Web Resources

Vienna
Guide Books

Europe Guide Books

Need a credit card that gives you miles/points? Click the card below that fits your needs.

AAdvantage® MasterCard®

Alaska Airlines Visa®

Continental Airlines MasterCard®

WorldPerks® Visa®

United Mileage Plus Visa

US Airways® Visa

Delta SkyMiles® AMEX

Hawaiian Airlines® Visa®

JetBlue From AMEX®

Asiana Visa®

British Airways Visa®

Mexicana® Airlines Visa®

Hotel reservationHotel, bed and breakfast, apartment-venere.com


Destination:

From:

To:

Guests:	Rooms:

LONDON GATWICK ON THURSDAY AUGUST 11
Before we pick up where we left off last week, I have included a link to help travelers understand the new “dos and don'ts.” NOTE: "Where's Johnny Jet" usually is published a week or two behind “real time.” So last week, rather than being in Vienna, I was in London's Gatwick airport when British authorities announced they had uncovered a major terrorist plot to blow up planes. U.K. and U.S. governments had raised security alerts to their highest levels, and implemented new security rules. Unfortunately, I had an 8 a.m. flight that very morning. When I arrived at easyJet's check-in area at 6:15 a.m. I had no idea -- nor did anyone else -- what was going on. There was complete chaos, and for the first hour I thought it was just their lack of organization. It took a while before I had heard some of the news, and saw that the rest of the Gatwick airport was even more of a mess. It was totally packed. You couldn't even walk. I have never seen a place so crowded.

EASY JET COUNTER
I waited in line to check in for 4 1/2 hours. I moved just a few feet the first 2 hours. As you can see from the video below, easyJet's service director did a great job informing his 2,500-plus passengers waiting patiently to travel. Everyone was very well behaved. I was lucky, because my flight got out (at 1:15 p.m.). Most that were scheduled to depart just 20 minutes after mine were either canceled or delayed substantially. Airport agents handed out see-through plastic bags, so passengers could carry on the few personal items they were allowed (wallet, medicine, passports and glasses). I had to check -- for the first time ever -- my computer, cameras, phone, and all the other stuff I treat as a mega-carat diamond ring. Every passenger --even toddlers -- were patted down thoroughly. Kudos to Scotland Yard for preventing a major tragedy. One final note: I am not changing my travel plans, and neither should you. I am even flying home via London next week. Just pack smart, arrive early -- and bring patience.

HELPFUL LINK & EXCLUSIVE LONDON VIDEO

Travel Tips to be Prepared for Enhanced Security

The One Minute Video that I took in Gatwick's Airport

VIENNA, AUSTRIA
Grüß Gott from Vienna! Austria is the third stop of my four-country jaunt through Central/Eastern Europe. I'm touring with my childhood friends Matt and Mike on a very special trip. At our final destination (to be revealed next week) Mike is getting married – and I'm the best man! Last week (here's the link to the archives) we were in Bratislava, Slovakia. Most Americans who visit Bratislava also enjoy Vienna, and we wanted to be part of that group. If you're in a hurry or have ADD, don't worry; there's a 2-minute Johnny Jet video at the end of this week's story.

BRATISLAVA TO VIENNA
Bratislava and Vienna are only 58 minutes by train from each other, so there's no excuse not to visit both of these beautiful cities. We used our European East Pass, which we bought before we left the States from RailEurope.com (I wrote about that at length last week), but a one-way ticket from RailEurope.com is only $25 -- and half that if it's purchased at the train station in Bratislava. We arrived at Vienna's Southern Train Station (Wien Suedbahnhof), and went straight to an ATM to withdraw some euros. The current exchange rate is 1€ = $1.28 (I use Xe.com for my currency converter).

BY RIVER BOAT
My friend Matt took the boat to Vienna and this was his experience.

TAXI TO THE WRONG HOTEL
The official language here is German, but like practically all Viennese the taxi driver spoke perfect English. He dropped us off at the wrong Levante hotel (Levante Laudon) -- which was my fault, because I had quickly written their sister property's address from their website. Fortunately we were not in a hurry so we didn't really care, except that it cost us an extra 6€ ($7.50) to take a taxi to the hotel where we actually had a reservation. The good news is, we got to check out a reasonably priced place to stay ($150) for travelers who want to live like locals, because the Levante Laudon rents out 39 fully self-contained apartments in a residential neighborhood.

THE LEVANTE PARLIAMENT
Vienna was recently called "the new hub of architecture and design" by UK's Wallpaper Magazine. The Levante Parliament hotel is part of that trend. The 74-room hotel opened this past May, in a 1908 Biedermeier building. Natural stone, dark wood, glass and chrome -- with a dab of bright colors – is used for the modern architecture interior. The hotel could also serve as an art gallery. Everywhere you look, there are glass works by Romanian artist Ioan Nemtoi (he also co-designed the hotel's Nemtoi restaurant), or photographs by Viennese photographer Curt Themessl. All of the art is for sale. I wasn't sure at first how I felt about the chic hotel, but it quickly grew on me. First of all, the staff were all very friendly and attentive. The rooms are comfortable, and come with free high-speed internet, a flat screen TV with satellite, a heated floor in the bathroom (a great touch!), an oversized showerhead, a courtyard to lounge in, and an extensive breakfast buffet. Rooms rates begin at $250. The Levante Parliament, Auerspergstrasse 9, 1080 Vienna, Austria; tel.: 43-1-228-28-0.

DINNER
The first night Mike and I walked 10 minutes to the Levante Laudon hotel, where Matt was staying. We were lucky we found the place, because the street signs are difficult for a foreigner to read. Take a look here to understand our frustration. I still don't know what the heck the name of that street is. It was 9:30 on a Sunday night, and most of this non-touristy neighborhood -- especially the restaurants -- was quiet. When we walked by one place that was jam-packed, including an outdoor patio with a 20-30-something crowd of locals all looking like they were having a great time, we decided to eat there. We didn't even ask what kind of food they served or what the prices were – we were that hungry. It turned out to be something we least expected: a Mexican restaurant that was not only hip, but affordable and quite tasty. The name is fitting: Mas!, Laudongasse 36; tel.: 43-(01)-403-83-24.

RENTING BIKES
The following morning we were off to see the city. Two blocks into our walk, near City Hall, a self-serve bike rental company caught our attention. After reading a pamphlet about this service (which every city should have), we created a registration. Each renter must have a valid credit card, and fill out a 4-minute electronic user agreement on a small ATM-style machine. The initial registration fee is 1€. The fees are ridiculously cheap -- if you use the service intelligently. The first hour of bike rental is always free of charge. The second hour costs 1€, while the third is 2€. Then it starts to get a bit expensive: If you return the bike between the 4th and the 120th hour you are charged 4€ per hour. After that -- or if the bike is lost or stolen – you pay 600€. Obviously, you don't want to rent for a long period of time (or lose it!). Tourists should ride the bike for just under an hour, park at one of 50 bike rack locations around the city, then explore on foot for at least 15 minutes. After that short period your account is reset, and you can log back in (using your credit card and password) to get a bike for the fees listed above. Remember: The first hour is free! This is a perfect, economical and fun way to see the city. Note: Every time you log in to hire a city bike, the system carries out a standard preauthorization of 20€. They are not payments, just pre-authorizations, so don't worry (like I did) when I logged on to my credit card account. For more info, check out Citybike Wien.

ST STEPHEN'S CATHEDRAL
Our first stop on the bike was St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom). The bike rack is located behind the Romanesque Gothic-style cathedral, which is probably Vienna's most recognized symbol. It was built in 1147, but enlarged over the centuries and completed in 1511. Fine restoration work has taken place, and the last major repairs came after World War II bombing, but it's almost impossible to see the difference. This cathedral has been the site of many important events, including Mozart's funeral. Inside you will find Gothic sculptures, and 18 altars (including the Baroque-style High Altar). Two towers offer panoramic views of the city, plus an up-close look at the ornate and colorful tiled rooftops. The North Tower (223 feet high) has stairs and an elevator, but we climbed the 445-foot South Tower (3€). It has no elevator, but there were small windows and enough space for someone who is even mildly claustrophobic to not have any problems. There is even a small gift shop at the top. For more info, log on to Stephanskirche.at.

HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE RIDES
Throughout the city will you find horse -drawn carriages. The largest lineup that I found was in front of St. Stephen's Cathedral. We did not take one of the 40€ ($51) 20-minute rides for a number of reasons, the major one of which was that the horses did not look happy. If you do take one, be sure to look at your watch before starting. The horsemen try to make more money by cutting rides short. Note: Amazingly, Viennese streets are very clean with no signs of horse dung. That's because a bag contraption located behind (duh!) the horse catches "it" before it falls to the ground. Even when it misses, someone is nearby to clean it up.

BIKE TOUR
To get a better understanding of the city, we hired a tour guide through the Vienna Tourist Board. Gerhard Strassgschwandtner (email: gstrassg@yahoo.com website: Stadt-kunst.com) charges 120€ ($150) for a 2 ½-hour tour. We saw a lot more than his usual tours, because we did this one on our rental bikes. Gerhard gave us a brief history of the city. We learned Vienna was where the Habsburgs ruled the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and that much their beauty is still visible in the Inner City. The inner city once was fortified by a 3-mile wall, but it came down in 1870. It was replaced by the Ringstrasse, a 3-mile-wide boulevard that encircles the old city. Biking around it, you can see all the buildings built in the 1870's and 1880's. Gerhard was great, pointing out not only the important buildings, but showing and describing each museum and popular sight so we could decide which ones to go back to later time for a more in-depth look. (A good guide book can do the same.)

HUNDERTWASSERHAUS
We rode our bikes along a canal that led out to the Danube. Before we reached Europe's second longest river, we stopped along the way at a unique apartment house, called Hundertwasserhaus. It was built in 1983 named after its designer, Friedensreich Hundertwasser. It features undulating floors ("an uneven floor is a melody to the feet"), and an earth- and grass-covered roof. Large trees grow from inside the rooms, with limbs extending from windows. The modern masterpiece is a popular tourist attraction, with souvenir shops all around. For more info, check out Hundertwasserhaus.at. Source: Wikipedia.org.

PRATER PARK/ AMUSEMENT PARK
We also rode through Prater Park. This used to be an imperial hunting ground, and is now a popular summertime hangout for all Viennese. The park -- 6 miles long and 1 mile wide -- is located on an island formed by the Danube River and the canal. There is just one main road for bike-riding. Nearby is an amusement park with an old giant Ferris wheel, and a merry-go-round that uses live horses (that's pretty cruel).

THE DANUBE
The city is similar to Paris, as it is composed of 23 districts. Paris has 20 "arrondissements"; here they are called "Bezirke." All have their own names, but they're numbered to make it easier (thank God). The further you go out of the Inner City, the higher the numbers get. The newest districts of Vienna are located on the other side of the Danube. This is also home to the International Center. This part of the city has a totally different feel -- more like South Florida without the nice beaches. But on a hot day the banks of the Danube -- dubbed "Riviera" -- are a nice escape.

MUSIC FILM FESTIVAL
It is said that at any time of the day or night in Vienna, someone somewhere is playing the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (This year marks the 250th anniversary of his birth). We found this to be true, in this city filled with theatre, opera, classical music and fine arts. Unbeknown to us, the popular Music Film Festival that began in 1991 was going on. It takes place every night from July 1 to September 3 in Rathausplatz Square (right in front of the neo-Gothic City Hall). Admission is free, and 3,000 seats are available to watch -- on a huge TV at dusk -- opera, concerts and ballets performed by international stars. This year, my boy Mozart was featured. Arrive early to enjoy over two dozen refreshment and food booths from around the world. Mike went to the Austrian booth, Matt visited Croatia, and I felt like some curry so I hit the Indian booth. (Of course I went back to the Austrian booth for dessert). For more info, log on to Music Film Festival.

COFFEE HOUSE
No visit to Vienna is complete without visiting a coffeehouse. No, Starbucks doesn't count (I can't believe they have one – how disappointing.) We went to Café Diglas, which was recommended in Frommer's Vienna & the Danube Valley Guide Book. It was a great choice. This old-school coffeehouse has incredible décor, fine service, and even better coffee and desserts. Prices for coffee range from 2.30€ ($3) to 6.50€ ($8). Café Diglas, Wollzeile 10; tel.: 01-512-5765.

VIDEO
Here's a 2-minute Johnny Jet Video of my trip to Vienna. With high-speed the video takes about 1 minute to load; with dial-up, please allow up to three weeks.

NEXT WEEK
Next week we visit our last country of this popular Central/Eastern Europe swing. It's a pretty obvious one. Hmm….I wonder which it could be?

Happy Travels,
Johnny Jet

*Please tell us what you think of this week's newsletter!

Pictures From

The Trip