NORTHERN AUSTRIA

​Vienna is Austria’s capital and is a city filled with architecture that will take your breath away. The city is located on the banks of the beautiful Danube River, and from its baroque elegance to the “golden” Art Nouveau and modern style buildings, there is a mixture of beauty amongst an interesting history.

Vienna is known for its waltzes and composers, including Strauss, Mozart and Beethoven, and the city is still home to some 200 balls every year. In Vienna, you will find more than 27 castles and over 150 palaces just waiting to be explored, along with an abundance of art galleries, stylish shops and hip clubs.

Visit the gothic St. Stephen’s Cathedral, take a ride on the Giant Ferris Wheel in the Prater, and discover the Hofburg, the Imperial Palace, which houses the Hapsburg rulers’ imperial jewellery. While taking a walk through the state rooms and private apartments, you will be introduced to a day in the life of the Habsburg family. The Sisi Museum is also a great place to visit to find out why Empress Elisabeth is so renowned, and still has a cult following even today, almost 120 years after she was assassinated.

The Spanish Riding School is somewhere that will astound you as you watch fantastic displays of equestrian skills in the grounds of the Hofburg Palace. Just make sure you book these tickets well ahead of time as they sell out fast.

​The city of Linz is the third largest in Austria and sits on the Danube River. Its history can be traced back as far as 799 AD and the city is a beautiful blend of old and modern styles.

Enjoy a relaxing break at a café and watch as street performers entertain the crowds at the centre of the town - Hauptplatz, visit the Mariendom gothic cathedral, the Brucknerhaus concert hall and the Pestsäule – a “plague column” built to remember those who died during the plague epidemics.

An interesting point of history is that Adolph Hitler spent a number of years in Linz during his school days, and his parents are buried here.

While you’re visiting, one thing you must do is relish a taste of the famous Linzer torte, said to be the oldest cake in the world, dating back to the 1650s.