Vienna Tours Private Sightseeing. Can a mere a print guide ever replace a knowledgeable and passionate private guide? To help connect you with professionals I have put together the best small group and private tours for you to screen.
Claudia's Walks
Vienna Tours Private Sightseeing. Mass processed tours are a red rag to guides like Claudia. When receiving enquiries about a private walking tour through Vienna she will simply ask: "Tell me roughly what kind of things you are interested in and I will show you." During her private walks Claudia weaves historical context and present day insights together to create the multi coloured fabric that locals call Wien: from the Celts and Romans to the Vienna's obsession with music and opera, its baroque architecture and key celebrities from Empress Maria Theresa to Sigmund Freud and Falco.
Whatever you throw at her she will return more: A standard orientation tour through the center will always include interesting twists; a neighbourhood tour through boho districts will end up in places you never thought existed in Wien; a day out at the Danube valley of Wachau, where she grew up, will plant its way of life - along with food and fine - in her guests' hearts. Learn more about Claudia's walks.
All of Vienna Sightseeing Tour
Vienna Tours Private Sightseeing. Definitely one of the most efficient yet fun private day tours and great if your time in Wien is limited.
To kick off the 8-hour tour your guide will take you on a 4-hour ride in a chauffeur-driven vehicle. First, you will cruise past all the key monuments on Ringstraße, like the State Opera House, Museum of Fine Art, and City Hall. Then, swing by the Museumsquartier to soak up some of the city's thriving cultural vibe. After that, you will cruise through the historic Prater Park, catching views of modern Vienna up north by the River Danube.
On the way to Schönbrunn Palace and its lush gardens you will pass by St. Charles Church and the lively Naschmarkt.
Feel free to hit the brakes whenever you feel like it. That said, the Imperial Apartments at Schönbrunn Palace and a lowdown on Viennese Court life will be worth it. Or maybe you are up for checking out the biggest collection of Gustav Klimt's paintings at the Upper Belvedere Palace. Lunch isn't on the guide, but they can sort out reservations ahead of time.
In the afternoon your guide and you will take a 2-hour stroll through Vienna's Old Town. You will wander past the Gothic marvel of St. Stephen's Cathedral, down some narrow streets to find those hidden courtyards, and maybe even track down where Mozart penned 'The Marriage of Figaro'.
To wrap things up do check out the courtyards of Hofburg Palace and the Spanish Riding School. At the State Opera House, Hotel Sacher, and Vienna's Monument against War and Fascism you can call it a day. Find out more.
Private Limousine / Luxury Van Tour
Vienna Tours Private Sightseeing. Not everyone is blessed with a pair of legs that walk 15 km a day without wear and tear.
Before you succumb to a tourist coach, consider hiring a private guide who drives you around. Alongside, you will hear insightful stories about the city. It is like your private hop-on hop-off tour. You call the shots or get a menu of key landmarks to see. Do use this opportunity to also venture beyond the centre to Schönbrunn Palace, visit Hundertwasserhaus, River Danube and Ferris Wheel. More about the tour.
Vienna Jewish Tour
Vienna Tours Private Sightseeing. Are part of your roots in Jewish Vienna? Would you like to visit old and contemporary places that celebrate Jewish art and culture and commemorate its heritage and history of the town?
During this private tour, we started off at the amazing Jewish Museum, followed by exploring the top Jewish sites across the city center. If I had wanted, my guide would have helped me source the house where my Jewish uncle’s family lived in Vienna. In fact, a few specialist private guides will put you in the right direction when doing ancestral search in Wien.
If you can spare an extra hour don't miss a walk through former Jewish quarter Leopoldstadt. Find out more.
Music Tour Vienna
Vienna Tours Private Sightseeing. On this insider tour, fans of classical music connect with a professional music and theater connoisseur.
What I most enjoyed was exploring the historic center through the lense of a classical music fan. Because music played such a powerful role during the Habsburgs’ reign, the city is packed with references - you just need to know where to find them. Besides the sightseeing, talking to my guide about his life as a costume and stage designer in Vienna connected the musical history with today’s theatrical scene.
Definitely, since then, listening to Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn and Vivaldi has got a distinctive Viennese touch. Read the story about my music tour.
Touring A Hidden Art Nouveau Gem
Vienna Tours Private Sightseeing. "It was absolutely PHENOMENAL! It was one of the great architectural experiences of our lives, on a par with the Taj Mahal. Walter was wonderful and very sympathetic. And the hospital was very moving, as you know." (David S., December 2018) Many of my clients find so much better words than me when describing their tour experience.
In fact, while Otto Wagner's Art Nouveau church and hospital may not invoke the Taj Mahal with each visitor they always leave a deep impression. Find out more about my guided tour of the Otto Wagner church and Steinhof compound with Claudia.
Vienna Art Wine Tour
Vienna Tours Private Sightseeing. Does surrounding yourself with art treasures on a historic winery estate sound like time well spent? It did to me when I headed for Klosterneuburg monastery. Located just outside Vienna, Stift Klosterneuburg hosts Austria’s oldest wine cellar that has been producing its own wines for 900 years. Besides touring the cellar, you can participate in wine tastings.
To explore the monastery I joined private tour guide Regina, a Klosterneuburg local and site expert. Find out more in my review of her Vienna Art Wine Tour.
Sigmund Freud And The World Of Yesterday
Vienna Tours Private Sightseeing. Some travellers join local guide Gertrude's tour because they like Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis (remember David Cronenberg's blockbuster A Dangerous Method). And some travellers are simply after sites and stories about Vienna 1900 and the 'World Of Yesterday' (Stefan Zweig).
The tour follows Freud's footsteps when he lived and worked in the city for almost half a century. You will visit many places with a reference to Freud, including the Sigmund Freud Museum. What I liked most about the tour were the many stories about Freud's contemporaries, including Empress Sisi, Emperor Francis Joseph, and Gustav Klimt.
Read my review of this tour and the Sigmund Freud museum.
Imperial Vienna Tour
Vienna Tours Private Sightseeing. Vienna tours private sightseeing: The Habsburgs left obvious traces such as their two local palaces. However, there are dozens of other Imperial puzzle pieces that are easily passed (they don’t carry signs…). During an Imperial Vienna Tour, you will learn where the Emperors got married, how they displayed their power, what books meant to them, where their families lived, and who works in some of their rooms today.
A local tour guide took me on a private tour to finetune my insight on Imperial Vienna, and Central European history. Learn more about the Imperial Vienna tour.
Secret Vienna Tour
Vienna Tours Private Sightseeing. What is it like to see Vienna backstage? Stepping into 18th-century courtyards, turning into alleyways with signs and inscriptions, and listening to 'backstage stories' about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and other famous Viennese?
When I went on my own discovery I found a few courtyards, though missed out on the stories behind them. But it was marvellous when accompanied by a lovely private guide. Find out more about the Secret Vienna Tour I joined.
Private Wine Tasting Tour Through Wachau Valley
Venturing out to the countryside while on a city break usually means extra logistics: You will either have to prepare your own route or accept large tour groups. Unless you join private small group tours, like I did: I went for two wine tasting trips to Wachau Valley, a super comfortable one in a mini-van, and an active one by bike. The bike tour was a little more crowded but still enjoyable. In all, the tours made it easy to connect with fellow travellers and share your experiences on the way. Venturing through this romantic valley in a small group also opened up ways and views we wouldn't otherwise have been able to see.
Find out more about my Wachau Valley tour by minivan and my Wachau tour by bike.
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