VIENNA

11 December 2022

5 days from £0pp

Surround yourself in the grandiose architecture of Austria’s breathtaking capital city on this magical tour. Be treated to a private look around Palais Lichenstein, visit the Kunsthistorisches Museum and indulge in traditional Viennese delicacies in the city’s famous patisserie.

Enjoy a private visit to Vienna’s spectacular Palais Lichtenstein
Explore architectural and artistic treasures of the Vienna Secession
Discover the treasures of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, with masterpieces by Bruegel, Vermeer and Caravaggio, among others
Sample the Viennese treat ‘Kaffee und Kuchen’ in the city’s famous patisserie

Vienna is the capital city of central Europe, with all the political, cultural, and strategic significance this implies. For a century and a half it endured an Ottoman siege, withstanding and finally turning back the armies of the Sublime Porte. It was the seat of Maria Theresia and Joseph II as Habsburg policy came to dominate the cabinet rooms of Europe, while Austrian music reigned supreme in its concert halls: Haydn, Mozart, Schubert and many others made Vienna the most important city in the history of western music. Later, in its imperial twilight, Vienna came to embody Mitteleuropa, that cosmopolitan, multi-ethnic realm of avant-garde aesthetics and intellectual pluralism, of Klimt, Schiele, Kraus and Freud, that was bloodily extinguished by the twin catastrophes of totalitarianism and war. And yet Vienna, like Austria as a whole, has handled its transition to modernity remarkably well. Today’s city, overlaid with a confident self-possession and an enduring civic pride, is a gleaming patchwork of mediaeval alleys and Renaissance squares, of Baroque palaces and Secession cafés. This tour will visit a number of the irresistible delights that have attracted so many thinkers, artists, and musicians over the centuries, including St Stephen’s Cathedral, the Kunsthistorisches Museum, and the option to visit the Staatsoper for an opera, or a private organ concert in one of the historic churches.

Day 1:
Fly to Vienna from Heathrow, transferring by coach to the MAK, Museum of Applied Arts. After some refreshments in the restaurant, we begin our treasure hunt through the galleries of this fabulous institution. Our focus will be artefacts of the Vienna Biedermeier, the brief but distinctive period during the early 19th century in which arts and culture where led by comfortable notions of the domestic idyll, and the Vienna Workshop, which, inspired by the likes of William Morris, sought to renew handcraftsmanship and the applied arts at the turn of the 20th century. Afterwards, we continue to our hotel for check-in, where there will be some time to relax before a group dinner together.
Day 2:
Leisurely morning walk to explore some of Vienna’s most stunning 18th-century palaces, including the Palais Daun Kinsky, built by the leading Baroque architect Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt, and the exteriors of the Palais Schonborn-Batthyany and the Palais Ferstel. Our walk will lead us to the famous patisserie

Zuckerbäckerei Demel—former purveyor of chocolates and pastries to the royal and imperial court—where we will enjoy ‘Kaffee und Kuchen’ in the patisserie’s elegant surroundings. The Treasury in the Hofburg also awaits us with the insignia and jewels of the Holy Roman Empire, including the Imperial Crown and the Holy Lance. In the afternoon, passing the exteriors of the Bibliothek Prunskaal and Augustiner Church, we continue on to visit the Cathedral of St Stephen, focusing on the red marble tomb of Emperor Frederick III. Our return to the hotel takes us past the Winter Palais of the glorious military commander Prince Eugene of Savoy who ended the century-long siege of Vienna by the Ottoman Turks.
Day 3:
Leave the hotel on foot to visit the Belvedere, Prince Eugene’s grand ensemble of two stately summer palaces linked by terraced gardens, now the home to Austrian art from the 17th to the 20th centuries, including Jugendstil works by Gustav Klimt. The morning will be divided into sessions comprising a general overview and highlights of the palace and Austrian Expression. After an independent lunch at the Belvedere Café, we briefly stop at Karlskirche, widely considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city's greatest buildings. Continue on to the Secession building by Joseph Maria Olbrich, an icon of the Vienna Secessionists, a group of rebel artists who broke away from the long-established fine arts tradition. One such institution was the neighbouring Academy of Fine Arts whose small but outstanding collection of Old Masters is an unretrieved treasure trove. This may be visited as an optional extra afterwards, or the rest of the afternoon is free for independent visits.
Day 4:
Today is dedicated to an in-depth exploration of the palatial galleries of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, a superb line-up of masterpieces from Dürer to Velázquez, commissioned and collected by the Habsburg princely connoisseurs over centuries. Our time here will be split into three sessions and we will consider the art of Northern Europe first; highlights include a fabulous collection of works by Pieter Bruegel the Elder such as ‘Hunters in the Snow’ and ‘The Tower of Babel’ and works by Vermeer and Rembrandt, among others. Our session on the art of Southern Europe will reveal masterpieces by the likes of Bellini, Titian and Raphael, as well as some of the extraordinary composite portraits of Giuseppe Arcimboldo. Finally, an exploration of the Kunstkammer—literally ‘chamber of art and wonders’—is a delightful conclusion to our visit. Amassed by successive Habsburg emperors, the more than 2,100 objects, from 16th-century automatons to the famed Saliera, make this the most important collection of its kind in the world. Afterwards, there is time for a festive gluhwein at a Christmas market.
Day 5:
Our final visit will take us to the lavishly decorated Palais Liechtenstein. Apart from a stunning trompe-l’oeil ceiling by Andrea Pozzo the palace presents a spectacular private art collection, including the pietradura Badminton Cabinet, the world’s most expensive piece of furniture, acquired by Prince Liechtenstein in 2004 for a mere 19 million pounds. After a final group lunch, coach transfer to the airport for our return flight to Heathrow.

Scheduled return flights (economy class) with Austrian or British Airways to Vienna
Private coach transfers and excursions around Vienna
Four nights bed and breakfast at the Hotel Bristol
Two dinners and one lunch, plus various refreshments
Guided visits to sites listed in the programme
Services of an Expert Lecturer and Tour Manager
Detailed programme and study notes
All entrance fees, taxes and gratuities for coach drivers and waiters

Fly from London

Return flights from London are included in our package on our specific arrival and departure dates plus one item of checked in luggage, per person.

Transfers will also be included on our specific arrival and departure dates to take you to your holiday destination. If you choose to arrive or depart on a different day, there may be an additional supplement charged to cover your transfer costs.

Overview

The Hotel Bristol Vienna, A Luxury Collection Hotel, is located in the heart of the city adjacent to the Vienna State Opera and in close proximity to all major sights. The Bristol - an art deco gem - has been one of Vienna’s prime addresses ever since 1892 and serves as a living example of Viennese charm and personalised service. 150 exclusive rooms and 24 unique suites feel like turn-of-the-century apartments and offer spectacular views of the city. The restaurant Bristol Lounge offers all-day dining and enchants guests with its stylish elegance and tasteful.