A Week in Vienna Part 2: Urban Renewal and the Birth of Modernism

My previous post focused on the palaces and museums of Vienna, which were some of our daily destinations during our week-long stay. But what really defines the experience of visiting Vienna is walking through the wide avenues lined with elegant buildings and punctuated by open squares and lovely public gardens. Today’s ambiance was made possible … Read more

A Week of Hiking in the Spectacular Dolomites

After wading through thousands of words in my prior two posts about Munich and Innsbruck, a reader could be forgiven for believing that the main purpose of this European adventure is to visit German-speaking cities. But all that was just a lead-up to one of the two primary destinations of this trip: the eastern portion … Read more

A Holiday Weekend in Innsbruck

Our stay in Innsbruck, Austria covered Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and this year Saturday was Maria Himmelfahrt (Assumption), a national holiday in Austria. We knew that some destinations might close for the holiday, and that we might encounter unusual crowds, but with a little maneuvering we made it work. After two enjoyable days in Munich … Read more