I’ll start putting an itinerary together with a lot of the suggestions.

Jack I’m waiting on you for Budapest.

Good views of the city.

But that was nearly 20 years ago and we had some time to spare.

Can’t write something up now but hope to later.

Put it this way - my wife and I were there four days and still didn’t get enough time to see everything we wanted to, and not small things either. Have to go back!

Watch this space.

Takes you down into the sewers, etc. I couldn't convince the girls to do it. Maybe next time.

I went to the Prater but somehow failed to ride the Ferris wheel, so you're giving this Graham Greene fan some serious regrets about how he spent his time in Vienna.

The moral of the story is that international travel is wasted on the young, stupid, drunk, and broke.

It might be my favorite movie.

Follow it up with Before Sunset, just because. But I'd avoid Before Midnight anytime before this trip.

And then reenact the movie with your wife. Sounds like you could even arrange to start the whole experience on a train from Budapest. Perfect.

It'll be like when Phil and Carol Dunphy meet at the bar every year, only international.

stellar reviews too:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/x5jBHG9jY4MhEgSP6

When we visited it had just opened a few months before. Again, not worth a trip across town, but there are great restaurants in that neck of the woods, and it would be a good stop pre- or post-meal.

tour link:

https://www.viator.com/tours/Vienna/Vienna-City-Historical-Walking-Tour/d454-46089P4?dd...

posted a little bit about it here:

https://bluegraysky.com/forum/index.php?mode=thread&id=558668

- No text -

On the major sights, I don't think you can go wrong just following a basic Rick Steves itinerary and hit the highlights. It is one of those cities like Paris where simply strolling around is amazing all by itself. Walk the old town inside Ringstrasse and see the Hofburg, St. Stephen's, the Opera house, the Schloss Belvedere (and gardens). A bus ride to the burbs is the Schönbrunn Palace, basically the Versailles for the Hapsburgs, worth a visit. For art you've got the venerable Kunsthistorisches museum, full of all the classics, and the Albertina, which runs more modernist/impressionist, and the gallery in the Belvedere, smaller in scope but has most of the big Klimts, etc.

The museum of military history is one of my favorites in Europe. It's a little dusty but it's got an amazing collection of artifacts, from medieval suits of armor right up to the actual open-top car Franz Ferdinand was riding in when he got assassinated, complete with bullet holes in the side.

Since you're in Vienna you should probably seek out some classical music. There will be concerts and performances all over town every day of the week. The two big venues are the Opera and the Musikverein (home of the phil) but there are other venues all over, including the Hofburg itself. If you hit the Musikverein be aware that some of the performances are definitely "tourist grade", with costumed players in wigs and audiences full of bus tours. The orchestras and music are still world class, but if you are a superfan seek out performances by the actual Phil at the same venue.

A couple of things to skip: don't need to see the Spanish Riding School (overpriced, long, bad sightlines). The Prater amusement park and famous ferris wheel is skippable (unless you're a huge Third Man fan.) Cafe Demel is the most famous Viennese coffee and dessert place, but not worth waiting an hour for a table. Instead pop into the shop and get some take away confections. There are scores of other spots for good coffee and sacher torte.

Speaking of eats and drinks, another cool spot near the Schloss Belvedere is an outdoor bierstube/cafe, Stöckl im Park. Great setting. If you are going to the Belvedere art museum this is a cool spot for snacks/drinks afterwards.

When we were there last year we stayed in an apartment a little bit west of the ring strasse, and discovered a very cool locals cafe, Café Kreuzberg. I don't think it is worth a journey across the city, but if you are in the area it is very cool. That is sort of the hipster part of town and it is full of Vienna locals. There is a tiny but awesome cocktail bar sort of across the street, Saint George Cocktail Bar, run by a Greek couple. It has only been open for under a year but it was fantastic too.

Finally, if you're there for an extra day, there are a series of wine heurigers among the vineyards just north of the city in the area around Grinzing, etc. Weinhof Zimmermann in Neustift is one example but there are dozens. This is classic Vienna. Up above Neustift and Grizing and Heiligenstadt are the vineyards themselves, with great views of the city and little wine huts open seasonally. Fridays and Saturdays these places will be filled with locals having wines at sunset and picnic snacks. Bring cash as most of these places do not take cards. Some are just huts right between the vines, accessible only by foot. Google Monte Nucum Buschenschank as an example, but there are lots. But even if you don't want to walk up into the hills, there are great wine bars/restaurants scattered throughout that area, often with open courtyards and biergartens (Zum Renner as a favorite example).

next pair to fill it as they drink the beer?

They drain the tub between beer spas. Our group of 10 was able to book the whole thing for a while and we were debating it and our friend said “come on: we are obviously going to do it.” And we did and it was hilarious and awesome

Cause with all the beer you can drink, it sounds like it's hot pee.

It’s got everything. Bars, derelict pool infrastructure, hot springs, a beer spa (what’s that?) oh it’s this thing where 2 people sit in a small tub filled with hot water and hops and drink as much beer as they can from the keg tap next to them in 40 minutes.

Also go to the ruin bars.

We also took a city tour on these motor scooters and it rules.

Maybe go see Vasas play soccer. It costs basically nothing to get a skybox.

Any of the Nazi era walking tours are very interesting. Vienna was a hot bed of anti-semitism like almost no other place in Europe.
The city is now one of the absolute jewels of Europe and I’d spend as much time there as you can.

- No text -

“Hitler’s Vienna”. I’ll get the link for you.

So much to see and do in that city — will get some notes together.

- No text -

Going to take a couple weeks and visit these three cities. Know next to nothing about them. Any must visit attractions? Wife loves museums and architecture, we both love food and experiences. You lot are well traveled and I trust your opinions.