Four days in Vienna with kids (by Robert)

[caption id="attachment_3799" align="alignnone" width="1200"] View of the Stephansdom, which was two minutes from our hotel![/caption]

Mum, Grandpa and I went on a four night trip to Austria. Grandpa was born in Vienna, but had to leave in 1939 when he was very young, and he was taking me there to show me some of our family history.

The plane journey was comfortable and short leaving us plenty of time to check in to our hotel and check out the local area. We stayed in the Hotel Royal, a lovely building that had everything we needed (except for an English TV). It’s situated right in the middle of Vienna meaning we didn’t have many long journeys. It was really easy to walk every where and we were just a few minutes from the Stefansdom (St Stephen's Cathedral) which is a real Viennese landmark.

[caption id="attachment_3800" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Traditional dumplings at Huth Gastwirtschaft[/caption]

We went to Huth Gastwirtshacft , which is a traditional Viennese restaurant, for dinner, and a few drinks as well, and sampled some of the biggest pasta (or dumplings) I have ever seen. They only gave us three pieces but it was more than enough. All the staff were really friendly and the food was very nice. It all seemed very Austrian too.

Day one:

After a filling breakfast of croissants and yoghurt we set out on a tour of Vienna. Our tour guide was Brigitte Timmermann who showed us loads of cool and interesting things. I personally liked the Monument Against War and Fascism, which was made up of four monuments, dedicated to different types of people who suffered from the Second World War.  It is behind Vienna’s opera house, on the Albertinaplatz.

[caption id="attachment_3805" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Part of the memorial against Fascism[/caption]

I also found the archives at the DOW (Documentation of Austrian Resistance) really interesting and it is definitely worth going there and looking at the small exhibition about what happened around the war years. We saw one of the voting cards for the referendum for whether Austria should join Germany under Hitler and it was amazing to see how the “Ja” (yes) was a really big circle and the “nein” very small.  I also loved the view of the city from up high.

[caption id="attachment_3811" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We had lots of delicious cake and hot chocolate in Vienna![/caption]

You may or may not know that Mozart spent many years in Vienna, so there were plenty of shops and buildings dedicated to the composer. After a long time walking we went to have lunch, at Café Mozart. The food served there was great. I had a large portion of crispy fish and chips, heated lemonade (which was really nice) and for dessert a small creamy cake… and half a portion of pancakes! This was probably my favourite restaurant that we went to, so I would recommend going.

Next, we went to the Clock Museum, three whole floors of clocks, watches and sundials. Each room explained how time-telling machines had evolved over time. Although there were some very cool clocks I personally found the museum quite boring but my sister liked it when she went a few years ago.

After we went to synagogue, we had Friday-night dinner at Alef Alef, which is a kosher restaurant. To be honest it was more of a feast. Our table was already covered in bowls and dishes when we sat down and that was only the first course. We were then provided with chicken soup, salmon and vegetables before we even got onto the main course. We had the option of schnitzel or chicken, I picked the schnitzel which turned out to be a very good choice. Dessert was a pudding smothered in sauce but I was too full up to eat any of it!

DAY TWO:

[caption id="attachment_3806" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Outside Time-Travel[/caption]

This was my favourite day of the holiday as it was jam-packed with loads of cool things. First we went to Time Travel which was a bit like the London dungeons (but without being as scary). We were given audio guides that played exactly in time with the tour guide speaking in German -  this was really clever. The experience included a 5D ride where you travel through time, a show about the Habsburg family and a music-off between Mozart and Strauss. There was also a ride that took you on a Viennese waltz, a section where you find out what it was like to be in an air raid shelter during the war and a tour of Vienna on a flying horse. I loved Time-Travel and would definitely recommend it if you go to Vienna with kids. Our hotel also had vouchers for 20 per cent off, so you should look for these in yours!

[caption id="attachment_3807" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Robert loved the horse and carriage[/caption]

We then went on a 20 minute horse and carriage ride. It was really fun, cosy and exciting and was a really cool thing to do even if it only took a short amount of time.

My great grandparents lived and ran a cinema in Vienna before World War II came along and mucked everything up. It felt really special going into the cinema called the Admiral Kino. I particularly liked the cinema’s old fashioned style which made me think that it hadn’t changed that much since my family had run it. The cinema was beautiful and I loved visiting it. You should definitely go if you are in Vienna.

[caption id="attachment_3808" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The Admiral Kino - the cinema once run by our family[/caption]

The final thing we did was going to the operetta, a light opera, at the Volksoper. We saw the Circus Princess, a lively performance telling the story of love, betrayal and a horse rider called Mr X. The theatre provided the audience with English subtitles on a screen which was very helpful. I really enjoyed going to the operetta as the show was funny and clever at the same time.

[caption id="attachment_3809" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Outside the Volksoper[/caption]

Day three

We visited two different Jewish museums, one explaining the history of the Jews in Austria from Medieval times, and the other displaying people’s stories and objects. I personally liked the latter more become there was a more personal feel. For more on these museums read mum’s post as she explains it in more detail.

Next on the agenda was taking a trip to the Prater which is a large theme park. The Prater is most famous for the Wiener Riesenrad Ferris wheel, which we obviously went on. Like the London Eye it slowly takes you on a vertical circuit giving you plenty of time to take pictures and look at the views. I really enjoyed going on the wheel and couldn’t resist going on some of the other rides too.

[caption id="attachment_3815" align="alignnone" width="675"] By the Ferris Wheel at the Prater[/caption]

Finally we visited Schönbrunn Palace, a beautiful building where the previous leaders of Austria had lived. We had the option of a longer, more detailed tour or a quicker one so we picked the latter as the palace was to close in half an hour. The audio guide was really interesting and I learnt a lot. The gardens were also very beautiful.

Day four

[caption id="attachment_3802" align="alignnone" width="1200"] These stairs were musical keys![/caption]

On Monday we went to the Haus der Musik which was a brilliant museum, all about sound, starting with a staircase which had steps which played musical notes. While we were there we created our own tunes, conducted the Vienna Philarmonic and more. This is a place which families will really love if they come to Vienna and I am going to write more on it in a later post.

Overall I had a brilliant holiday, there was so much to do, and eat. There were so many chocolate shops and bakeries as well as museums, monuments and theatres. I had a great time and can say that there is something for all ages. I also felt very lucky to find out more about my family's history.

[caption id="attachment_3813" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Robert and Grandpa enjoyed a cake at the famous Demel Cafe[/caption]

We had help from the Vienna Tourist Board while planning our trip, as well as the use of a Vienna Card, which gives you free travel and money off attractions in the city. 

Read the Five Things You Must Do in Vienna, by Jessica (and they are not all the ones mentioned here......)

London from up high at the London Eye

London is (in my unbiased opinion as a life-long Londoner) one of the most wonderful cities in the world. It is both beautiful and liveable, and full of so many things to do and see.

I’m often taken by how many ways there are to enjoy the sights of London, on tours by foot, bus, taxi, or boat. I think it’s particularly enjoyable to see cities from up high and we have enjoyed London’s views from The Shard and the top of the Monument among other landmarks. We would also recommend climbing to the summit of Primrose Hill for a free way to see the city in all its glory.

[caption id="attachment_1528" align="alignnone" width="940"] It was a beautiful day when we went - we were very lucky![/caption]

But although he had been to all of those places, Robert had long aspired to a visit to the London Eye (or to give it its full name, the Coca Cola London Eye). I wasn’t sure if we needed to see those same views of The Thames and Westminster again, but I’m glad to say that I was wrong. We loved our trip on the Eye, and I think that’s because of its extra-special ingredient: it moves.

The London Eye is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, one of my favourite places to frequent, as you can have a great walk here, going past the South Bank Centre and the National Theatre, past Gabriel’s Wharf, and on under Blackfriar’s Bridge, past the Globe Theatre and Tate Modern until you come to Borough Market and London Bridge (and the Golden Hind, the Clink and more). You will really see a lot of London this way and of course you can stop on the way. It’s quite a lengthy stroll.

But back to the Eye. The South Bank is both lovely, and extremely busy, especially around the area where the Eye is situated. This is partly because it’s also very near the Aquarium, London Dungeons and Westminster (just across the river). It’s also right by Jubilee Gardens, a lovely children’s playground, which is perfect for running off steam afterwards. And there are lots of places to eat nearby.

As it is, let’s be honest, what is politely known as a “tourist trap”, there are always queues, so think about booking your tickets in advance, not least because you will often find online offers which may make it more palatable. The only problem with this is that you might end up with bad weather. You could also buy a fasttrack ticket to bypass most of the queue. However, this will cost you £9 more person. You may also find other 2 for 1 offers if you look around (if you go online, there are various sites which offer money off vouchers, so it’s worth taking a look). The queues are not always mad though, especially if you go outwith peak times (so early or late).

The Eye is not cheap. However, I do think it is worth it. It stands 137m high (it's the fifth highest structure in London) and gives you views of around 25 miles. Tickets are sold in half hour slots starting from 10am.

We were blessed with gorgeous weather when we went. We didn’t have to wait for long and climbed into our pod with around 20 other people. The capsules are beautifully designed and there is a definite sense of space in them. You can walk around easily and see all the different viewpoints without much trouble. The pods (or gondolas as they are supposed to be known) also contain a number of iPads which tell you which buildings are which, and the kids on our journey particularly loved these (probably because they soon got enough of the views).

[caption id="attachment_1530" align="alignnone" width="940"] Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament[/caption]

However, we loved the sights, even the ones of Westminster and Big Ben (again). It was particularly enjoyable going up and suddenly seeing The Shard, which had been hidden behind other buildings until we got high enough. We also saw Buckingham Palace and the guards at Horseguards Parade at one point. Then it was fun going down again and realising you couldn’t see everything anymore! We also saw buildings as far away as Wembley Stadium

[caption id="attachment_1531" align="alignnone" width="940"] The guards[/caption]

The “journey” on the London Eye is quite quick – just half an hour (which means you will have to have plans for afterwards). It’s not fast (you need to warn any thrill seeking children of this) but it is fun.

After our trip we went into the visitor centre to watch the 4D adventure and I have to say we were pleasantly surprised. It showed you a pigeon’s eye view of London (!) and made me really proud of my home city. The effects were pretty cool too, even though it only lasted five minutes.

[caption id="attachment_1532" align="alignnone" width="940"] Standing outside a pod after our visit[/caption]

All in all, we really enjoyed our trip. We know that people will have gripes because it’s not cheap and it doesn’t last for that long. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth it if you want a terrific way to see London - from a different perspective.

The London Eye costs £23 for adults (this means 16+) and £17 for kids if booked online (under 4s are free). It’s open every day until 9.30pm, and also open late on Friday evenings during the summer (until 11.30pm, which sounds like fun). It’s located by County Hall, London SE1 (right by The Thames).

The nearest tube stations are Westminster and Waterloo.

Read about our trip up the Monument to the Fire of London

Read about our Harry Potter London walking tour