Travels in Europe with Rick Steves

This series is funded in part by CD Kong a Seattle based company offering a digital alternative to microfiche and efficient and effective way to protect both your data and they have Veyron you. Raise your travel dreams to their upright and locked position. Join us now as we discover the ins and outs of travel in Europe. I'm Rick Steves inviting you to join us as we continue to explore the best of Europe.

We're in Vienna. I think the city does more to hang on to its world charm and love of life than any other. We're on another tour of Europe. That travel destination that I just can't get enough of. This week we're exploring the capital of Austria and the historic center of the once powerful Austro-Hungarian Empire. In this show we'll walk through the high count and look our wonders of Vienna will resurrect re-enters Golden Age under the Hapsburgs. Then we'll leave the big city to tour a dazzling Abbey and cruise our way down the Danube River Valley. Vienna has history at every corner. This street is called the grotto. That's German for the ditch the ditch where they piled victims of the great plague of 16 78. This monument was built by those who survived that plague. It stands three hundred years later as a reminder of the people buried beneath this street.

Yet it is full of culture. And has an inspirational knack for hedonism in elegant moderation. Vienna is second to none in coffee houses and chocolate cake. Above all the end is the Hapsburgs the city is littered with the remnants of this family's 600 year long divinely ordained

rule that at its peak dominated European power politics from Vienna the Hapsburgs ran their huge multi-ethnic empire the Hofburg in the center of town was their Winter Palace. While World War One finally ended the Hapsburg rule in the last Hapsburg checked out of here in 1918 the Hochberg is still the home of the Austrian president's office. Several museums and the local horse and buggy. Even though the Hapsburgs lost the empire with their defeat in World War One they're still revered by many. Near the Hofburg the Kaiser Graf told many of their tombs. Visiting the remains of the Habsburgs is not as easy as you might imagine. These are original organ donors left their hearts in the palace change their entrails and their

bodies here in this cup which encrypt it. You get a map with your ticket to help you find your favorite Hapsburg. Rather than chasing down all the body parts. Remember that the magnificence of this city is the real remains of the Hapsburgs. The cones to establish his museum is home to the Habsburgs huge art collection masterpieces from bridal on display in this magnificent setting. Vienna is famous for its rich pastries and the most famous rich enough for a Hapsburg is the sash or toward a chocolate cake that defies description in a tasty sort of pilgrimage many chocoholic tourists make an expensive detour through this restaurant. When I was a boy.

It's enough to make a chocoholic burst into song. I don't know if you know do you. When I see such. A simple break drop into one of Vienna's legendary coffee houses. Each has a distinct personality.

The Muslim Turks threaten Christian Europe. They knocked on the gates of Vienna and were turned away leaving only their mother. Took to the drink and having never sends. Any Coffee House welcomes you to enjoy an entire afternoon of newspapers for the price of a cup. OK back to locale art. We've left the city center to check out the Hapsburgs

schönbrunn palace. This was their summer residence. Their escape. Set in an enormous park. It's the only palace in Europe to rival Versailles built in the 18th century. It was the favorite residence of the Empress Maria Theresa who expanded her empire by marrying her 16 children into royal families across Europe. The acres of formal gardens provided just the right playground for Austria's divine monarchy and their marble playmates. The palace has fourteen hundred and forty one rooms. But don't worry. Only 40 are shown to the public. While you're welcome to wander through on your own a tour is worthwhile. German language tours go every 15 or 30 minutes. English tours are given about hourly. I called for the schedule in advance and will catch the one at 11 o'clock.

It was here that the six year old Mozart first tackled the royal fancy. The Hapsburgs were great supporters of the arts especially music. Just like great athletes come too late 20th century America 18th and 19th century musicians and composers found respect and patronage in Vienna. Vienna is still Europe's music capital. Johann Strauss was the rage here one hundred years ago and you can still enjoy his music. At the core salon in the city park. Vienna is music from October through June reaching a symphonic climax during the Vienna festival. Each may in June. But in a summer of music festival assures that even summer visitors enjoy lots of classical music. And sadly in July in August the boys choir the opera and most music companies are like you on vacation.

And tourists will meet modern Mozart's Petaling Klein and knocked music at all the big sites. While residents prefer concerts aimed at local music lovers these tourist concerts complete with powdered wigs can be fun to go into a place called music they play pieces from. Ticket offices offer a more complete rundown on concerts available. The State Opera House is a must for any visitor. Well the critical reception of the building 130 years ago led the architect to commit suicide and it's been rebuilt since World War Two bombings. It's a dazzling place. Wonderful tours are given throughout the year. So this is not the cost of the prince's tour and from the Tour

this year was made in 1926 time. So the cost to me to see here is from the opera Lohengrin. It's the costume a flowing green himself. This costume also weighs 20 kilos 40 pounds and the hand that's alone kilos eight pounds. The part where we are on now is backstage the main stage itself consists of six mobile platforms that can be know it down into a stop with the help of the machinery. This auditorium office room for about two thousand two hundred and eighty people a 1700 on seats and more than 500 on standing room takes care of it starving artists and tourists by offering plenty of cheap standing room to top notch Opera and other musical performances. Now with so much to see how do you find your way around and discover what's going on. As I

stressed in all my guidebooks head to the tourist office for help. They have lots of brochures and flyers on things like concerts and walking tours and a great city guide. Every historic building in Vienna is clearly marked with a set of flags and a number which keys it into this handy book The End A to Z. Let's see. Number 160. Yes it says Beethoven lived here while working on his ninth symphony from January 18 24. Through March 18 24. It's one of 23 Vienna apartments that at one time or another he called home. I guess even back then musicians weren't ideal Penna. Like so many cities Venus this town is called by its German speaking inhabitants was protected by a medieval wall which it outgrew. In the 1860s and for fun she would have had the town in-grown walls torn down and replaced by this grand circular Boulevard.

The ring road is 190 feet wide. It arcs nearly three miles around the city's core. One of Europe's great streets it's lined with most of Vienna's top sites. The tram circles the whole route and so should you. Just about everything of interest to us is either on or within this ring road. Mike Paris has a round as men's DNA is divided into districts called that circus. Knowing what district you're in makes navigating easier. The old town within the ring is the first. The Turk. You don't need to know your bid search to find St. Stephen's Cathedral. It's the Gothic needle around which Vienna spent. We got in the 12th century. It was enlarged and reconstructed over the next 800

years largely destroyed during World War Two. Its complete restoration still shows off the hundreds of years of history carved into its walls and buried in its crypt. Cartner Strawson the pedestrian mall connecting the cathedral and the opera is still as colorful and lively as the Vienna of old must have been. Appreciate the fine points of life. And right up there with its love of music is its love of eating. The city has many atmospheric restaurants. As you decipher the menus remember Vienna is diverse empire may be gone but this is

still where strudel meets baklava you'll find Slavic and Eastern European specialties here along with wonderful desserts. Local wine and beer. The local taverns seem to be on nearly every corner. While the courtyard is cool in the summer. That candlelit ambience inside is where you'll find their true charm. And on a summer evening the whole town is us brawlers has songs from it's long gone multi-ethnic Empire filled the air. Another uniquely Beanie's institution is the high rigor Weingarten.

It all started when the Hapsburgs let the local vintners sell their own new wine called tax free. The wind the edges are now within the sever. But just around the corner from the cathedral you can have a near Harvard or experience without leaving the center of the end. That can be lots of fun. Just point to what looks good. A. And choose from many local wines. Since Austrian wine tends to be sweet if you like your wine dry. Remember the word truckin. You can order wine by the quarter liter and fear top or if you have a big day of work tomorrow like we do. By the eighth of a leader I'm. After touring any big city and the countryside offers a welcome change of pace.

We're heading out to explore the Danube River Valley. Sleepy an elegant hundreds of huge jetty the Danube town of milk offers a pleasant stop after the bustle of Vienna. And milk makes up fine overnight stop. Many travelers save money and stress by staying in small town near their big city destinations from a cozy nest like this they ride the commuter train with the local workers into the urban action. We're glad we slept in Vienna in a comfortable and convenient pencil. But now it's time to relax. So we're staying in hotel first right on the traffic remained square with the Abbey hovering overhead. And a fountain out the door. Newly restored Benedictine abbey beaming proudly over the Danube Valley is one of Europe's

great sights. The views from its balcony are impressive. But wait till you get inside a. Freshly painted and gilded throughout it's a baroque dream. This library is filled with precious centuries old manuscripts and is a featured stop on the guided tours. In the library room we have about 16000 books written in the 15 16 and 17 century. Ninety percent of them are theology books out of 10 percent are medical books and philosophy books from the most the library I can show you only the two

photographs. The edition of the Gutenberg Bible was sold to the United States in nineteen twenty five. Today it is on the University of the monks sold the Google Book Bible to the United States because they need money. After World War One for restoring the monastery. The interesting part of the sealing fresco on the Colace. This is the last original fresco of the monastery two hundred and sixty two years old. It wasn't restored any time the fresco in the mobile home was restored in 19 88. The rule of St Benedict requires that worship take precedence over everything else. The milk out in church certainly satisfies this demand. Meaningful decoration.

To the second letter of Timothy. There is no victory. Expressed by the martyr. With. The victory as expressed by the. I. Noticed the baroque decor in the marble hall but Roke artists were masters of illusion. The ceiling looks curved but it's perfectly flat. This was a favorite stopping place for royalty. Napoleon stayed here twice and liked everything but the wine. The Abbey draws people from all over. Today the local school children have turned out to welcome visitors.

Yes. By car bike or boat. The 20 mile stretch of the Danube between the towns of Melkor and crams is as pretty as they come. Our train pass gets us on the Danube boats for free. One by three. And we're taking advantage of the boat line's generous bike and cruise program which lets us rent this bike from the dock office take it on the boat

and drop it at any dock along the river. For the price of a gallon of gas. I've got a bike for a day. Good morning. With. The river current is so swift here that our downstream trip will take one and a half hours while the same stretch upstream takes two and a half hours. The Danube is seventeen hundred seventy miles long flowing all the way from Germany's Black Forest to its mouth in Romania on the Black Sea. One of Europe's great waterways for centuries it's been central Europe superhighway shuttling Celtic traders. Roman legions Christian Crusaders conquering Turks. MERCHANTS. And sightseers. For.

This stretch of the Danube is called the VOC our valley. It's been settled for over thirty thousand years and is the Danube swine road lined with vineyards as well as castles and. Savor the views as you want your way down the Danube. Your ticket allows you to get off along the way and catch the next boat. Here comes. Down. The village below the castle is a touristic fly paper luring hordes of visitors with its traffic frequentist and its one claim to fame and fortune. Richard the Lionhearted was imprisoned here in 11 93. You can probably sleep in his bedroom.

This is a good place to start our day. You bet. The path was paved and it's an easy ride and a good way to get intimate with some of the small villages along the way. We stopped in recently. Follow the signs you can't get lost. When you see a viking a red border. It means no biking. To cycle track brochure I picked up at the tourist office and points out the best bike path is just between the road and the river along that north bank. What a great way to explore the Danube. I hope you've enjoyed one thing through Vienna and floating down the Danube as much as we have and we've got much more of last year to experience. Join us next

time as we travel to Salzburg where we pay a pilgrimage to Mozart ramble through one of Europe's best preserved medieval fortresses sample Salzburg famous dessert souffle and head for the hills in The Sound of Music country. Join us next time for Salzburg and us to a still camera good Lakes District. Until then I'm Rick Steves wishing you happy travels. Home videos of destinations of the series are available for twenty four ninety five to order the 60 Minutes to program tape on Vienna and Salzburg or any other destination tape. Call 1 800 860 6 7 4 2 5. Also available Rick's new 500 page best of your guide book for 16 by to order please have your credit card ready and call 1 800 6 6 7 4 2 5. This program was funded in part by CB com a Seattle based company

offering a digital alternative to microfiche and efficient and effective way to protect both your data and the environment.