Today was a far more relaxing day as we enjoyed some of the gastronomic delights of Vienna.
We started in the old town by visiting the famous Cafe Central on Herrengasse for breakfast. Cafe Central is famous as the meeting spot for a who’s who of Austria – Josip Broz Tito, Sigmund Freud, Joseph Stalin, Hitler, and Trotsky all met there regularly. And it is beautiful inside.
We then took another long walk through the city, along Graben and Spiegelgasse, before catching the metro out to Belvedere, the palace of a cousin of the Hapsburgs, which is now used as an art museum. The highlight is the work of Gustav Klimt and the famous Kiss.
We were now ready for some lunch and relaxation. We had heard about the famous Austrian Heuriger, taverns where local winemakers distribute the new season wines.
We went to the Mauer district in the hills above Vienna. We started at Gabriele Prieschl. Inside there was a large number of people singing along to traditional ballads. We stayed outside in the garden where they had a television and a number of patrons were watching the World Cup first round games. We joined in and had a lovely lunch of schnitzel with some fruity local wine.
We then went up the road to Edlmoser Vineyard and Winery, a much larger establishment to enjoy another glass of wine.
It was a very relaxing afternoon after a hectic few days. We were now refreshed and ready to head toward Italy.