The Vienna State Opera is perhaps the most iconic building in the Austrian capital. The Neo-Renaissance Opera House was the first major structure on Vienna’s Ringstrasse. Construction began in 1861 and was completed in 1869. Interestingly, the building was not initially popular with Viennese. Sentiment changed, however, when it suffered substantial damage from Allied bombing … Read more
Feldkirch, Austria. I’d never heard of it and had no plans to visit. I ended up in this sub-Alpine village for one reason only; it was the easiest and least expensive way to visit Liechtenstein. Not knowing how long that would take I booked two nights, but by the end of the first day, I’d … Read more
Just a short walk from the historic center of Feldkirch, the Heiligkreuz Bridge leads to these “Im Kehr” listed houses. Built atop a rocky outcropping, they perch precariously over the torrential River Ill. Lest you think I exaggerate, one of the houses plunged into the river on Easter Sunday in 1965. Fortunately, no one was … Read more
Historic St. Johann Church anchors one end of Marktplatz in the medieval Old Town of Feldkirch, Austria. The devil is said to have dragged Faust through the skylight and down to hell from this church. A fresh market sprouts up on Marketplatz every Tuesday and Saturday morning. Additionally, the street hosts a wine festival during … Read more
Typical cobblestone street in Krems an der Donau, a small town on the Danube River at the eastern end of Wachau valley in southern Austria. One of the many gorgeous sights seen during my Grand European Tour with Viking River Cruises.
