TOURS

Gustav Klimt is the quintessential Art Nouveau genius, whose works "The Kiss," "Judith," and the "Beethoven Frieze" are known throughout the world. From the Hofburg, we will go by bus to the Upper Belvedere, where Gustav Klimt's most famous painting, "The Kiss", is exhibited. This painting, with its depicted sensuality and predominant gold tones, radiates a glorification of the love between man and woman. There are many interpretations and explanations but let the painting work its magic on you for a few minutes and find your own interpretation. After viewing a few other works in the exhibition at the Upper Belvedere, we will take the bus back to the city centre to the Secession. The Association of Visual Artists Vienna Secession is one of the world's oldest independent exhibition venues expressly dedicated to contemporary art. In 1902, Klimt created here one of his most famous works, the Beethoven Frieze, for an exhibition of the Secession movement. The entire show was a tribute to Ludwig van Beethoven. It was introduced by Klimt's monumental frieze, which greeted visitors right in the entrance hall. Marvel at this lavish, ornamental symphony, 34 meters wide and two meters high, in which Klimt explores Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and its interpretation by Richard Wagner. Afterwards, we will take a walk back to the Hofburg.

Vienna is renowned for its diverse coffeehouse culture. Join us on a journey through time to the court confectioners of the imperial and royal monarchy and Vienna's most traditional cafés, where the charm of those times is still present, and discover with us the "sweet" side of Vienna. Our walk begins at the Hofburg and takes us, among other places, to Café Landtmann on the famous Ringstrasse, past Café Central with its breathtaking architecture, and on to Café Demel on Kohlmarkt, a former imperial and royal court confectioner still famous for its exquisite cakes and pralines. From Kohlmarkt, we cross the Graben to reach Stephansplatz, where Josef Manner had a small shop selling chocolate and fig coffee from 1889. In 1890, he and his brothers founded the "Josef Manner Chocolate Factory." Six months later, the company already had 100 employees and subsequently rose to become the leading confectionery producer in Austria-Hungary. Afterwards, we will stroll past Café Frauenhuber, one of Vienna's oldest coffee houses, and continue to Palais Todesco, owned by Gerstner, another former imperial and royal court confectioner, where you can enjoy coffee house culture in a truly special atmosphere. The grand finale of our tour is one of Vienna's most famous hotels and cafés – the Sacher with its renowned Sachertorte, created in 1832 by Franz Sacher for Prince Metternich. You are welcome to spend some more time in the city centre on your own and enjoy a Viennese coffee in one of the coffee houses we have shown you, or you can join us for the return walk to the Hofburg.