TWO CENTER, VIENNA AND BRATISLAVA IN ONE WEEKEND

Taking advantage of Ryanair’s new service from Birmingham to Bratislava I flew out there on the last Saturday in January. I used their transport coach to Vienna which took just over an hour crossing via the border into Austria. The Hilton Hotel Vienna is a Metro ride from the coach station and well placed in the city center within walking distance of Vienna Cathedral and the main square.

Temperatures were down to -11C with the feeder canal to the River Danube frozen solid. I used the vintage Vienna Ring Tram which circled the old town on the Ringstrasse Line for sightseeing using their headsets in English, this took just under one hour. Then off to the Vienna State Opera for their lunchtime tour, again one hour, lovely old building. A must is the Old Giant Ferris Wheel giving marvelous views of Vienna’s skyline. Lastly close to the Cathedral we went to ‘Time Travel Vienna’ and exhibit which takes you through 2000 years of Viennese history including a 5D cinema, animatronics and special effects.

After two nights we took the train from Vienna to Bratislava journey time 50 minutes. Situated on the banks of the River Danube in Slovakia we were greeted by plenty of snow as we explored Bratislava Old Town and the castle. Interesting place with cobbled streets and old trams and there own Opera House.