From Budapest to Vienna

Our next destination was Vienna. We had our lunch stop in Baden, a little town where Beethoven once lived for a while. The pretty Vienna Woods and Mayerling were also part of the day's itinerary, and we visited the hunting lodge where Archduke Rudolf and his 17-year lover met their tragic deaths on January 30, 1889. Nearby was Heiligenkreuz, a Cistercian Abbey founded in 1133.

Huge blocks of cheese at a little market in Baden

At Heiligenkreuz- check out the ornate crosses

We arrived in Vienna; our hotel there (Bellevue) was the best we had on the trip! It was so spacious and comfortable.

We decided we could not go to Vienna and not see a concert, so we decided to join an optional excursion to see the Wiener Hofburg Orchestra. The concert venue was one of the rooms in the Imperial Palace (The Hofburg), so that was rather nice. It was a lovely evening with light, fun music by Strauss and Mozart; and of course, we got to enjoy the famous waltz- 'The Blue Danube'! :D

The Hofburg

The soloists were very good!