Austria
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Day One: Wilkommen in Wien!
You will be picked up from the Vienna airport and brought to your hotel, where you can settle in to the beautiful Austrian capital.
Overnight in Vienna
We offer a variety of hotel classes to suit different budgets. You can choose the style that’s right for you.
Select from Premium or Deluxe when booking, and click hotel name below for more details.
Premium - Hotel Astoria or Lindner Hotel am Belvedere (date dependant)
Deluxe - Hotel Intercontinental Wien or Le Meridien Vienna (date dependant)
Meals included: none
Day Two: Waltzing in Style
Prepare for the night ahead with a big breakfast, served by the hotel - you’ll want to fill up as you’re going to need the energy. After breakfast, you’ll have time to yourself, so pick up a hired ballgown or dinner suit if you don’t already have one: our recommended hire shop is Kleiderverleih Rottenberg near the Sigmund Freud Museum. In the afternoon, develop your waltzing skills with a two-hour lesson at the acclaimed Elmayer Dance School, one of Vienna’s oldest and most prestigious dance schools. The lesson is designed for total novices, but if you can dance, they will pitch it accordingly.
Dancing is hungry work, so you’ll need dinner before the Ball commences. You can try out a variety of traditional Austrian cuisine, such as Wienerschnitzel, gulasch or apple strudel. Finally, put on your ballgowns and suits and head to the ballroom of your ball of choice. For the Blumen Ball, you'll be travelling to the grand Viennese City Hall; finished in 1883, the Vienna Rathaus is a marvel of neo-gothic architecture and remains the seat of Vienna’s local government. There, you will waltz and party late into the night until the ball officially comes to a close at 4am. If you're attending the Boku Ball, the Wiener Wirtschaft Ball or the Juristen Ball you'll be waltzing around the ballroom of the stately Hofburg Palace, while the Bonbon Ball takes you to the early-20th-century Vienna Konzerthaus and finishes at 2am.
The Balls usually start with a display by debutantes and young dancers in traditional debutante costumes. Once the master of ceremonies announces ‘Alles Waltzer’s' the real dancing begins. The evening often includes a line dance (Gavotte) at midnight in which the Master of ceremonies tells you what to do and everybody else helps! In addition to ballroom and Latin dancing there are normally rooms with a disco, jazz dancing, rock ‘n roll and salsa too. Typically, food is widely available throughout the night, and you go home with a ‘goody bag’.
Overnight in Vienna
Premium - Hotel Astoria or Lindner Hotel am Belvedere (date dependant)
Deluxe - Hotel Intercontinental Wien or Le Meridien Vienna (date dependant)
Meals included: Breakfast
Day Three: An Afternoon in Vienna
Once you’ve recovered from your late night, step out onto the bustling streets of Vienna to explore the best of what this charming city has to offer. Make sure to visit Vienna’s iconic landmarks: for example, the Kunsthistorischen Museum, housed in a palatial building on the grand Ringstrasse and home to an impressive collection of Old Masters and ancient artefacts; the Hofburg Palace, once seat of the Habsburg Emperors with a museum dedicated to national heroine, Empress Sisi; and the ultra-modern Leopold Museum, packed with works by Schiele, Klimt and Kokoschka. You can try out some more Austrian delicacies: try fine dining in the grand Restaurant Rote Bar or, for an authentic Viennese pub dinner, locals recommend Gasthaus Rebhuhn. If you’re in the mood for music, book a ticket for the famous Viennese opera or ballet as a treat. Finally, say farewell to Vienna and return to your hotel in time for your transfer to the airport.
Meals included: Breakfast
Overall meals included: 2 Breakfasts
What's included:
- Private transfers from/to Vienna International Airport
- Two-hour dance lesson with Elmayer Dance School
- Meals as listed
- Mandatory taxes and service fees
- Entrance tickets to the Viennese ball
What's not included:
- International flights to/from experience:
call 0208 251 0425 for AX specially negotiated flight rates - Tips for guides, drivers, hotel and restaurant staff
- Any visa, customs, airport taxes or similar charges before or after the holiday
- We cannot guarantee the included hotel breakfast for early departures
- Drinks during meals unless stated otherwise
- Personal expenses, such as laundry
SUITABILITY FOR FAMILIES : Suitable for families with adult kids.
If you intend to travel solo, contact us on 0208 251 0425
GETTING THERE
Typical return Economy flights from London to Vienna cost around £150 per person and take approximately 2 and a half hours.
Experience start point: Vienna (VIE)
End point: Vienna (VIE)
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