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are, quite simply, places anyone with a sense of travel and wonderment
must visit at least once in a lifetime. Do them together in one trip and
pinch yourself; you’ve just been blessed. Prague, Vienna and Venice: Three
of the most fascinating cities in the world.
In the heart of central Europe lies the
city of Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. Prague’s charm is world
renowned. |
The
Stats Opera House, located on
The
Ringstrasse, the majestic boulevard
that
encircles the historic part of Vienna
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It’s historic district, at the center of
which lies the brilliantly preserved Jewish quarter, is one of the finest
examples of baroque architecture anywhere. A walk across the Charles Bridge,
with its famous statues, buskers and people selling various wares, is an
experience simply not to be missed.
Once across you’ll meander your way up
the hill to enjoy a stunning view of the city prior to entering the famous
Prague Castle that overlooks the city. Here, you will absolutely want to
spend time in the Cathedral, one of the finest examples of gothic architecture
in all of Europe. From there you’ll continue on through the grounds of
the castle to Golden Lane, featuring Lilliputian style homes where none
other than native son, Franz Kafka, had a home.
| Finally,
you’ll make your way back down the hill; across the Charles Bridge once
again, and perhaps kiss that special someone traveling with you. Once back
you’ll make your way to any of the myriad cafés or restaurants in
the historic district where, over a coffee or famous Czech beer (Pilsner
of course), you’ll talk about the fairytale that is Prague and how happy
you are to be living it.
If Prague is a poem, a quaint fairy tale,
then the city a few hours drive south in Austria is a novel of epic proportion.
Close your eyes for a moment and just let these names sink in to your subconscious:
Hapsburg, Mozart, Schnitzler, Freud, Strauss, Beethoven, and Schubert. |
To
visit the Piazza San Marco in person
is
a truly special experience
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Now open your eyes, you’re in Vienna, the
place all those famous names called home. It is a capital of capitals,
a mecca of cultural meccas, a city of unrivaled master planning. Unlike
Prague, you can stay in Vienna quite a while and still not see and do all
there is to see and do. So let’s assume you’re a first timer and you’ve
only got a few days, knowing you’ll need to come back. What do you take
in?
First and foremost, you need to set yourself
up in a hotel near the Ring. That’s the Ringstrasse, the majestic, simply
awe-inspiring boulevard that encircles the historic part of the city. Constructed
in the late 19th century, it is on this boulevard, or just off it, where
you’ll find many of the finest attractions in Vienna: The Stats Opera,
the Kunsthistoriche Museum, The Natural History Museum, the Hapsburg Palace,
the pedestrian mall known as the Graben, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, The University
of Vienna, The Stadt Park, The Belvedere Palace, the Nash Mark (open air
flee market), the Imperial Hotel,
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Sachar Hotel (yes, home to the world famous torte) and of course, don’t
EVER forget the world famous Viennese cafés (Mozart, Schwarzenberg,
Landtmann, et al.). In two or three days you can visit all of these sites.
There’s of course the Schonbrun Palace, the Wiener Vald (The Vienna Woods,
with its wine gardens) and of course the famous Prater (the ferris wheel
you’ll recall from Orson Welle’s brilliant film, The Third Man). However,
save those for another trip, or if you’re staying long enough, they’ll
make your Vienna experience that much more fulfilling. But if you come
away from Vienna having seen an opera, walked along the Ring and sipped
a coffee over Sachar torte with a loved one, you can at least say you’ve
been to Vienna. |
Prague
Castle and the Cathedral,
one
of the finest examples of gothic
architecture
in all of Europe
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Don’t fly home yet. Hop on a train, or
take your car across the Austrian countryside, and let your mouth drop
as you cross the Alps into Italy. Pinch yourself again when you cross the
lagoon off the Italian mainland into arguably the most unique city in the
world, Venice. Again, a city probably best visited outside the summer season,
if only to avoid the crowds and the stench of the lagoon. Venice is definitely
for lovers, for art aficionados, and definitely for admirers of architecture.
But if you’re none of the above and flying
solo, Venice will knock your socks off. Take it all in. Walk as much as
your feet will let you. Drink a ton of espresso - go for it! Stop at every
nook and cranny where water and building meet. Marvel at how the city functions.
Not to be missed? Obviously a boat ride
down the Grand Canal. Of course, you’ll probably want to do it in a gondola
if you’re there for romance. But it’s expensive. You’ll either want to
get off at the famous Rialto Bridge and walk to the Piazza San Marco or
you can get off right there. Either way, the Piazza is one of those places
you’ve seen a zillion times in movies and pictures. But to be there in
person is truly special. It’s everything you imagine it to be. The view
of the lagoon is spectacular, the architecture is breathtaking. The palace
of the Doge is a tour you simply must spend time doing (the dungeons!).
Should you feed the pigeons in the square
and let them sit on you like you’re a scarecrow? Your call. I preferred
taking a picture of someone else doing it while sipping coffee at one of
the outdoor cafés in the square.
Venice is truly one of those cities that
you just want to soak up as much as you can because you simply never, ever
want to forget it. One thing to know about Venice is that some of the surrounding
islands in the lagoon are interesting to spend a day or two visiting if
you have the time. Murano is home to the famous glass blowers. The art
and craft of blowing glass here is world famous and a real treat to behold.
Burano is the home of the world famous lace. I personally didn’t go but
I hear it’s something special.
And of course Lido is the narrow strip
of land where the world famous Venice Film Festival takes place annually
and the beaches are a great place to spend an afternoon during a hot Italian
summer day. What’s also nifty about Lido is that you can actually drive
a car on the island. After spending so much time on boats it is a little
disorienting to get off at Lido and avoid getting hit by a car.
Visiting each one of these awesome cities
should be a highlight of anyone’s travel life. To visit the triumvirate
over the course of two weeks or so is a gift that you’ll remember forever.
Scale of one to ten? Eleven.
Editor’s Note: Ben Gonshor is the Director
of Marketing for the Leanor and Alvin Segal Theatre, and a frequent (and
popular) travel contributor to The Montrealer.
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