Hmmm…this is not good….such a big gap between blogs..bt on my part I can say tht I was busy vacationing with parents and after coming back thr were so many things to look into..anyways so lets continue..the next destination as I mentioned was the land of Mozart..Salzburg..there is something about this city which makes u feel so relaxed…it feels romance is in the air…we started early in the morning from our hotel (after having purchased Salzburg card – a cost effective way to see the city) and headed towards Untersberg mountain…the cable car takes you to the top and on a clear day as we experienced the views in and around Salzburg are beautiful….having spent some item there on our way back to Salzburg we stopped at the Salzburg zoo (kids would like it..we covered it because the entrance was free with Salzburg card). Its not a very big zoo but nevertheless the time was well spent. The palace and the gardens which was the next stop are located besides the zoo..in fact thr is a direct entrance from the zoo….visiting the palace is not recommended (especially after seeing the Grand Schronbrunn)..however the trick fountains next to it were just amazing. There is a guided tour in the gardens and its really fun to see water dripping out of totally unexpected places…we thoroughly enjoyed it.
We returned to the city centre of Salzburg to enjoy the beauty of the Mirabel gardens (purchased the ticket to the cruise before hand on the river Salzach)..yes these are the gardens where some portion of the classic Sound of Music were shot..well maintained gardens with enchanting surroundings. After a quick lunch of sandwiches and juice, we headed to see the toy museum…nice quaint museum with Barbie collection…delight for kids…it was time for the cruise and it was my best experience in Salzburg….wonderful way to take in the beauty of the city..i recommend this to everyone!!! After the cruise we added to the Hohensalzburg Fortress (Festung) which as the name suggests is a fortress on the top of the hill…a tiny funicular takes you to the top giving nice views of the Alps and the city…it was a nice romantic experience sititng at the top sipping coffee…nice way to unwind after a tiring day!!! After coming down the only thing we were craving was to go for some nice food…and though there are a few good restaurants we came across we finally went for some good vegetarian Indian food at Spicy Spices (Wolf Dietrich Straße 1, 5020 Salzburg, Österreich - 0662 870712) and it was really a satisfying meal. Reaching our hotel at 9.30 we were dead tired and I really hoped for some less activity the next day as the plan was to head for Innsbruck but alas tht was not to be…more coming soon!!!!!!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Vienna.....The magical Austrian capital....
Ok .. so m back after a long time ... well as I have Mentioned Does it take effort to Some Maintain a habit of writing Especially When there is so much else demands your attention ... Which
Anyways back to our trip Discussions ... Well as I had been Mentioned in my last blog, our next destination was Vienna ... the magical Austrian capital ... We reached Vienna bit late in the night, got a day transportation pass (valid for 24 hours and was well worth it) and went out to tight emitters hotel (Ibis - a good budget option). The next morning we headed straight to Schoenbrunn Palace. This is one of the must Fascinating sights in the whole of Vienna, atleast we thought to. You need to see it to believe it - The palace and ITS backgrounds are just magnificient and Be Prepared to Walk A lot.
We took the Classic Pass (17.9 Eur) Which Covered all the must important places in the palace - The tour of the palace with the audio guide, the Crown Prince garden, maze and labyrinth, with Gloriette viewing terrace and the Court bakery. The palace tour covers the 40 impressive Roman Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth and the court rooms and areas and the Other.
However what we loved the beautifully designed Were musts and Well Kept Gardens. They Were Just Marvellous (Promise Some pics to post soon). At the end, We Were Tired of walking but very Satisfied with the whole experience. All this walking and we did make U.S. went hungry for our lunch at a small Indian restaurant (had as difficulty finding it but we finally made it just before closing). Had lunch and then took a tram 1 from the nearby stop. This is a ring route and it covers the must important sights along the boulevard (Opera House, Imperial Palace, Parliament, Vienna City Hall, etc). It's a good way to see the city in a short time. After spending Some time in the city center we went to our hotel, took our bags and boarded the train from the main train station to Salzburg (we took a fast connection from Vienna to Salzburg - No Reservations Necessary but it did cost around 65 eur) . If You Have Time You Can get a cheaper version Which takes a bit longer (I think around 5-6 hours) and travels through beautiful countryside Some towns before overreaching Salzburg. We reached at around 9 pm Salzburg and awaited the next exciting day in the City of Mozart ...
Some important links
Schoenbrunn Palace - www.schoenbrunn.at / en / home.html
Austrian Railways - www.oebb.at / en / index.jsp
Vienna Tourist office - www.wien.info
Anyways back to our trip Discussions ... Well as I had been Mentioned in my last blog, our next destination was Vienna ... the magical Austrian capital ... We reached Vienna bit late in the night, got a day transportation pass (valid for 24 hours and was well worth it) and went out to tight emitters hotel (Ibis - a good budget option). The next morning we headed straight to Schoenbrunn Palace. This is one of the must Fascinating sights in the whole of Vienna, atleast we thought to. You need to see it to believe it - The palace and ITS backgrounds are just magnificient and Be Prepared to Walk A lot.
We took the Classic Pass (17.9 Eur) Which Covered all the must important places in the palace - The tour of the palace with the audio guide, the Crown Prince garden, maze and labyrinth, with Gloriette viewing terrace and the Court bakery. The palace tour covers the 40 impressive Roman Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth and the court rooms and areas and the Other.
However what we loved the beautifully designed Were musts and Well Kept Gardens. They Were Just Marvellous (Promise Some pics to post soon). At the end, We Were Tired of walking but very Satisfied with the whole experience. All this walking and we did make U.S. went hungry for our lunch at a small Indian restaurant (had as difficulty finding it but we finally made it just before closing). Had lunch and then took a tram 1 from the nearby stop. This is a ring route and it covers the must important sights along the boulevard (Opera House, Imperial Palace, Parliament, Vienna City Hall, etc). It's a good way to see the city in a short time. After spending Some time in the city center we went to our hotel, took our bags and boarded the train from the main train station to Salzburg (we took a fast connection from Vienna to Salzburg - No Reservations Necessary but it did cost around 65 eur) . If You Have Time You Can get a cheaper version Which takes a bit longer (I think around 5-6 hours) and travels through beautiful countryside Some towns before overreaching Salzburg. We reached at around 9 pm Salzburg and awaited the next exciting day in the City of Mozart ...
Some important links
Schoenbrunn Palace - www.schoenbrunn.at / en / home.html
Austrian Railways - www.oebb.at / en / index.jsp
Vienna Tourist office - www.wien.info
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Prague continued....
Well I do hope that this new habit of blogging doesn’t die down soon as it always does with me
So ya we continue our next day exploring the city of Prague. I should have mentioned this in my first blog, but nevertheless its never too late. Prague is not breathtakingly beautiful as Switzerland or monumentally spectacular as Paris or Rome. But still this city has a charm with its East European architecture, symbols of the war and communism, narrow cobbled streets, and the unusual landscape which makes you feel that there is something in the air which makes this city different.
So..here we continue. The next day started with the hot cup of chai latte from Starbucks located on the road leading to Wenceslas square in the new town area of Prague. It is one of the main city squares and named after saint Wenceslas. At the southeast end it is bounded by the imposing Czech National Museum. Tram 22 directly took us to the Prague Castle (stop Prazsky Hrad), our next destination. The information about this can be found on http://www.hrad.cz/. Prague Castle has several monuments in its courtyard. Some of these attractions are ticket free. We took a the Prague Castle – Long tour ticket (350 CZK) which allows us access to most of the attractions. Below is a brief description
1. St. Vitus Cathedral – It is one of the most important cathedrals in the whole of Czech republic. Things not to miss inside the cathedral include the stained glass Rose Window in the west portal, the stained glass window by Alfons Mucha, the tomb of St. John of Nepomuk made of pure silver, the Royal Crypt underneath the cathedral. If you have the stamina climb the 257 steps to the Bell Tower to get stunning views of the city
2. Old Royal Palace - The original seat of Czech rulers. Visitors first enter the Vladislav hall, the largest high-Gothic vaulted space in Central Europe. Other rooms include the Palace chapel and throne room. At the end of the exhibit is "The Story of Prague Castle" exhibit, which features artefacts from the castle's past.
3. The Golden Lane – it’s a tiny cobblestoned walkway with bright houses. It is here where the goldsmiths lived during the rule of Rudolf II.
4. The Daliborka – An ancient prison and a torture house at the far end of the castle
5. St. George’s Basilica – Second ancient church in the castle
6. The Royal Garden - To the east/north-east of the palace is a large park. Aside from its own beauty, it has an excellent view of the east bank of the river. Entrance is free.
There is a guard changing ceremony everyday at a full hour but its best at noon. In the Castle
Well, so after visiting these attractions and having a nice stroll in the well maintained royal gardens, it was time to go back to grab a quick bite of lunch and then take our luggage form the hotel and head back to our next destination – Vienna. We took the Eurolines bus from Prague to Vienna which was much cheaper than the train (just cost us 8 Eur per person) and cost an hour more, but we realised that this is indeed a good choice as the views on the way from Prague to Vienna are simply described in one word – Stunning. Larges expanses of farm, perfectly manicured gardens, small houses interspersed with trees shielding them, cows, sheep and goats grazing endlessly…everything is still enchanted in our memories.
More about Vienna in my next blog. Just a few words on how I plan my trips
1. Plan well in advance to get the best deals with flights, trains, hotels etc. Most European travel is a lot cheaper if you book well in advance. Also look out for discounts if you are travelling in group.
2. Refer articles on tripadvisor, wikitravel, rick steves guide and talk to friends to get a feel of the place you will be visiting.
3. Find good places which serve veggie food – very imp
4. Unless its not too expensive book hotels near the city centre. Ibis is a good option for me.
5. Don’t spend too much time on eating
6. Always be ready to accommodate something in the itinerary if it sounds exciting
7. Be ready to walk – a lot
Will definitely try and put photographs of our travel
So ya we continue our next day exploring the city of Prague. I should have mentioned this in my first blog, but nevertheless its never too late. Prague is not breathtakingly beautiful as Switzerland or monumentally spectacular as Paris or Rome. But still this city has a charm with its East European architecture, symbols of the war and communism, narrow cobbled streets, and the unusual landscape which makes you feel that there is something in the air which makes this city different.
So..here we continue. The next day started with the hot cup of chai latte from Starbucks located on the road leading to Wenceslas square in the new town area of Prague. It is one of the main city squares and named after saint Wenceslas. At the southeast end it is bounded by the imposing Czech National Museum. Tram 22 directly took us to the Prague Castle (stop Prazsky Hrad), our next destination. The information about this can be found on http://www.hrad.cz/. Prague Castle has several monuments in its courtyard. Some of these attractions are ticket free. We took a the Prague Castle – Long tour ticket (350 CZK) which allows us access to most of the attractions. Below is a brief description
1. St. Vitus Cathedral – It is one of the most important cathedrals in the whole of Czech republic. Things not to miss inside the cathedral include the stained glass Rose Window in the west portal, the stained glass window by Alfons Mucha, the tomb of St. John of Nepomuk made of pure silver, the Royal Crypt underneath the cathedral. If you have the stamina climb the 257 steps to the Bell Tower to get stunning views of the city
2. Old Royal Palace - The original seat of Czech rulers. Visitors first enter the Vladislav hall, the largest high-Gothic vaulted space in Central Europe. Other rooms include the Palace chapel and throne room. At the end of the exhibit is "The Story of Prague Castle" exhibit, which features artefacts from the castle's past.
3. The Golden Lane – it’s a tiny cobblestoned walkway with bright houses. It is here where the goldsmiths lived during the rule of Rudolf II.
4. The Daliborka – An ancient prison and a torture house at the far end of the castle
5. St. George’s Basilica – Second ancient church in the castle
6. The Royal Garden - To the east/north-east of the palace is a large park. Aside from its own beauty, it has an excellent view of the east bank of the river. Entrance is free.
There is a guard changing ceremony everyday at a full hour but its best at noon. In the Castle
Well, so after visiting these attractions and having a nice stroll in the well maintained royal gardens, it was time to go back to grab a quick bite of lunch and then take our luggage form the hotel and head back to our next destination – Vienna. We took the Eurolines bus from Prague to Vienna which was much cheaper than the train (just cost us 8 Eur per person) and cost an hour more, but we realised that this is indeed a good choice as the views on the way from Prague to Vienna are simply described in one word – Stunning. Larges expanses of farm, perfectly manicured gardens, small houses interspersed with trees shielding them, cows, sheep and goats grazing endlessly…everything is still enchanted in our memories.
More about Vienna in my next blog. Just a few words on how I plan my trips
1. Plan well in advance to get the best deals with flights, trains, hotels etc. Most European travel is a lot cheaper if you book well in advance. Also look out for discounts if you are travelling in group.
2. Refer articles on tripadvisor, wikitravel, rick steves guide and talk to friends to get a feel of the place you will be visiting.
3. Find good places which serve veggie food – very imp
4. Unless its not too expensive book hotels near the city centre. Ibis is a good option for me.
5. Don’t spend too much time on eating
6. Always be ready to accommodate something in the itinerary if it sounds exciting
7. Be ready to walk – a lot
Will definitely try and put photographs of our travel
Friday, March 12, 2010
My first Blog...Travel to Prague
Well I do hope that this new habit of blogging doesn’t die down soon as it always does with me
So ya we continue our next day exploring the city of Prague. I should have mentioned this in my first blog, but nevertheless its never too late. Prague is not breathtakingly beautiful as Switzerland or monumentally spectacular as Paris or Rome. But still this city has a charm with its East European architecture, symbols of the war and communism, narrow cobbled streets, and the unusual landscape which makes you feel that there is something in the air which makes this city different.
So..here we continue. The next day started with the hot cup of chai latte from Starbucks located on the road leading to Wenceslas square in the new town area of Prague. It is one of the main city squares and named after saint Wenceslas. At the southeast end it is bounded by the imposing Czech National Museum. Tram 22 directly took us to the Prague Castle (stop Prazsky Hrad), our next destination. The information about this can be found on http://www.hrad.cz. Prague Castle has several monuments in its courtyard. Some of these attractions are ticket free. We took a the Prague Castle – Long tour ticket (350 CZK) which allows us access to most of the attractions. Below is a brief description
1. St. Vitus Cathedral – It is one of the most important cathedrals in the whole of Czech republic. Things not to miss inside the cathedral include the stained glass Rose Window in the west portal, the stained glass window by Alfons Mucha, the tomb of St. John of Nepomuk made of pure silver, the Royal Crypt underneath the cathedral. If you have the stamina climb the 257 steps to the Bell Tower to get stunning views of the city
2. Old Royal Palace - The original seat of Czech rulers. Visitors first enter the Vladislav hall, the largest high-Gothic vaulted space in Central Europe. Other rooms include the Palace chapel and throne room. At the end of the exhibit is "The Story of Prague Castle" exhibit, which features artefacts from the castle's past.
3. The Golden Lane – it’s a tiny cobblestoned walkway with bright houses. It is here where the goldsmiths lived during the rule of Rudolf II.
4. The Daliborka – An ancient prison and a torture house at the far end of the castle
5. St. George’s Basilica – Second ancient church in the castle
6. The Royal Garden - To the east/north-east of the palace is a large park. Aside from its own beauty, it has an excellent view of the east bank of the river. Entrance is free.
There is a guard changing ceremony everyday at a full hour but its best at noon. In the Castle
Well, so after visiting these attractions and having a nice stroll in the well maintained royal gardens, it was time to go back to grab a quick bite of lunch and then take our luggage form the hotel and head back to our next destination – Vienna. We took the Eurolines bus from Prague to Vienna which was much cheaper than the train (just cost us 8 Eur per person) and cost an hour more, but we realised that this is indeed a good choice as the views on the way from Prague to Vienna are simply described in one word – Stunning. Larges expanses of farm, perfectly manicured gardens, small houses interspersed with trees shielding them, cows, sheep and goats grazing endlessly…everything is still enchanted in our memories.
More about Vienna in my next blog. Just a few words on how I plan my trips
1. Plan well in advance to get the best deals with flights, trains, hotels etc. Most European travel is a lot cheaper if you book well in advance. Also look out for discounts if you are travelling in group.
2. Refer articles on tripadvisor, wikitravel, rick steves guide and talk to friends to get a feel of the place you will be visiting.
3. Find good places which serve veggie food – very imp
4. Unless its not too expensive book hotels near the city centre. Ibis is a good option for me.
5. Don’t spend too much time on eating
6. Always be ready to accommodate something in the itinerary if it sounds exciting
7. Be ready to walk – a lot
Will definitely try and put photographs of our travel
So ya we continue our next day exploring the city of Prague. I should have mentioned this in my first blog, but nevertheless its never too late. Prague is not breathtakingly beautiful as Switzerland or monumentally spectacular as Paris or Rome. But still this city has a charm with its East European architecture, symbols of the war and communism, narrow cobbled streets, and the unusual landscape which makes you feel that there is something in the air which makes this city different.
So..here we continue. The next day started with the hot cup of chai latte from Starbucks located on the road leading to Wenceslas square in the new town area of Prague. It is one of the main city squares and named after saint Wenceslas. At the southeast end it is bounded by the imposing Czech National Museum. Tram 22 directly took us to the Prague Castle (stop Prazsky Hrad), our next destination. The information about this can be found on http://www.hrad.cz. Prague Castle has several monuments in its courtyard. Some of these attractions are ticket free. We took a the Prague Castle – Long tour ticket (350 CZK) which allows us access to most of the attractions. Below is a brief description
1. St. Vitus Cathedral – It is one of the most important cathedrals in the whole of Czech republic. Things not to miss inside the cathedral include the stained glass Rose Window in the west portal, the stained glass window by Alfons Mucha, the tomb of St. John of Nepomuk made of pure silver, the Royal Crypt underneath the cathedral. If you have the stamina climb the 257 steps to the Bell Tower to get stunning views of the city
2. Old Royal Palace - The original seat of Czech rulers. Visitors first enter the Vladislav hall, the largest high-Gothic vaulted space in Central Europe. Other rooms include the Palace chapel and throne room. At the end of the exhibit is "The Story of Prague Castle" exhibit, which features artefacts from the castle's past.
3. The Golden Lane – it’s a tiny cobblestoned walkway with bright houses. It is here where the goldsmiths lived during the rule of Rudolf II.
4. The Daliborka – An ancient prison and a torture house at the far end of the castle
5. St. George’s Basilica – Second ancient church in the castle
6. The Royal Garden - To the east/north-east of the palace is a large park. Aside from its own beauty, it has an excellent view of the east bank of the river. Entrance is free.
There is a guard changing ceremony everyday at a full hour but its best at noon. In the Castle
Well, so after visiting these attractions and having a nice stroll in the well maintained royal gardens, it was time to go back to grab a quick bite of lunch and then take our luggage form the hotel and head back to our next destination – Vienna. We took the Eurolines bus from Prague to Vienna which was much cheaper than the train (just cost us 8 Eur per person) and cost an hour more, but we realised that this is indeed a good choice as the views on the way from Prague to Vienna are simply described in one word – Stunning. Larges expanses of farm, perfectly manicured gardens, small houses interspersed with trees shielding them, cows, sheep and goats grazing endlessly…everything is still enchanted in our memories.
More about Vienna in my next blog. Just a few words on how I plan my trips
1. Plan well in advance to get the best deals with flights, trains, hotels etc. Most European travel is a lot cheaper if you book well in advance. Also look out for discounts if you are travelling in group.
2. Refer articles on tripadvisor, wikitravel, rick steves guide and talk to friends to get a feel of the place you will be visiting.
3. Find good places which serve veggie food – very imp
4. Unless its not too expensive book hotels near the city centre. Ibis is a good option for me.
5. Don’t spend too much time on eating
6. Always be ready to accommodate something in the itinerary if it sounds exciting
7. Be ready to walk – a lot
Will definitely try and put photographs of our travel
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