New Year in

Tour Information New Year in Venice

TOUR INFORMATION

You are travelling to Europe – a wonderful assembly of diverse countries that have, over hundreds of years, evolved and formulated their individual and often unique customs, styles and quirkiness. We want to (and sometimes have to) fit into the region’s natural patterns and irregularities. Much will appear so very different from ‘home’ – and surely it is exactly those very differences that inspired you to go there in the first place!

To help you, the following pages contains additional information specific to your tour including brief introductory information regarding the major sites and regions you will be visiting.

We would like to wish you a wonderful trip through Europe and a safe return home.

Best wishes and Merry Christmas from the Albatross Team

New Year in Venice

Please see below a light overview of some of the regions and towns you will be visiting.

Milan Famous for football and fashion, the La Scala Opera House, Galleria Vittorio Emmanuel the incredible gothic cathedral (Duomo) and shopping in Armani, Versace, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci flagship stores on Via Montenapoleone, part of the Quadrilatero d’Oro (Golden Quad).

Powerhouse of , trend-setting shopping capital, and scene of Europe's most important modern furniture fair, Milan (Milano) has much to recommend it. Milan has a wide range of important art galleries, museums, and churches including the extravagantly pinnacled Duomo , the Brera Gallery (containing works by Italian artists of the 14th to 20th centuries), and the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana (with works by Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio, and Raphael). In addition, Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper dominates the Dominican monastery refectory next to the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie.

Milan is also the world capital of furniture and homewares (the beanbag is a Milanese brainchild), and a hub for risk-taking contemporary art.

Verona The UNESCO World Heritage city of Verona is set along the Adige River and not far from the eastern bank of Lake Garda. Originally the Roman Forum, the Piazza delle Erba which is located in the heart of Verona’s historic centre is a good place to start for anyone visiting Verona or to just stop and have a coffee. Positioned just outside the Piazza delle Erba, also lies the Lamberti Tower rising 84 metres above Verona giving visitors fantastic views of the city and beyond.

Verona boasts numerous buildings of historic and artistic value. Shakespeare set three of his plays in this beautiful town – Romeo and Juliet, The Two Gentlemen of Verona and The Taming of the Shrew. One of the most visited sites is Juliet’s balcony with letters on the wall from people visiting from all over the world.

Maybe pay a visit to Dante in the Piazza dei Signori, take in the impressive Roman Arena built in the 1st century or wander through Castelvecchio (meaning ‘Old Castle’); a 14 th century medieval complex. Castelvecchio is occupied by one of the most interesting art collections in Europe with several towers and a brick bridge crossing to enjoy views of this medieval city up the Adige River.

Venice Descending to the Po Valley we visit ‘Venezia’ (Venice) – arguably one of the most romantic cities in the world. During your free time make sure you meander through the myriad of narrow, water lined streets and alleys spanned by humped back bridges. Beyond the city, there are the islands (Murano, Burano, and Torcello) where the pace of life is slower

Judging by its elegant beauty and historic charm, it's not hard to see why Venice has such a romantic appeal. Having been the inspiration behind many great works of art and literature from Shakespeare to TS Eliot, it's also home to what's widely perceived as the most romantic method of travel, the gondola. Venice, the way it is meant to be seen! Built on a cluster of 118 islands and split into the six districts of Cannaregio, San Polo, Dorsoduro, Santa Croce, San Marco and Castello, the inevitable way of exploring Venice's narrow walkways, network of winding canals and some 400 bridges is by foot and gondola. Standing in sweeping St Marc's Square, otherwise known as the 'drawing room of Europe' (possibly for the fact that people gather here in large numbers), has to be a high point. From here, admire St Marc's Basilica, Venice's spectacular Byzantine church, plus the equally grand Doge's Palace.

Venice would not be complete without appreciating the scene from Rialto Bridge spanning the Grand Canal, Venice's largest waterway. Look out for world-renowned Venetian glass, masks and lace, or take a side-seat at some of the wonderful cafes and restaurants.

Lake Bled Lake Bled is 460 metres (1,500 feet) above sea level and offers a magnificent view of the Julian Alps. St Mary's church, with a rich baroque interior, stands on a tiny island. Originally the site was associated with Siva, the Slav goddess of love, but in Christian times it became a place of pilgrimage.

Bled Castle (Blejski grad) stands in a scenic position on a hill overlooking Lake Bled. The castle dates from the early Middle Ages, although it was rebuilt in the 16th and 17th centuries and was extensively restored after World War II. The rare gothic fortifications are intact, as is a remarkable 16 th century chapel with frescoes added around 1700.

Ljublijana Means ‘beloved’ in Slovene. Retaining the charm and warmth of a small town, it is literally filled to capacity with Baroque churches, palaces, museums and quaint bridges traversing the canals and rivers. Pedestrian areas in the historic Old Town overflow with cafe tables and street entertainers.

Slovenia's capital, dominated by Castle, has an old centre featuring the baroque Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Ursuline Church and Franciscan Church with their Francesco Robba altars. Also of interest is Robba's fountain, which emulates that of Bernini in 's .

Ljubljana's museums highlight Slovenian culture. The National Museum contains local archaeological finds, while the National Gallery collections include paintings by the Slovene Impressionists. The Museum of Modern Art houses a permanent collection of 20 th century Slovenian art. The massive Ljubljana Castle (Ljubljanski grad), with its characteristic angular tower, stands on a hill in the centre of Ljubljana, affording an excellent view of the city. The castle was originally built in 1511, but was later modified to serve different purposes. In the 19th century, it was used as a prison. The old chapel features a remarkable 15th-century bell.

Lake Bohinj Lake Bohinj is the largest permanent lake in Slovenia . It is located in the Bohinj municipality in the north-west of the country, and is inside Triglav National Park . The Lake is 4.2 km long and 1 km at its maximum width. It is a glacial lake dammed by a moraine .

Kranjska Gora Kranjska Gora is a town and a municipality on the Dolinka river in the Upper Carniola region of northwest Slovenia , close to the Austrian and Italian borders. It is best known as a winter sports town situated in the Julian Alps . It annually hosts an event in the Alpine skiing World Cup series and the well-known ski jumping hill Planica is located in the nearby Tamar valley. Graz Graz is the second largest city in , Vienna being the largest. A walk around the old town is well worthwhile, declared as a World Cultural Heritage site, it is one of the best preserved city centres in . See the gothic cathedral or walk to the Hauptplatz () to see the Rathaus (town hall). Perhaps enjoy a coffee in one of the cafes along the side streets from the busy town square.

Vienna With over 1,000 years of arts and culture, Vienna has so much to offer. Until 100 years ago Vienna (Wien) was Europe's third-largest metropolis after London and Paris, and the capital of a great empire in central Europe. To a larger extent than perhaps any other European city, its culture was shaped by the imperial court and aristocracy. Many traces of that glorious past and nostalgia for a vanished era of pomp and elegance, today pervades the city. The old city contains the cathedral, the Stephansdom; the Hofburg palace ; as well as numerous aristocratic mansions and baroque churches. It is ringed by the 19 th century splendour of Ringstraße , where the Kunsthistorisches Museum houses one of the world's leading collections of European art. The music of Mozart, Beethoven, and Johann Strauss resonates through the city.

There is so much to see and do.... many attractions within easy walking distance of each other.

• The Walking Precinct. Visit St Stephen’s Cathedral itself and nearby beautiful shopping malls and pedestrian streets, this is the heart of Vienna. • The main sights to aim for are the Hofburg Palace (the Royal Winter Palace) with its stunning displays and museums. Of special note is the Schatzkammer (Imperial Treasury) which is considered perhaps the greatest treasury in the world with the Crown Jewels and an enormous range of other treasures (open 10.00am – 6.00pm – closed Tuesdays), Additionally maybe visit the house of the Philosopher Freud, and maybe the statue of Strauss in the Stadt Park (often shown on winter postcards of the city).

Viennese Coffee Houses You will see hundreds of coffee and cake houses. There are 300 in the inner city alone. Not surprising as Austrians consume an average of 221 litres of coffee per person per year!

Coffee in Austria is super-taxed. It is therefore relatively expensive. However, the range and style is superb. Its presentation is delightful. True coffeehouses are often large ‘correct’ establishments, which act as social meetinghouses. Somewhere to go and savour refreshments for an hour or so. Take your time there, often international newspapers are in racks and free to read. Think of prim black uniforms and white starched aprons. Coffee is often served on silver platters with a glass of water and even a little chocolate.

These establishments often also serve complete meals, wines, beers etc. They most definitely serve cakes! Cakes, strudels, flans...... The best you can get!

Coffee isn’t just coffee. There are so many styles and variations such as... Brauner, Doppelmocca, Einspanner, Fiaker, Melange, Kapuziner, Tuerkischer, Espresso... the list goes on.

There are only a dozen or so ‘Classic’ coffee houses in Vienna and some are regarded as ‘institutions’ and are even state subsidised. The most famous coffee house is the Hotel Sacher which ‘invented’ the Sacher Torte Chocolate cake. It actually caused a riot, literally, when competitors’ coffeehouses sent their staff to steal the recipe. Hundreds were involved and many injured, just for a cake recipe! The Hotel Sacher is in Philharmonikerstrasse 4, in the First district and ‘behind’ the Opera House.

My favourite is the Cafe Central at the corner of Herrengasse and Strauchgasse, 300 meters from the Hofburg Palace. (Note: ‘Gasse’, ‘Strasse’ and ‘Strabe’ mean ‘street’) This was the meeting place where the ‘Great Minds’ of the turn of the century gathered. Men such as Alfred Adler, Sigmund Freud and Arthur Schnitzler gathered here. It's a truly great feeling to sit and take coffee in the same surroundings as did these world ‘movers and shakers’. Lev Davydovich Bronstein was one such a ‘regular’. He was known for regularly berating customers over the injustices of life under the Tsars. Later he moved back to Russia and changed his name... to Trotsky.

Hitler lived in Vienna from 1907 to 1914 as a young ‘dandy’ and he also reputedly stopped here. Can you imagine that... Hitler and Trotsky in the same coffee circle ‘discussions’ before they achieved their separate infamous destinies!

Other famous coffee houses are: • The Cafe Museum in Friedrichstrasse - try the espresso • The Cafe Braeunerhof in Stallburggasse – The first Café to actually dare to add a touch of milk and sugar to coffee • The Cafe Griensteidl - Traditional old style, try the ice cream with nuts • The Cafe Mozart - try the gugelhupf (a type of sponge cake)

Then there are the Demel houses ... the pastry shops... Try the Demel on Kohlmarkt 14. If it is cakes you want then here you can add a few zillion calories easily. Too many types and names to fit in a book let alone your waistline!

We have made a special point in describing the best of these establishments as we feel it essential, at least once, to indulge in a true Viennese Coffee experience. The overall cost for coffee and cake should not exceed $20. Nevertheless, astonishingly, so many people visit Vienna and ‘go round the corner' to ‘save a few bucks’ and get a quick coffee and snack to save $10. They will never knowN