Empress Elisabeth who is a revered figure in Austria. This may be down to the tragic way here life ended. The museum revolves around Sisi’s private life and contains plenty of personal artefacts belonging to her. Sadly, you are unable to photograph any of the exhibits.
What the Sisi Museum does well is that it is not a shrine to the Empress but will point out all her flaws. The impression that I was left of her was that she was a vain selfish person towards the end of her life who neglected her husband and country while she went off on her travels. I suppose the nearest person who I compare her with is Princess Diana.
The Imperial Apartments
The final museum to visit is the Imperial Apartments. These were the private apartments of the Habsburgs. It is the chance to see the offices, private quarters and bedrooms. Like the Sisi Museum you are unable to take any photographs.
I found the museums to be of good value especially if you hold a Vienna Card. You will get a discount of between 7-9% off the normal admission charge. It is the perfect opportunity to surround yourself in the decadence of the Habsburgs.
Hofburg Vienna, Michaelerkuppel, 1010 Vienna.
Nearest U-bahn stop – Herrengasse U3 line (Orange)
One of the best attractions in Vienna is St. Stephen’s Cathedral. It is the most important religious building in Austria. There has been a church on the site since the 12th century.
When you arrive do not be surprised to see a lot of scaffolding and cloth covering the building. This is due to pollution turning the limestone exterior black. Restoration is currently underway. There is a scale model outside where you can get a perspective of what the cathedral looks like.
Model of the cathedral.
First thing to do is tour the outside of the cathedral. There are plenty of photo opportunities.
Inside the cathedral you can purchase an all-inclusive guide tour. This costs €12.90 and includes an audio guide, a tour of the Catacombs and access to climb both the North and South Tower. The tour of the cathedral with the audio guide follows a set path with twelve points of interest. This takes about one hour to complete. This tour can be purchased at a cost of €5.00.
Wiener Neustädter AlterTomb of Emperor Frederick III
The Catacombs can be toured separately for €5.00. Also known as the Ducal Crypt it holds the bodies and internal organs of over 70 members of the Habsburg family. The tour lasted for 30 minutes. Photography is not allowed.
I would love to tell you about the North and South Towers. However, I was visiting on Friday and the cathedral was closed for a lunchtime service. I could use my ticket for later on in the day. But I missed out as later in the evening as another service was taking place. My tip is to avoid visiting on Friday and Sunday.
Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
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