June 2024 “Drunk on Eastern Europe · Classic Five-Country Tour: Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria 12 Days” Group Tour Travelogue (Part 4) Austria

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Continuing from: June 2024 “Drunk on Eastern Europe · Classic Five-Country Tour: Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria 12 Days” Group Tour Travelogue (Part 3) Hungary

Austria - Vienna - Golden Hall - Musical Concert

Austria - Vienna - Schönbrunn Palace - Schönbrunn Palace Gardens

Austria - Vienna - Austrian National Library

Austria - Vienna - Schönbrunn Palace

Austria - Hallstatt Village

Hungary - Budapest - Danube River Bank - Parliament Building

Czech Republic - Prague - Prague Castle - Observation Deck - Overlooking Prague City

Slovakia - Bratislava - Hviezdoslavovo Square

For many years, whenever I saw media reports or videos about Eastern European countries, especially the red rooftops of Prague, the “City of a Thousand Spires,” the Hungarian Parliament Building on the Danube in Budapest, and the Golden Hall in Vienna, the “City of Music,” it always caught my eye and made me marvel. I felt that the magnificent scenery, long history, and unique charm there were very appealing, sparking the desire to travel to Eastern Europe and experience its allure firsthand. How wonderful it is that this group tour finally fulfilled my wish to visit Eastern Europe, and I felt genuinely delighted.

This trip started on June 23 and ended successfully on July 4, lasting a total of 12 days. We visited many cities, towns, and scenic spots in five Central and Eastern European countries: Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Austria. Along the way, I was constantly captivated by the colorful cities, outstanding architecture, beautiful landscapes, and ancient legends, naturally immersing myself in the picturesque urban scenery and lakeside mountains, making me reluctant to leave and deeply feeling the trip was worthwhile.

Czech Republic - Prague - Old Town Square

Czech Republic - Český Krumlov (CK Town)

Hungary - Budapest - Fisherman’s Bastion - Observation Deck - View of Parliament Building

Hungary - Budapest - Fisherman’s Bastion

Hungary - Lake Balaton - Lake Balaton Scenery

Hungary - Hévíz - Hévíz Thermal Spring

Germany - Würzburg - Street View

Germany - Munich - Scenery Along the Way

Fourth Stop: Austria (Days 7, 8, and Morning of Day 9)

Austria borders Hungary and Slovakia to the east, Italy and Slovenia to the south, Liechtenstein and Switzerland to the west, and Germany and Czech Republic to the north. Its land area is about 84,000 square kilometers, with a population of about 9.1 million; the capital is Vienna. Austria is world-famous as the “Land of Music,” having given birth to many musicians such as Haydn, Mozart, and Schubert. The great master Beethoven studied and created music in Austria during his youth and reached the pinnacle of his artistic career there. The waltzes of the Strauss father and son are widely known, and Johann Strauss II is hailed as the “Waltz King.”

Visiting the “City of Music” Vienna, the hometown of musical genius Mozart, Salzburg, and the picturesque “most beautiful town in the world,” Hallstatt, was the highlight of this “Drunk on Eastern Europe” tour.

Austria - Vienna - Austrian Parliament Building

Austria - Vienna - Beethoven's Residence

Austria - Vienna - Street View

Austria - Vienna - Vienna City Hall

Austria - Vienna - Maria Theresien Platz - Natural History Museum Vienna

Austria - Vienna - Johann Strauss City Park - Golden Statue of Johann Strauss II

Austria - Vienna - Austrian National Library

Day 7: Today in Vienna we visited and toured the University of Vienna, the Parliament Building (exterior), Vienna City Hall (exterior), Maria Theresien Platz, Heldenplatz, Augustinian Church, the Hofburg Palace complex, the Austrian National Library, the Plague Column, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and Johann Strauss City Park. In the evening, we visited the renowned “Golden Hall” in the Vienna Musikverein building to enjoy a classic musical concert (both the interior visit and the concert were optional paid activities).

Austria - Vienna - University of Vienna

Austria - Vienna - Heldenplatz

Austria - Vienna - Hofburg Palace Complex

Austria - Vienna - Augustinian Church

Austria - Vienna - Vienna Musikverein Building

Austria - Vienna - Vienna Musikverein Building - Golden Hall

Vienna, this city on the Danube, is world-famous as the “City of Music.” After centuries, it still retains its unique character. The center is the old imperial city, while outward lies the new city, developing like the rings of a tree—this is a city full of spirit, where you can constantly feel the presence of the masters. Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, and Johann Strauss once lived here. This inclusive art, this art that gently transitions like music, can be seen in the city’s very form.

Austria - Vienna - Plague Column

Austria - Vienna - St. Stephen’s Cathedral

Austria - Vienna - Schönbrunn Palace

Austria - Vienna - Schönbrunn Palace - Schönbrunn Palace Gardens

Day 8: In the morning, we visited Schönbrunn Palace—one of Austria’s cultural landmarks and the place where Emperor Franz Joseph married Empress Elisabeth (Sisi)—along with the Schönbrunn Palace Gardens. In the afternoon, we visited Hallstatt village, located on the shores of Lake Hallstatt.

Hallstatt is a village in the Salzkammergut region of Upper Austria, situated on the banks of Lake Hallstatt. Known as the “most beautiful town in the world” for its stunning scenery, the area historically prospered from salt, earning it the name “oldest salt town in the world.” Hallstatt has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is now a popular tourist destination.

Austria - Hallstatt Village

Day 9: In the morning, we visited Mozart’s birthplace, Salzburg (optional paid activity). We toured Mozart Square, Mozart’s Residence, the streets and alleys of Salzburg, the scenery along both sides of the Salzach River, and Mirabell Garden—one of the filming locations for the movie *The Sound of Music*. At this point, the true Eastern Europe tour came to a temporary end, and we then headed to Munich, Germany, to continue our journey.

Salzburg, located in western Austria, is the gateway to the Alps and one of Austria’s oldest cities. The city’s architectural style is predominantly Baroque, represented by the Salzburg Cathedral and Mirabell Garden. Hellbrunn Palace within the garden, along with its palace gardens and fountains, also attracts thousands of visitors. Salzburg’s old town was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996.

Austria - Salzburg - Distant View of Salzburg

Austria - Salzburg - Mozart Square - Mozart Statue

Austria - Salzburg - Mozart’s Residence

Austria - Salzburg

Austria - Salzburg - Salzach River - Riverside Scenery

Austria - Salzburg - Salzach River Bank - Street Performer

The Eastern European countries of Czech Republic, Hungary, and Austria have long been dream destinations for me. Finally making this trip and returning successfully felt like fulfilling a long-cherished wish.

There, the scenery changed with every step, often accompanying you, and around every corner there could be a surprise. There, you could both find the joy of travel and reap heartfelt emotions. Every place we visited was not only a visual feast but also a spiritual cleansing! Such unique landscapes, pleasant journeys, and comfortable experiences left unforgettable impressions and beautiful memories.

To sum up, this “Drunk on Eastern Europe · Classic Five-Country Tour: Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria 12 Days” group tour had several features. First, the season was well chosen—comfortable and pleasant. Most of the trip enjoyed sunny weather, with temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius, which was very suitable for the human body, making the scenery even more beautiful and helping to alleviate the fatigue of long travel. Second, the itinerary was compact and visually appealing. Excluding the 3 days for travel to and from, the remaining 9 days covered multiple cities and towns in five countries. Visiting many highlights every day made each day feel rewarding and surprising, broadening horizons and pleasing the eyes. Third, the cost was reasonable and worth the money. The basic group fee of just over 10,000 yuan at a “super value return price,” plus 3,000 yuan for visa and tips, plus several hundred euros for optional activities, was quite reasonable considering Europe’s current price levels. Visiting so many countries, cities, attractions, and historic sites in one go was delightful and fruitful. Overall, it is highly recommendable.

In addition, this group tour also benefited from the meticulous and responsible work attitude of the tour leader (guide) and bus driver, as well as the sincere cooperation of the group members. Laughter and joy were constant throughout the journey, and happy expressions were often seen on everyone’s faces. The whole trip was compact, orderly, smooth, and successful. This is also commendable and deserves much praise.

Austria - Salzburg - Mirabell Garden, one of the filming locations for the movie *The Sound of Music*

1. Traveling in Europe is generally safe, but it is said that in some cities and attractions, pickpockets can be quite skillful. Therefore, one should always be aware and vigilant against pickpockets, constantly protecting one’s belongings.

2. On this trip, there were relatively many optional paid activities, including the interior visit to Prague Castle, the Danube River cruise, the interior visit to Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, the concert at Vienna’s “Golden Hall,” and Salzburg in Austria. Everyone spent a considerable amount. However, the feeling was that it was still worth the money; otherwise, it would have been a great regret.