Fairytale Vienna before Christmas
The Viennese waltz starts with a chord.
17.12. 2010-24.12. 2010
Vouchers, visas, road to Lviv.
A trip to Vienna was planned for a long time, and now the moment has come when everything came together. Our journey to the waltz capital began somewhere at the end of October: ordering a tour, submitting documents, etc. , etc. The tour was paid for 5 weeks, the documents were submitted for 4 weeks. We received an answer on visas on December 2, which we were very pleasantly surprised, because we did not expect to receive an answer before December 10.
On December 14, adventures began: Accord postponed the departure from Lviv to 7 am (previously planned for 8.30 am) due to some problems at customs. I had to urgently change train tickets. This is where the adventure ended. The rest of the Accord this time pleased with the organization.
The waybill was received at 16.00 on the same day on December 14th. (departure hour 7.10)
The hotel in Budapest Arena (ok, we have lived in it before), in Sü mega - Kapitan (excellent), in Vienna (Senator) - it turned out to be a very good hotel, not far from the center, we did not even expect so much from a hotel in Vienna and this was a pleasant surprise. Departure from Vienna to Lviv is scheduled for 16.30.
Lviv, Carpathians, customs.
Departure from Lviv took place at about 7.20 waiting for someone's train, the rest caught up with us by taxi (we don't know who paid for the taxi, they didn't ask). The bus is very comfortable, the rooms on the bus are ours.
There was a stop in the Carpathians with the opportunity to eat in an excellent cafe. Very tasty and not expensive.
We arrived at the border at 2:00 pm. Ours was over in an hour. And then began attempts to pass the Hungarian. There are three queues and the buses should get into the middle one, where the minibuses (minibuses in our opinion) stand, but it really doesn’t move at all. I think you can stay there for two days. Therefore, we make attempts to slip in the queue with trucks.
From the first time we are wrapped back, but from the second we pass. Looking for cigarettes. More than 2 packs (not blocks !! ! , but packs ! ! ) cannot be transported. In short, we pass the Hungarian 6 hours. Total customs took 7 hours! ! ! ! We already quietly hate the Hungarian customs officers (you can’t loudly - they will be offended). At customs, you can pay in the WC hryvnia (5 hryvnia).
HURRAH! We are in Hungary. Budapest.
Further, as planned, moving to Tokaj. Tokai will take place at any time of the night, so that there is no grumbling group after customs. Our group was all determined to go, which we did not regret at all. The transfer took about 2 hours. We were in Tokai around 10 pm. Goulash is excellent, they even give a second portion. The wine is excellent and cheap, but not for everyone (all white and flavored). Full and satisfied we go to Budapest. We arrive at the hotel around 1:00 am. The Arena Hotel (we lived in it in 2006) has not changed in 4 years, excellent rooms and plentiful tasty breakfasts. All for 5 plus.
we had already been in Budapest, then we went for a walk along it ourselves (the map of Budapest remained from the last trip). Of course, a long-distance race with a guide cannot be compared with the charm of an independent free journey around the city. The plan for the trip around Budapest was as follows: 8 am - run to the box office of the Parliament for tickets (they write that after 10 am they are no longer at the box office). But the Parliament did not work out again. On Saturday, excursions to the Parliament are not held (on the website of the Parliament, Saturday is not listed as a working day for individual visitors, which in fact was confirmed), they said come tomorrow (i. e. , on Sunday). A snowstorm is blowing outside, we cross the Chain Bridge. Then a hike through the Buda Castle and a visit to the Matthias Cathedral (inside) cost 3 euros. You have to pay in forints. The exchanger is found only in the hotel. The course in hotels seems to be the same everywhere 253 forints for 1 euro. The stained glass windows in the cathedral are beautiful (3 euros are not a pity).
We sat and warmed ourselves. Then we return on foot to the Cathedral of St. Stephen. There were few people in the cathedral and there was a rehearsal of the Christmas concert. We sat and listened (beauty). Concert tickets from 30 to 50 euros. We find exchangers only on Vaci street there and we make an exchange, the rate is 268-270 where it is. At the end, we decide to change another 10 euros and then we make a mistake: we didn’t look at the course right away, but it turned out to be 215!! ! ! . They fooled us for 500 forints. And finally, a trip to Szé chenyi. Gelert or Szechenyi thought for a long time, but Gelert seemed to work only until 19.00, so we decided not to risk it and go to Szechenyi. One half of the internal halls were closed by 19.00 in Szé chenyi, the other half was left (the one behind the radon bath). Below is a Finnish steam room (very hot) and an ice font. On the second floor, if you turn to the right, at the very end there is a Roman bath (but also very hot for a Roman bath).
If you turn left, there are two more saunas, not so hot, but both aromatic and one of them with a light effect. And of course, a bunch of pools with water of different temperatures and composition. We liked the small round pool near the aroma saunas the most. After gurgling and steaming up in all the saunas and baths, we go to the hotel. We took the metro through the center, it took about 30 minutes, but there is also a bus (in my opinion, route 75 from Heroes' Square), but we did not use it.
Balaton, Heviz.
Check out from the hotel. Next was to be a trip to Heviz, and then Sumeg. Since the tournament in the fortress did not take place, in the morning we went to Balaton and the Tihany peninsula. The beauty is there, I wanted to come in the summer. A little walk at the Balaton. Then according to the plan of the baths in Heviz. This is certainly not Szé chenyi, there is nothing to do there for more than an hour. We managed to go to a restaurant in Heviz.
They took the fish soup, but it turned out to be the same goulash, only instead of meat, a large piece of fish (the portion is huge and spicy). They also took empanadas (we ate) one serving for two. We paid something like 2200 forints for two fish soup and one pancake. Then transfer to Sü meg and settlement in Kapitan (we arrived somewhere around 19.00). The captain is great. Near the hotel there is Tesco, open until 21.00. Managed to run to Tesco and skimp.
Herberstein, Graz.
We leave in the morning. The program is changed, first Herberstein, and then Graz. Of course, if we had gone to Graz first, then we would have stayed there. But the Accord leaves no choice. Herberstein is good in its own way and we really liked it there (the tour took about 3 hours). Beautiful nature, interesting location of the castle (it seems to be hidden between the mountains), the castle is in excellent condition, authentic interiors of the rooms. Good tour guide. Impressions are only positive.
But Graz made a crazy impression (maybe because we saw him already in the evening in all the lights before Christmas). At first, a tour of Graz took about an hour, and then they give a tiny little bit of only 40 minutes of free time, which is a pity. There is something to see and where to go. (As for me, you need to go to Graz for the whole day. ) Then transfer to Vienna.
We arrive around 10 pm. I really liked the Senator Hotel. Great big room. Good breakfasts, however, if in Hungary, in addition to hot omelets, there were also potatoes, then there is only scrambled eggs. But everything else (cheeses, sausages, ham, fruits, yoghurts, buns, vegetables, cereals, jams, butter, tea, coffee) is plenty. We ate.
In Vienna, an independent route was also developed (there was a map of Vienna with sights and public transport routes marked on it, as well as the vast expanses of the Internet).
A map of Vienna in Russian can also be taken at the hotel. In Vienna, we went only on the first sightseeing tour, and then on our own. The survey left an ambivalent impression. We started from Hundertwasser's house near which we spent a lot of time (it's not worth it and coffee is expensive there, only books about Vienna are cheap), then we drove along the Ring, stopped at Maria Theresa and walked through the Hofburg, then through the Graben to St. Stephen's Cathedral and to Albertina. Here is this part of the pedestrian liked. Finished somewhere around 13.00. For orientation in the city, you can go.
TRANSPORT: For convenience, we wanted to buy a 72-hour travel card, which can be used on all modes of transport, for 13.50 euros. As a result, since we bought it in the evening, we bought it for 48 hours in general for 10 euros. It was considered unprofitable to buy the Vienna Card, since only the Hofburg and Schö nbrunn were chosen from the museums, and the discount on the Vienna Card did not cover its cost.
The ticket could only be bought in the metro, at the bus stops there were no cash desks at all. In the metro, the ticket was bought from a vending machine, because there was no ticket office in the metro either. First, we looked at how the locals use the machine, and then they themselves took the risk. Got it right on the second try. The ticket was broken right in the tram.
Vienna day 1st, 2nd, 3rd.
Day one: After a tour of Vienna, the planned visit to the Vienna Opera did not take place. At the entrance on the left side of the opera, there is a schedule of excursions, they do not take place every day. The cost is 6.5 euros. We got on it on the 3rd day at 14.30. Next, near the Albertina, we went to have a bite to eat in Rosenberg. Tasty and fast, it cost 22 euros for a salad, schnitzel with potatoes and coffee with cake. The cost of the salad depends on the size of the plate. On one plate, you can put different salads in any quantity, as much as you can fit on a plate (the price does not change from this). For schnitzel (and, in my opinion, for meat in general), they give a side dish for free.
If you take Kaisermelange coffee, then they give a cup as a gift. Total small plate of salad 5.50 euros. Schnitzel 11 euros. Coffee 3.50 and another piece of cake for two 3.50.
The treasury was also closed on Tuesdays (day off), it was moved to the 3rd day. Then we bought tickets for 9.90 euros and went to the Hofburg. We took an audio guide in Russian and it turned out to be very good, a lot of information and very detailed (included in the price of the entrance ticket). I liked it very much. On the websites of the Hofburg and Schö nbrunn, you can download a Russian audio guide for free. I advise you to do this, because you can listen to a mobile or MP3 with headphones, which is much more convenient than holding the audio guide handset near your ear for 2 hours (the arm gets tired). During the season, you may not have an audio guide and you will have to wait for a free one or just take a printout, which is also inconvenient. On the ground floor in the Hofburg is the Museum of tableware and silverware (very interesting and beautiful).
But the Sisi Museum and apartments on the second floor. A lot more people go there than on the first floor. Therefore, if you go in the morning, I advise you to go first to the second floor, and then down.
We left the Hofburg when it was already dark and went for a walk along the Graben. As a result, we walked around almost the entire center (we turned into the wrong street, but walked through all the nooks and crannies in the center and had a lot of fun), went to Stefan, where the service was just going on. The way to the hotel lay through the Town Hall. We got to the Town Hall, where we huddled around at the Christmas market, reached the 43 tram on which we reached the hotel. In order for the tram (metro, bus) door to open in front of you both inside and outside, you need to press the button on the door. The names of the stops can be viewed on the electronic scoreboard under the tram ceiling.
Day two: completely dedicated to Schö nbrunn. From the hotel we got one stop to the 10A bus and it went straight to Schö nbrunn.
We bought a Winter ticket for 25 euros, which includes the Palace of 40 rooms with an audio guide, the Zoo, the Carriage House, the Orangery and the Desert House. Then visit the Christmas market in front of the palace. We walked around the palace with an audio guide in Russian for about an hour and a half or two. The audio guide is very good. The palace was very nice. Then we went to the carriage house (it took about 30 minutes). Then 3.5 hours went to the zoo. If in the summer and even with children, then you can spend the whole day at the zoo there. Then there was a greenhouse, rhododendrons and poinsettia were just blooming very beautifully, the rest are palm trees and palm trees, and the Desert House - nothing special for those who were in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden in the greenhouse or in general in the greenhouse with cacti, if not, then like it. If all tickets were taken separately, then the Greenhouse and the Desert House could not be taken.
Back legs barely dragged, very tired.
True, having refreshed ourselves with punch and potatoes at the fair, we still found the strength to go to Albertina (it worked on Wednesday until 21.00), all other museums in winter are open only until 17.30-18.00. We went to the center by metro to the Opera stop, a direct line from Schö nbrunn. After Albertina, on the way to the hotel, the traditional entry to the fair in front of the Town Hall. On this day, we planned that we might be in time for the Vienna Baths or the baths in Baden in the evening, but this time it didn’t work out with the Vienna Baths (very little time). We will leave them for our next visit : )
Day three and last: The Treasury opened at 10 am. Entrance 12 euros. The audio guide is paid separately, another 4 euros for one, we took two for 7 euros. There is a Russian audio guide, but it’s completely useless, you can take one for two. There is very little information, only about 10 exhibits. English and German audio guides are much more extensive. In general, I really liked the Treasury.
At the exit, a book is sold for 16 euros with a full description of all the exhibits or a small layout for 1.5 euros with the main ones (if you take this layout for 1.5 euros, then you can not take the audio guide at all, everything is in the layout, what is in the audio guide and memory will remain). Of the books, I bought only one about Vienna in Russian, now I regret that I didn’t buy the Hofburg, it is also in Russian. There is very little information about each of the objects in the book about Vienna. Books cost an average of 15-20 euros.
Then we ran for 2 hours to the shops in order to check in there too (if you stand with your back to the Hofburg, facing the monument to Maria Theresa, then cross Maria Theresa Square diagonally to the left and behind the square begins the long shopping street Michaelstrasse or something like this: ). The name of the street is definitely wrong. They stared, they appreciated. And by 14.00 we were near the Opera, the queue for tickets for the tour was huge, but they let everyone in, 6.5 euros per person and the Vienna card is not valid.
The Russian-language tour turned out to be the most numerous. She was conducted by a Frenchwoman, she speaks Russian very well. The stairs and hallways are very beautiful. The hall itself did not impress (it was bombed during the war), the stage impressed. They were just preparing the scenery for the performance, it turns out that there are 9 more of them behind the 1st stage and its total length is approximately the length of St. Stephen's Cathedral. We were lucky to see almost its entire length. I immediately wanted to go to the show.
After the Opera, the last run to the Graben, farewell to the beauty and by 16.30 we run through the Hofburg to Maria Theresa. The bus is late and arrives at 17.15, we load and leave Vienna. Goodbye Vienna, we will definitely come back to you.
The way back lies through Budapest, we pass it somewhere around 10 pm, admire the city at night and continue along the autobahns straight to the border. We pass the border somewhere in 2 hours maximum. And at 9.00 we are in Lviv. We honestly thought we would not be in time for the train at 9.47, but we did.
We didn’t take tickets in advance, because if we had been stuck at customs for at least another 30 minutes, then we wouldn’t have had time to get on the Lviv-Simferopol train. So, the arrival in Lviv at 7.30, as indicated in the tour program, is very controversial, and when leaving at 16.30 from Vienna, I think that it is generally unrealistic.
Outcome: Sea of impressions, Vienna struck, or rather struck down: )). The organization of the tour is excellent, the bus and hotels, the attendant and drivers are all wonderful. Only the most positive impressions remained. I recommend this trip to everyone! I would go again! And many, many more times!
