Vienna Family Magic (from Thessaloniki)

We’ll have a good breakfast and then begin our tour of the city. On our tour, we’ll see the Kunsthaus, a complex of buildings in the abstract style, and the Baroque Belvedere Palace complex of Prince Eugene of Savoy, which today serves as an art museum housing works by modern artists and those of the Modernist movement. We continue on to Charles Square, where the Church of St. Charles Borromeo and the Palace of the Society of Friends of Music are located, and we enter the famous Ringstrasse (the ring road encircling the historic center). We’ll see the State Opera House, the Hofburg, the imperial winter palace complex, the twin museums of Art History and Natural History, the Museum Quarter, the Parliament, the former Imperial Theater across from City Hall, the University, and the Votivkirche (Votive Church). We’ll stop to visit the Natural History Museum, one of the city’s largest museums and among the most important in Europe. The museum’s first collections began to be assembled in the 18th century, but its current facilities were built in the late 19th century. Today, its exhibition spaces cover an area of 8,700 square meters, featuring interactive exhibits in the fields of natural history, geology, paleoanthropology, and prehistory that impress visitors of all ages and transport them many years back to the beginning of creation. The museum is ideal for the whole family. We’ll stroll through the historic Greek neighborhood with the Greek Orthodox churches of St. George and the Holy Trinity, and as we walk through the historic center, past the famous St. Stephen’s Cathedral, we’ll end up at City Hall Square with its fairy-tale Christmas Market. And it’s around here that we really start to feel like we’re in Vienna at Christmas! In the City Hall area, we come across the famous Rathausplatz, which during the holiday season is transformed into one of the most impressive Christmas settings in Europe. Illuminated trees, festive stalls, music, and aromas create the atmosphere that has made Viennese Christmas celebrations famous around the world. Try a warm Glühwein or Punsch, roasted chestnuts, Austrian sausages, and of course the famous Kaiserschmarrn, while ice skating enthusiasts can enjoy the unique experience of ice skating amidst the city’s festive setting. At this point, join us—if you’d like—for a visit to the Museum of Illusions, where an experience full of “mind-bending illusions” awaits us — optical illusions, interactive rooms, and plenty of opportunities for… surreal photos. It’s a “fun & learning” experience that keeps things interesting; it’s modern, “Instagrammable,” and perfect for the whole family. Our next stop, in the heart of the city, is the interactive music museum Haus der Musik, which invites you on a magical journey into the world of sound and melody. Explore the history of the Vienna Philharmonic, experiment with sounds and sound waves, get to know the great composers (Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss, and others), and try your hand—or let your children try theirs—at becoming conductors, virtually leading the famous Vienna Philharmonic! During the holiday season, the museum takes on an even more festive atmosphere with special children’s musical events, songs, and surprises for the whole family. A unique combination of education, fun, and festive spirit that you’ll never forget!

An Evening with Mozart & Strauss

And when you’re in Vienna, the world capital of classical music, there’s one experience that’s truly worth sharing with your children: an authentic Viennese concert. Even if classical music isn’t your first choice, the atmosphere of a historic concert hall, the musicians in their formal attire, and the melodies of Mozart and the Strauss family create one of the most distinctive experiences of a trip to Vienna. Depending on the date and performance schedule, we choose one of the city’s distinctive venues: the imposing Hofburg with the Vienna Hofburg Orchestra or the elegant Palais Börse with the Vienna Residence Orchestra. Be sure to make your reservation well in advance, as the best performances are in particularly high demand during the holiday season.

Breakfast and departure for one of Europe’s most important attractions, the famous Schönbrunn Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the famous Belvedere Palace, one of Vienna’s top attractions. During our first visit to Schönbrunn Palace, you have the following options:

• Stroll through the palace’s magnificent gardens—a free walk where you’ll constantly want to stop and take photos!

• Step inside the palace to see the Habsburgs’ summer residence from the late 17th century through 1918. According to legend, the entire palace complex has 1,441 rooms and 139 kitchens. Explore the imperial apartments and get a sense of what it was like to live as an emperor. Admission is €42 for adults and €30 for children.

• Visit one of Vienna’s most famous Christmas markets, held in a beautiful setting in front of the Palace, with a focus on the arts, crafts, and children, featuring an ice rink and more than 90 stalls.

• Visit the Vienna Zoo, the impressive Tiergarten Schönbrunn, located next to the Palace, founded in 1752 and the oldest continuously operating zoo in the world, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Admission costs €29 for adults and €17 for children.

  Next up is the Belvedere Palace, which combines Baroque architecture with imperial gardens. There’s also its own Christmas market in front of the Upper Belvedere—one of Vienna’s most atmospheric Christmas markets—featuring wooden huts, decorations, music, and treats (Glühwein, chestnuts, Apfelstrudel). The lake in front of the palace reflects the lights, and together with the winter gardens, it creates a truly magical setting. We’ll wrap up our day at the Prater amusement park and the holiday market at Riesenradplatz (weather permitting). In a wonderful atmosphere, board the Winter Train and see Vienna from above as you ascend the amusement park’s giant Ferris wheel, which was built in 1897 and is a symbol of the city. In the afternoon at the hotel, both our young and older friends can take part in a fun painting class/contest with special gifts for everyone!

Today, after breakfast at the hotel, we have two options.

The first option is a 5-dimensional (5D) experience—winner of the 5D Attraction Animago Award—on the Time Travel Vienna Magical History Tour. It’s a journey through Vienna’s history starting from the Middle Ages, featuring special effects and 3D imagery. Of course, the rest of the day in the city is yours to enjoy however you wish.

The second option is to join us on the most popular day trip from Vienna to the famous city of Salzburg, one of Austria’s most beautiful and atmospheric cities and the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Leaving Vienna behind, we head west toward the heart of the Austrian countryside. As we approach the Alps, the landscape gradually changes: lush green valleys, forested slopes, picturesque villages, and majestic mountain ranges create a stunning route and reveal a completely different side of Austria. Arrival in Salzburg, the famous “Rome of the Alps,” a city of unique architecture and cultural heritage, whose historic center has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Baroque elegance, the squares, the churches, and the medieval alleyways, set against the backdrop of the imposing Hohensalzburg Fortress, create a truly fairy-tale setting. Our tour begins at the famous Mirabell Palace Gardens, one of the city’s most photographed spots. We pass by the Mozarteum, one of Europe’s most important musical institutions, and continue on to the Mozart family home. Crossing the Salzach River via the Makartsteg Bridge—also known as the “Bridge of Locked Hearts”—we enter the famous Old Town. Through atmospheric arcades, small squares, and picturesque alleys, we arrive at the elegant Getreidegasse, Salzburg’s most famous shopping street, with its distinctive wrought-iron shop signs. This is also where Mozart’s birthplace is located, where the great composer was born in 1756. We continue on to Residenzplatz, the impressive Archbishop’s Palace, and the majestic Salzburg Cathedral, and we’ll also explore the historic area of St. Peter’s Abbey, one of the city’s most important religious complexes. After our tour, we’ll have free time in the heart of Salzburg to stroll, shop, and enjoy a coffee or lunch at one of the city’s traditional restaurants or historic cafés. Don’t miss the chance to try the famous Mozartkugeln, the iconic chocolate treats that have become synonymous with the city. In the afternoon, we’ll head back to Vienna, our minds filled with images of a city where music, history, and the Alpine atmosphere blend in a truly unique way.

After breakfast, we’ll have some free time for one last stroll, some shopping, or a Viennese coffee with the family. Then we’ll head to the airport and board our direct flight home, filled with memories, experiences, new friends, and beautiful family moments.