Our tour group left Hallstatt kicking and screaming because we did not want to leave the peaceful little village, but our next stop was equally beautiful. We stopped in the City of Melk which is known for its abbey that still operates in addition to providing a full time school.
We then took a river cruise on the Danube to view Melk from the water. Blue skies were on our side!
We then took a river cruise on the Danube to view Melk from the water. Blue skies were on our side!
After our day-trip through Melk, our tour group arrived at our final destination - Vienna! My goodness, what a city of elegance. We took a guided tour of the city, stopped in The Third Man museum (owned by our local tour guide), sipped some sturm at the local Naschmarkt, and simply relaxed. Our farewell dinner at Melker Stiftskeller was bittersweet - while we all looked forward to our future travels or return home, we had also built a strong family bond amongst ourselves over the past week.
Tips for future Vienna travelers:
- We unfortunately were only in Vienna on a Friday and Saturday - the two busiest days of the week. Vienna was very lively and crowded, and hard to make a dining reservation or sit down at a cafe. If it is in your control, try to visit on a week day to avoid crowds and maximize your time!
- Go to a cafe and have coffee, but for goodness sake, try the hot chocolate. It was delicious!
- Use the Ringstraße to navigate the City. It's literally a ring and the trams make getting around seamless.