Our Vienna Uncovered premier, in May of 2018, was a success! Our first group was small and agile, easily slipping into some of the most important concert halls and museums of Vienna.
Our guests the Sontags wrote:
We love the regular UnTours experience but feel that the Vienna Uncovered Untour was truly something special for several reasons.
The primary one was Claudia, who has such a connection to the city and went so far out of her way to plan activities that we wouldn’t have been able to do on our own, yet gave us special insights into the heart of Vienna. She also helped the group to bond and became part of us, not just an external guide. She was truly a fantastic part of our trip and an UnTours treasure.
The second aspect of the trip was our accommodations, which were perfect, both in facilities and location.
And, finally, the small group, doing some things together while leaving us time on our own, added a new dimension to the Untour. It left us time to explore while giving us an opportunity to make some friendships that will last beyond our Vienna experience.
Here are some scenes from our first Vienna Uncovered trip.
This photo was taken during an orientation tour on the first day guests arrived. After taking time to smell the roses at the Volksgarten, they enjoyed a delicious welcome dinner at one of the best restaurants in town, the Vestibül at the Burgtheater.
Guests enjoyed a 3-hour city tour of Old Vienna, which included the area of St. Stephans
Cathedral and the Hofburg Palace, and other lovely and interesting sights with our guide
Philipp. It ended with a nice lunch at one of the best coffee houses, Cafe Landtmann on the ringstreet.
Our guests toured the Upper Belvedere Museum and learned about the Secessionist painters. The word comes from Vienna Secession, the art deco building that was the home of Klimt, Schiele, and others. The Weisses said “Marcus gave a terrific presentation/tour of the Upper Belvedere and the Klimt and Schiele galleries. He handled the crowds well.”
Visiting the archives of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra was a treat, and Weisses
especially enjoyed their knowledgeable guide. “We were able to ask so many questions!”
Our group also had the opportunity to visit the Vienna State Opera, one of the city’s most beloved concert halls.
Guests got along comfortably. They enjoyed exploring Vienna landmarks together. They also enjoyed down time and freedom to explore on their own over the course of the week.
Cuisine is another important aspect of Austrian culture and the life of Vienna. Guests joined a hands-on cooking class in the kitchen of Hansen, a top restaurant in the city’s center.
The Weisses said, “We loved the cooking class; our small group just fit into the kitchen and we all had a turn in breading the Wiener schnitzel.” The gang ate well again that night!
Guests also toured the Theater in der Josefstadt, one of the oldest theaters in Europe. Their theater tour included a lecture about the play “The Angel with the Trumpet“ with one of the
directors.
They also enjoyed a tour and lecture at the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Museum. The week provided deep insights into the city’s cultural life.
The Weisses said, “Holding the farewell reception in the second most famous hall in Vienna, after attending the concert in the Musikverein, was just icing on the cake; wonderful food, wine, conversation; so hard to tear ourselves away…”
Thanks to our local staff person and Vienna Uncovered host Claudia, who, aside from coordinating this program, is also a photographer and who took all of these gorgeous photos.
As Pam Ori said, “I can’t begin to describe how wonderful this trip was. Every aspect was better than I could have imagined.”
We are delighted to offer Vienna Uncovered again this October and for fall of 2019 as well.
And we are very excited to introduce London Uncovered for next fall, with an emphasis on the Special Relationship between the US and England.
What other cities should we “Uncover” next? Please comment below!