Friday 7 June 2013 - Vienna

The day started with a buffet breakfast at our hotel. We then checked out but stored our luggage at the hotel, this was the best plan as we were taking the train just 2 stops to visit Schloss Schönbrunn Palace and would have to come back to the station close to the Hotel to take a different train just 2 stops to Wien Meidling main line station to catch the train to Prague.

When we arrived at Schloss Schnönbrunn Palace we opted not to go inside for three reasons, 1.The tickets were a minimum of 19 € each  2.The palace is huge and we were limited with time, and 3.It was such a beautiful morning that a stroll around the gardens and grounds seemed best.

Now I was impressed with the building itself and the scale of it and the grounds and fountains are beautiful but I felt that some of the flower beds close to the palace lacked any real floral display, where is Alan Titchmarsh when he is needed, or maybe it was just too early in the season, but seriously the beds at the RHS Wisley, in my opinion, are way more dramatic with their choice of plants.

From the fabulous Neptune Well we walked up to the top of the hill to the "Gloriete" (little glory), this one is, apparently, the largest and most famous of all. It certainly is beautiful in its structure and from its location it commands a fantastic view back down to the palace with Vienna beyond looking like a theatrical backdrop,  absolutely stunning.

We took the path back through the woods and around more formal gardens and ornate fountains. A short walk from the palace and we were back at the station, 2 stops later and we were back at the hotel, we dropped by the local supermarket to get some "lunch on the go"' before collecting our bags and taking another train to Wien Meidling Station.

I checked with information and the good news was that the train to Prague was running. The platform at the Station was very busy due mainly to delayed and cancelled trains. The good news was that our train to Prague was on time, so we pulled out of the station and settled in to the 5 hour journey not knowing what we would find with aftermath following the floods.

Vienna is exactly what I had expected with grand opulent buildings and a very clean and efficient  underground railway network. The two half days that we had here were really not enough, but from what I have seen, I feel that this is a city that I shall return too, for a longer stay, so that I can see more of the sights and visit some of the museums. What we have had on this trip is merely a taster.