Vienna, hello and farewell

We first met Vienna 26 years ago and have been wanting to return; it is still my favourite European city- so cultured, elegant, calm and well organised. Walking in the rain the first day was not a pleasure so we slipped into the Albertina Art Gallery for a couple of warm, dry hours; what a treat, including some of the best still life’s I have seen (not my favourite genre).

Our apartment is just off the Ring, surrounded by cafes. With its space, 4 m ceilings and great view (below) it’s a good base and the 4 of us ate in the first night.

Day 2 was chilly but fine so we headed off for an 11km hike through the Vienna Woods and vineyards, and a visit to a local heurige (vineyard & food).

Heurige 1 was pretty but closed (they open mid afternoon) but Heurige 2 in Grinzing was open – Yay.

We sadly farewelled Sharon and Paul, who went on to London.

And then, our last day on this trip was finally warm, sunny and Vienna shone!

St Stephens Church

Zer Schön!

Sacher torte in Cafe Sacher

So grand!

Golden Strauss (and a waltzer)

So now, the final Prosecco, packing, a sleep, and the journey back home tomorrow. Au revoir Europe!

Still life with Prosecco

Danube Cycle trip: Part 2

We have now completed our Danube ride and happily returned the bikes, as well as getting into normal clothes and decent hairstyles for our days in Vienna.

The bike trip was a mixed experience. Some beautiful riding days but windy, one day when we looked out the window and put the bikes and us on the train (rainy) and the last day into Vienna that was cloudy but really easy riding.

Our favourite place was Bad Kreuzen, on top of a hill (we were transported up and down), where we stayed in a super modern chic hotel, attached to a castle where the restaurant was situated and the bikes stored in a wedding marquee. I would have happily stayed there longer and done some hiking.

Taking the bikes over the drawbridge to store them

View of Bad Kreuzen from hotel balcony

Other than that, lots of stretches of river, coffee stops and pretty towns:

The abbey in Melk

A cruise ship for those who like such things!

We were relieved to have made it (oh, and Lester and I both came off our bikes in different places and have some bruises but we are fine!)

So now, 3 days in Vienna before we fly out on Saturday, and it’s raining again! The weather has not been as good this year as last year.

Danube Cycle trip: Part 1

Passau on a grey day

After 2 chilly days enjoying beautiful Munich with friends Sharon and Paul, we moved on to Passau on the Danube where our next cycle tour began. This was just a day after 5 people had been killed by crossbow in Passau!

Passau is lovely but it was wet and bitterly cold so we spent a fair bit of time in a Brauhaus after collecting the bikes.

Bikes were stored in a hotel room – odd!

The first day’s cycling was chilly and damp but improved as the day went on. It was still beautiful- we cycled along the river all the way.

We spent the night up in a little village called St Agatha above the river.

Hotel in St Agatha

The second day was mild and sunny – great riding (but quite windy). Again we were right next to the beautiful river.

We are now in Linz and continue the journey tomorrow. The thing about cycling is that it is the day’s activity. All you need is dinner and you are done!

Oh, and a bath, if you are lucky!!

High on a Hill…..above Innsbruck

We are staying in an Airbnb apartment in a suburb of Innsbruck, and while it is not central, we haven’t seen any lonely goatherds. It’s a nice ‘hood’, a starting point for a network of hiking trails (see above) and a hub where cable car, Bahn and local bus connect so it’s easy to get around.

Entrance to Airbnb

Our neighbourhood

There is an uber-cool cafe (yep – Aperol Spritzes), where a friendly, dread-locked man/boy waiter who lived in Oz for 2 years wrote down his suggestions for walks for us.

Our local cafe – few mins walk

We did a couple, both involving significant climbs, but the reward was found at inns (“Alms”) at the top serving great Tyrolean food (the views weren’t shabby either). Here is one:

Then it was onto the cable cars to the top of the highest mountain (Nordkette) and it was snowing gently – just lovely!

Can’t help it – see snow, have to roll in it!

We loved Innsbruck and were lucky to have 3 beautiful days to enjoy it before the weather turned.

Swanning around Lake Garda

On the bus from Verona to Bardolino on Lake Garda, I had decided to call this post “Gold Coast on Garda” after we passed several “Worlds” on a very touristy strip. But Bardolino and the subsequent days changed that perception.

Our first afternoon in Bardolino was spent hanging out on the beautiful waterfront, sipping (you guessed it) Aperol Spritzes (as well as washing and food shopping):

And then things changed – the most atrocious storm came in with thunder, lightning, heavy rain and 45knot winds. We holed up in our Airbnb for a day (apart from an hour’s walk) and were very grateful:

a) we had a 4 roomed apartment with windows everywhere, warm, homely and with a lovely host downstairs

b) we had a stack of food and wine

c) for the first time in Italy we had a movie channel with movies in English so we could binge on “The Addams Family Movie” and “Chocolate”

d) we were not riding bikes

And then the weather cleared so we could spend 2 days riding ferries and buses and walking to beautiful places on Lake Garda:

Garda

Sirmione

Malcesine

Limone

More Malcesine

and then we returned to Bardolino to sit on our balcony

So that’s it back in Italian Italy. Tomorrow it’s Verona and then we head back North again.

Cycling Dolomites to Lake Garda: Days 4-6

Day 5 ride: Bolzano to Trento

Day 4 of our cycling program was a 40 min train trip (with bikes) from Bolzano to Merano.

Did I say we loved Bolzano? Well Merano is an absolute winner too! A beautiful mediaeval town in a magnificent mountain and river setting, and on a perfect spring day many people were out enjoying the sunshine on the river or in cafes:

The 40km ride back was to be through vineyards and villages but it was way too complicated so we opted for the sign posted ride along the river – bit boring, although we did get passed by a one-legged cyclist!

Day 5 I was nervous about – 70km and the furthest I have ridden was 60km. However it was a beautiful, gentle downhill ride along the river from Bolzano to Trento, so apart from some incorrect directions in our maps, it was fine.

It was Market day in one little town- talk about super-cheeses (almost obscene)!We stopped for a fresh apple juice at a little stall and the owner gave us apples. Nice lunch.

And pleasant scenery:

We were booked into the Grand Hotel Trento – a most unexpected treat, and it is indeed grand:

Day 6 was the whimper, rather than the bang. We were to ride 50km from Trento to Riva del Garda, drop off bikes, pick up luggage then get 2 buses to Bardolino further down Lake Garda. It was always going to be a day where things could go wrong!

Then we discovered there is a huge 3 day bike festival on in Riva, so we were worried that parts of the bike path there would be blocked off. So we decided to cancel the day’s ride and get train and bus to Bardolino. Last bike pic for now:

Lake Garda here we come- just not on bikes. Oh well.

Cycling Dolomites to Lake Garda: Days 1-3

One thing we have learned about cycling trips, especially this time of the year, is that weather usually impacts at least one day.

This time it was day 1! We were to be transported further up from Brixen to Torbech and then ride down river to Bruneck. But Torbech had 30cm of snow and the path was closed. Instead we were taken to Bruneck where we cycled a way up river and back just to get our legs into cycling mode.

Day 2 we rode from Bruneck to Chiusa, 60km and it was quite tough – more ups than we like! It was pretty, with the covered bridge below being the most interesting feature:

Day 3 was splendid – a beautiful 30km downhill ride along the river on a glorious May Day holiday:

There were many cyclists out. The leisure cyclists (that’s us) are a friendly lot. The serious cyclists are too busy looking buffed and sleek and going fast to be friendly.

Then we arrived in one of our absolute favourite places – Bolzano. There was a Spring market on and plenty of pop up bars and food stalls. I’d say most of Bolzano’s 21000 population turn up to buy their spring flowers and veggies to plant. Of course Aperol was essential again.

And our hotel has a discreet sunny balcony – perfect for airing the cycling gear (I won’t post the photo of that coz Facebook will probably use it as the key photo!!).

Our bike tour is with Fun Active tours and we are very impressed with quality of bikes, equipment, hotels, communication. Probably the best yet. We booked through a broker, Rad&Reisen, in Vienna and they have also been excellent.

South Tyrol: Brixen

We travelled a bit further north to get here – and are now about to turn around and go back down south again – but this time on a bike for a week.

Brixen/Bressanone (everything here has a German and a French name) is a very attractive town of 21,000 people so is vibrant and has good services. This is the view from our hotel balcony yesterday:

Today is much colder and the top half of that mountain has snow on it!

Entry to town across road from our hotel

Amazing Cathedral

The town is in a valley so you can climb up either side for some splendid hiking:

Vineyards and apple orchards

Lunch spot on a sunny rock

My mother’s name was Elva

G’day and God Bless in the village of Elvas

We were around to see confirmation day – kids process into the cathedral led by the local band (no oompah!) and followed by their very dressed up parents. Then extended families head of to restaurants for lunch. Here is one (this was on our second hike):

Still life with Aperol

Part of the walk was on a contemplative trail:

So that’s Brixen!

And we have just heard that our first day’s cycling tomorrow has been changed because the bike trail up higher is blocked by snow☃️❄️

South Tyrol: Chiusa, and the difference between a walk and a hike.

We travelled to Chiusa by bus. We came here partly because it’s a bit further North and the hiking is plentiful.

We are still incredulous at the narrow, winding, high roads that big buses traverse here. Adelaide bus drivers have it easy. This photo gives some idea – you can see the roads snaking around:

Chiusa is a pretty mediaeval village but doesn’t have the wow factor that we have seen elsewhere, but the surrounding area is beautiful.

Which brings us to walking and hiking. There are elements in common and a walk can be quite substantial and attractive and interesting, but here we did 2 hikes; the features are:

1. You can get to the beginning on a bus, saving some hard work up.

2.There is cafe at the beginning for a heart starter coffee and some cake:

3.The terrain is varied, interesting and challenging, but not too scary or frustrating.

4. There’s a splendid spot for lunch

5. The walk has great features/vistas:

That was the Day 1 hike.

Day 2 was similar but we went out for breakfast so had 5 shots of coffee then and stole cake from the buffet, so 2 was covered, as was 1.

3. The terrain

4. Lunch

5.Features/views

Now we need a rest!

Dolomites: Last 2 days in Ortisei

Easter Sunday and Monday were delightful.

Sunday – Church just around the corner in the morning followed by an Aperol at our favourite cafe:

Then in the evening a 4km Walk to St Cristina for a concert of Scandinavian sacred music (70 singers, 15 or so orchestra):

Monday was a holiday so we did a splendid loop walk to St Jacob’s church high up on the slopes above Ortisei/St Christina. It was a walk with some great features:

The loveliest church in a superb setting:

and a beautiful little cemetery where we spent time chatting to a local man and his mother who were tidying the family grave and ‘visiting’ relatives.

Two days of travel treasures!