Vienna and Budapest, like Austria and Hungary, complement each other like yin and yang. Hence the perfect combination for my new <a href="https://butterfield.com/trip/scheduled/vienna-to-budapest-wine-country-biking" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vienna to Budapest Wine Country Biking</a> trip. The culture, history, landscapes and cuisine in many respects are opposites, which is why it is great to experience them together.&nbsp;

<a href="https://butterfield.com/get-inspired/24-hours-in-vienna" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vienna</a> is consistently ranked as the world’s most liveable city and is the world’s second-largest German-speaking city. As a German, travelling through this part of Austria always felt like a place close to home (Berlin) but different enough to be exciting.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Austria’s capital is cosmopolitan, the seat of many international organizations and institutions. It is grand, having been the capital of the Habsburg Empire for 600 years. At the same time, it's an unparalleled mix of the traditional and the contemporary, the conservative and the progressive, the global and local. It’s a gateway to the less-known eastern parts of Central Europe. Above all, we’re very well connected in this region and can show travellers “our” Vienna, personally and through local eyes.&nbsp;

VIENNA & BUDAPEST: A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN 

<a href="https://butterfield.com/get-inspired/insiders-guide-budapest-baths" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Budapest</a> is the city where Tibor Barna, B&amp;R’s Regional Expert and my close colleague studied and lived for many years. The turbulent history shows in its architecture and even a one-time visitor can sense how each building tells a testament to centuries past.&nbsp;&nbsp;The ancient castle of Buda, the lavish 19th c. palaces, the communist blocks and the modern high rises all have a tale to tell and contrast each other in spectacular fashion. While there are so many unique experiences to discover through Budapest’s rich arts and music scene, a definite highlight is the numerous baths one can visit in the city.&nbsp;&nbsp;

For history buffs, the Austro-Hungarian Empire offers the possibility to compare post-war European history and its actual influences on the current lives of everyday people in these great European cities.&nbsp;We’ll visit the border crossing between Austria and Hungary where the famous Pan-European picnic was organized in 1989. Many say this was the first crack in the Iron Curtain. An event meant to celebrate friendship and peace turned out to be one of the most important events of the Cold War. They opened the border for three hours so that locals from the villages on either side could meet and have a picnic together. Former politician Laszlo Nagy was one of the organizers of this event. He’ll meet us at the crossing and shed light upon the events of 1989 over lunch.&nbsp;

A CRACK IN THE IRON CURTAIN 

Austria’s capital is an enticing mix of old and new and one of the world’s most beautiful cultural hubs. One element I’m looking forward to sharing with travellers the most is on Day 1 when we have a 17th c. Jesuit Baroque Church all to ourselves as one of the country’s best organists and pianists plays the church’s organ for us. A fantastic start to the trip certain to induce lasting goosebumps!&nbsp;&nbsp;We show travellers the little-known vineyards within city limits and start introducing the surprising wines of the region. Vienna is home to 700 hectares of vineyards and about 140 vintners just north of the centre. The Danube and the proximity to the woods provide optimal conditions for growing grapes, and the paths through the hills are just beautiful. We follow these paths through the mountains on Day 1, arriving at a rustic tavern for lunch.&nbsp;

A MUSICAL BANG IN VIENNA 

Day 2 focuses on the area around Lake Neusiedl, where travellers will bike on paths through vineyards to arrive at the Relais &amp; Châteaux Taubenkobel just in time for a fabulous dinner at their Michelin-starred restaurant. It’s one of the best and most innovative restaurants in Central Europe. With a full wine tasting and pairing, travellers will have the ultimate introduction to the world-class wines of Austria&nbsp;

In Hungary, we taste the best of <a href="https://butterfield.com/get-inspired/vines-101-introduction-hungarian-wine" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hungarian wines</a> and dine at local wineries around Lake Balaton, an area akin to the Italian countryside with its rolling hills and <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/get-inspired/2017/06/22/vines-102-hungarian-wines-savour" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">vineyards</a>. Our bike ride through the lake’s northern shores is like biking through a little slice of Tuscany.&nbsp;&nbsp;

HUNGARIAN TUSCANY  

Hungary’s dominant highlight is Lake Balaton, the largest body of water in Central and Eastern Europe and a playground for locals looking for blue skies and water to match. LUA Resort is nestled on the shores of the lake, one of the best hotels on Lake Balaton and our home away from home for two nights. Travellers will be able to make use of the heated outdoor pools, a jacuzzi, three types of saunas and a steam room—the perfect way to rejuvenate after exploring the area on two wheels.

We have limited time in Budapest, but entering the city in true B&amp;R style is the way to do it: by private boat on the Danube (with champagne in hand!). It’s one of the few big cities along the Danube, where the river crosses the city centre. As we arrive by boat, we already see all the iconic buildings of the city—it really is the most beautiful entry to our final night Michelin-starred celebration.&nbsp;

CRUISING THE DANUBE 

Feeling inspired to make this experience your own? Reserve your spot on our <a href="https://butterfield.com/trip/scheduled/vienna-to-budapest-wine-country-biking" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vienna to Budapest Wine Country Biking</a> trip for September 2023.&nbsp;

Notes From the Road: Vienna to Budapest Wine Country Biking

Features &amp; Stories

Our Friends

Alpina Dolomites

slow food

Dolomites

Sustainable Cuisine in Northern Italy: In Conversation with Michelin-starred Chef Norbert Niederkofler

Experts + Insiders

The Slow Road

Italy

Condé Nast Top Travel Specialist 2020 for the Dolomites

Why Your Next Private Family Vacation Should Be to the Dolomites

Culture &amp; Lifestyle

Eat &amp; Drink

Vines &amp; Wines

Wine

Winery

Around The World

<h2><a href="https://ducalwines.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ducal</a> &#8211; Slovenia</h2>
Just across the border from Austria, in Slovenia, Ducal is producing exceptional natural wine according to the thousand-year-old Georgian method using qvevries. In clay amphoras dug deep into the soil, the grape ferments in to wine along with the skins and everything else the berries hold. After eight months the wine is transported to large wooden casks where they age for the next two to three years before bottling.
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-46545" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Ducal_720x460-470x300.jpg" alt="" width="470" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Ducal_720x460-470x300.jpg 470w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Ducal_720x460.jpg 720w" sizes="(max-width: 470px) 100vw, 470px" />
The owner, Mitja Lo Duca, is a true character, obsessively working the vineyards with his son Tim. Imbued with a mountaineer&#8217;s perseverance (he once advanced as a promising alpinist in the former state of Yugoslavia), Mitja now funnels that energy into his award-winning business. As with Gut Oggau’s wines, Ducal&#8217;s wines are also served at NOMA in Copenhagen.
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-46521" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/LePod_400x300-1-400x300.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="300" />
<h2><a href="https://www.podereleripi.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Podere Le Ripi</a> &#8211; Italy</h2>
Owned by Franceso Illy (yes, of the coffee fame) this innovative winery is truly special and a personal project of Franceso’s that’s become a stunning experiment in biodynamic viticulture.
Planted at an unheard-of density, the vineyards have incredibly deep roots and produce a dramatic amount of fruit.
Meanwhile, the cellar is its own feat of structural beauty: referred to as the ‘wine cathedral,’ it was constructed using ancient techniques and, unconventionally, made great strides to follow strict spatial ratios; its circular form essentially descends into the earth. For Franceso, the integrity of the wine is paramount and informed the decision to forsake traditional construction methods in favour of bio-architecture advances.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-46519 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Podere-Le-Ripi_720x300-480x200.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="200" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Podere-Le-Ripi_720x300-480x200.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Podere-Le-Ripi_720x300.jpg 720w" sizes="(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" />
Nearby, a wonderful vegetable garden is often host to garden tours with families or simple outdoor dinners with a Tuscan nonnna or Michelin-starred chef.

<h2><a href="http://bellawines.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bella Wines</a> &#8211; British Columbia</h2>
Bella is a spirited winery in the Okanagan that&#8217;s producing some of the most exciting sparkling wines and capturing the natural essence of British Columbia&#8217;s fruit, all set within a postage stamp of acreage.
Wine couple, Jay Drysdale &amp; Wendy Rose, are transparent in their pursuit to &#8220;make expressive wine that truly reflects the land where it is grown and the conditions under which it is made, free from chemicals and excessive intervention.&#8221;
Along that vein, you&#8217;ll find animals from their farmhouse foraging between the vines, and a wholehearted approach to get back to basics using ancestrale methods. Their three styles of sparkling wine are an absolute treat and make Bella the only winery in BC producing sparkling exclusively.

What We're Drinking: Natural Wines of the World

Boats

River Cruises

Europe

Germany

<h2>Shop ‘Til You Drop in Strasbourg</h2>
Strasbourg is for shoppers. Elegant French souvenirs, artisanal soap, chocolate &amp; jewelry, tucked-away book-binding workshops, Laguiole knives in all shapes and sizes, vintage and designer boutiques, <a href="http://www.galerieslafayette.com/magasin-strasbourg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Les Galeries Lafayette</a>, teas from around the world and fromage. Otherwise pick a café terrace, say ‘Une pression’, and observe.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-41774 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/strasbourg-960.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="638" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/strasbourg-960.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/strasbourg-960-451x300.jpg 451w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/strasbourg-960-768x510.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/strasbourg-960-903x600.jpg 903w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h2>Step Into History in Heidelberg</h2>
 
Heidelberg is for history buffs. With Germany’s oldest university, its baroque Old Town untouched by the ravages of the Second World War, some very picturesque castle ruins overlooking town and Germany’s longest pedestrian street; you’ll wish you’d cycled quicker and gotten here sooner.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-41770 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Heidelberg-green-view-960-1.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Heidelberg-green-view-960-1.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Heidelberg-green-view-960-1-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Heidelberg-green-view-960-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Heidelberg-green-view-960-1-900x600.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h2>Indulge in the Middle Rhine</h2>
 
In the glorious stretch of the Middle Rhine, there&#8217;s a castle every mile between Rüdesheim and Koblenz. It’s no surprise that the Rhine Gorge became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002. Listen carefully to the whispering of the famous Lorelei sirens. Then stop for a Flammenkuchen (imagine a pizza with an extremely thin crust and topped in crème fraiche, onions and lardons) and if you are bold, listen to Richard Wagner’s Twilight of the Gods; whose Norse heroes, before you, rode their bicycles (Editor’s note: The Norse gods had bikes?) along this very stretch of the Rhine.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-41772 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/rhine-gorge-960.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/rhine-gorge-960.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/rhine-gorge-960-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/rhine-gorge-960-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/rhine-gorge-960-900x600.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h2>Colossal Cologne is an All-Day Affair 
</h2>
Spend five glorious hours in Cologne, the largest city on the Rhine with about one million inhabitants. (Fun fact: yes, the generic term &#8216;cologne&#8217;, a.k.a. perfume, derives from the city&#8217;s famous citrus-scented Eau de Cologne 4711, which made its consumer debut here in 1709). View the city from its riverside bike paths, marvel at its Gothic Cathedral, perform a record-worthy peruse of the Ludwig Museum’s excellent book shop, wish there were time for a glass of local Kölsch, then return hastily to our ship before it leaves for Amsterdam.  
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-41776 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/cologne-kathedral-960.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="481" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/cologne-kathedral-960.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/cologne-kathedral-960-480x241.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/cologne-kathedral-960-768x385.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h2>Embrace Amsterdam</h2>
Not spending at least 36 hours in Amsterdam is a sin worse than any the city has witnessed in its long and very colourful history. A biker&#8217;s delight, the capital city and its iconic canals and waterways are ripe for exploration. <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/2015/02/27/things-to-do-in-amsterdam/">Here are a few </a>of my (and <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/2018/07/23/17-best-museums-amsterdam/">my B&amp;R colleagues’</a>) favourite things to see and do.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-41766 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/amsterdam-960.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/amsterdam-960.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/amsterdam-960-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/amsterdam-960-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/amsterdam-960-900x600.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />

The 8 Best Rhine River Experiences

Croatia

I’ve been lucky enough to traverse this planet from British Columbia to Bhutan and back again many times over, but even I was blown away by the spectacle. In particular, I was struck by the realization that something so big, so immense, had been hiding right under my feet. You could easily stand directly above the caves and have no idea they even exist, nevermind the fact that they look like an action-adventure movie come to life.
I couldn’t help but think about what a perfect microcosm the caves are for the corner of Europe they tunnel under. I’ve been designing trips in central and eastern Europe for years, long enough to see Dubrovnik and the Dalmatian Coast become some of the continent’s most sought-after locales. And while I still recommend seeing the country’s stunning south, I was determined to find a way to experience Croatia without the crowds. Heading north into the country’s far less-trafficked Istria region, and across the border into Slovenia, I realized that UNESCO’s headline is spot-on, but its focus too narrow.
Some of the best food, wine, activities and adventures in all of Europe can be found in the former Yugoslavia, where few think to look, and even fewer visit. But as I discovered, those who do quickly come to understand that the “Outstanding Universal Value” isn’t hidden underground – it’s present nearly everywhere you look.
<hr />
Want to read more? Email Tom to get the full story: <a href="mailto:tom@theslowroad.com">tom@theslowroad.com</a>

Latin America

Argentina

<h3>The Mapuche People</h3>
The Mapuche indigenous people have been around since at least 600 years BCE, and are the most numerous first peoples in South America, at more than 1.5 million people. Most Mapuche live in south-central Chile, southwestern Argentina and parts of present-day Patagonia. There was conflict as the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the 16th through to the 18th centuries, with much resistance from the Mapuche. As the Spanish gave way to Chilean independence, the Mapuche were moved to reservations and their traditional lands used for agriculture, with some land disputes continuing to this day.
A collection of various groups of people linked by their common language, Mapudungun, Mapuche means ‘the people of the earth’. Truly connected to the land, much of the culture features healing ceremonies and the use of traditional herbal medicine. There are traditions of the Mapuche shaman, the machi (usually female), who perform ceremonies to heal and ward off enemies or evil. There is also a rich tradition of textile-making (woven blankets or ponchos) that is passed down from one generation to the next, along with silverwork due to trade with Spaniards and Chileans.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40209 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/mapuche-people-732.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="485" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/mapuche-people-732.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/mapuche-people-732-453x300.jpg 453w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />
<h3>Nahuel Huapi National Park</h3>
The oldest national park in Argentina, established in 1934, it’s also one of the largest in the region, encompassing several ecozones in the foothills of the Andes and Nahuel Huapi Lake. The altitude of the park rises up to 3,574 metres (11,726 feet) and spans nearly 2 million acres of land. From white-topped peaks that feature year-round snow, this is the perfect place to explore the lakes, rivers, waterfalls, glaciers and deep forests of the Andes; on its western side, the Chilean border trims it.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40213 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Nahuel-Huapi-lake-and-park-732px.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="490" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Nahuel-Huapi-lake-and-park-732px.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Nahuel-Huapi-lake-and-park-732px-448x300.jpg 448w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />
<h3>Nahuel Huapi Lake</h3>
Located in the lake region of northern Patagonia and within the Nahuel Huapi National Park, this vast glacial lake takes its name from the Mapuche language, meaning “Island of the Jaguar”. A Jesuit mission was established here from 1670-1673, and another one in 1703, destroyed in 1717 due to a local dispute. There are seven branches in this lake, along with two islands: Isla Victoria and Isla Huemul. The lake is stocked with non-native fish (rainbow, brown and brook trout) ideal for recreational fishing, along with other outdoor activities like kayaking. According to legend, there is a giant cryptid living in the lake, called ‘Nahuelito’, and its sightings reportedly predate Nessie. In nearby Chile, the Puyehue-Cordón volcano complex (of four volcanoes) erupted in the year 2011, blanketing the lake’s surface in volcanic ash for a brief time.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40207 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Bariloche-lake-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="504" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Bariloche-lake-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Bariloche-lake-960px-480x252.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Bariloche-lake-960px-768x403.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h3>Yerba Mate and tea culture in Argentina</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40210 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/yerba-mate-250px.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="376" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/yerba-mate-250px.jpg 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/yerba-mate-250px-199x300.jpg 199w" sizes="(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px" />The national drink of Argentina, the highly caffeinated herbal tea, yerba mate, is derived from the ground leaves of the plant ilex paraguariensis, actually a member of the holly family. Rich in caffeine as well as antioxidants, cholesterol-lowering properties and the vitamins B1, B2 and C, it is considered a healthy drink with medicinal properties by indigenous South Americans.
First cultivated and consumed by the indigenous Guarani people in Southern Brazil, the drink spread with European colonization, with Jesuits first successfully cultivating it commercially (although they tried to ban it in Argentina at first). Traditionally served loose-leaf in a hollow gourd and drunk through a perforated metal straw called a bombilla, the serving style is to pass the gourd to each person, drinking it communally; it is refilled continuously and shared. Being highly caffeinated, it is often drunk as a morning beverage. You’ll also find a variation of yerba mate called mate cocido, which is brewed from a tea bag and served with milk and sugar.
In Buenos Aires and in the Welsh regions of Patagonia, a fascinating mash-up of British and Argentine tea culture has sprung up with tea sandwiches and a late afternoon ritual, following the British tradition.
<h2>Where to Stay</h2>
<h3><a href="http://llaollao.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Llao Llao Resort, Bariloche</a></h3>
The most exclusive resort in Argentine Patagonia, Llao Llao boasts breathtaking views of the surrounding lakes, forests, and the soaring Andes mountains. A magnificent indoor and outdoor pool, 18 holes of golf, and an amazing spa are just some of the amenities on offer at this grand hideaway.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40215 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Llao-Llao-hotel.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="638" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Llao-Llao-hotel.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Llao-Llao-hotel-451x300.jpg 451w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Llao-Llao-hotel-768x510.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Llao-Llao-hotel-903x600.jpg 903w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h3><a href="http://lasbalsas.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Las Balsas Hotel</a></h3>
The prestige of this Relais &amp; Chateaux property set amidst the breathtaking Patagonian landscape is an opportunity to encounter Argentina at its natural best. Las Balsas is a haven for those who seek the serenity of wide open spaces, whether finding refuge in the hotel’s spa or pursuing a more active agenda in the surrounding countryside.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40216 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Las-Balsas.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="480" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Las-Balsas.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Las-Balsas-480x240.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Las-Balsas-768x384.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h3><a href="https://www.andbeyond.com/our-lodges/south-america/chile/lake-district/andbeyond-vira-vira/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hotel Vira Vira</a> </h3>
Set in a marvellous park and surrounded by stunning volcanoes, Vira Vira sits proudly on the shores of the peaceful Liucura River. Its gourmet restaurant uses wonderfully fresh produce from the property’s farm to design the daily menu. The cozy ﬁreplace is the perfect spot to curl up with a glass of Chilean Carmenère in the evenings.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40217 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Vira-Vira.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="679" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Vira-Vira.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Vira-Vira-424x300.jpg 424w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Vira-Vira-768x543.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Vira-Vira-848x600.jpg 848w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />

Lakes & Volcanoes: A New Way to See The Andes

Essentials &amp; Advice

Austria

Hungary

<h4>The Emerging Heart of Central Europe: Bratislava, Slovakia</h4>
With a charming Old Town and inescapable views of Bratislava Castle sitting sentry above the Danube, Slovakia’s capital makes for an utterly pleasant visit. This underrated city of 450,000 is often overshadowed by its neighbours in Austria and the Czech Republic, but it’s a true gem of Central Europe. A walkable city fringed by forests, complete with beautiful hiking and biking paths along the Danube, Bratislava also has some interesting buildings such as the Little Blue Church, remnants of Communist-era architecture and a less crowded, more authentic vibe than larger cities on the tourist trail.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39759 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Bratislava-with-CAstle-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="458" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Bratislava-with-CAstle-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Bratislava-with-CAstle-960px-480x229.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Bratislava-with-CAstle-960px-768x366.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h4>Panoramic Views and Prayers: Esztergom, Hungary</h4>
While its name may not roll off your tongue, there is one building in the city of Esztergom that is not to be missed: the impressive Esztergom Basilica, consecrated in 1856. The largest church and the tallest building in Hungary, with its dome standing about 72 metres (235 feet tall), it is the seat of the Catholic Church in Hungary. Its gigantic bell, when rung, can be heard for miles around, and from the top of the dome, visitors will be able to see the Danube valley and several mountain ranges. Within, you will find the largest painting in the world on the altarpiece—the Italian painter Grigoletti’s version of the Assumption of Virgin Mary, measuring 13.5 by 6.6 metres (44 feet by 22 feet)!
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39760 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/esztergom-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="511" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/esztergom-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/esztergom-960px-480x256.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/esztergom-960px-768x409.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h4>A Bathing Beauty: Budapest, Hungary</h4>
The <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/2015/05/11/insiders-guide-the-top-6-things-to-do-in-budapest/">elegant Hungarian capital</a> is also known as “the pearl of the Renaissance”. From its astonishing Parliament building to the massive Buda Castle, and a fantasy mishmash of architectural styles from neo-Gothic to Baroque, Romantic and more, your eyes (and camera) will be delighted in this visually striking city. Uniquely Hungarian and soothing for your other senses are the therapeutic mineral waters found all around town—<a href="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/2017/11/21/insiders-guide-budapest-baths/">here’s our guide to navigating them</a>.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39757 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Budapest-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="541" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Budapest-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Budapest-960px-480x271.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Budapest-960px-768x433.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />

9 Must-Sees Along the Danube River

<h4><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-39613 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/mannheim-tower-250px.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="423" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/mannheim-tower-250px.jpg 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/mannheim-tower-250px-177x300.jpg 177w" sizes="(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px" /></h4>
<h2>World on Wheels: Mannheim, Germany</h2>
Sitting at the confluence of the Rhine and the Neckar rivers, Mannheim is a city of inventors. This pretty university town is where the local inventor, Karl Drais built the first two-wheeled hobbyhorse in 1817, the precursor to today’s bicycle—where would Butterfield &amp; Robinson be without our favourite way of seeing the world?—and where Karl Benz drove the very first automobile on the streets in 1886. It’s also here where his wife, Bertha Benz, took the world’s first road trip by car in 1888.
<h2>The Birthplace of Protestantism: Speyer, Germany</h2>
One of the oldest cities in Germany, originally founded by the Roman Empire in the year 10 B.C.E., Speyer is known for its influence as a powerful seat of the Holy Roman Empire. It is also here where the infamous ‘Protestation at Speyer’ took place in 1529, where the six princes and representatives of 14 Imperial Free Cities protested the imperial ban against Martin Luther’s reformist principles, giving birth to the movement of Protestantism. Naturally, Speyer is also recognized for its splendid red sandstone cathedral built in 1030, itself a UNESCO World Heritage site.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-39616 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/speyer-street-732.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="518" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/speyer-street-732.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/speyer-street-732-424x300.jpg 424w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />
<h2>Artistic Inspiration for the Ages: The Rhine Gorge, Germany</h2>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-39621 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/German-Corner-Koblenz-350px.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="234" />The Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a picturesque 65-kilometre (40 miles) stretch between Koblenz and Bingen in Germany, has inspired countless painters, poets, writers, and composers, especially during the Romantic movement of the 18thC, from the enchanted siren at the Rock of Lorelei (near Sankt Goarshausen) who lured sailors to their demise, and Richard Wagner’s epic opera cycle, the Ring of the Nibelung, which takes place along the Rhine. Another notable spot of German pride is the Deutsches Eck, the &#8216;German corner&#8217; at Koblenz, where the Mosel River joins the Rhine, complete with a statue of William I, the first German Emperor.
<h2>Capital Country: Amsterdam, Netherlands</h2>
It’s almost inevitable to think about iconic tulips and windmills when it comes to the Netherlands, but one surprising fact, uncovered by economic historians, is that the Netherlands has the claim to being the very first capitalist country in the world. Amsterdam was the world’s wealthiest trading city, with the world’s first full-time stock exchange, insurance and retirement funds. (And let’s not forget the world’s first asset-inflation bubble: the tulip-mania years of 1636-1637, when houses were bought and sold for a tulip bulb).
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-39614 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Amsterdam-960px.jpg" alt="Amsterdam" width="960" height="638" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Amsterdam-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Amsterdam-960px-451x300.jpg 451w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Amsterdam-960px-768x510.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Amsterdam-960px-903x600.jpg 903w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
Feeling inspired to make these experiences your own? <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/start-planning" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Get in touch</a> with a member of our team to see how we can start planning your perfect trip along the mighty Rhine River.

7 Iconic Spots Along the Rhine River

Must Sees

See + Do

<h2>Trace the Tour de France in the French Alps</h2>
The peaks and passes of the gorgeous French Alps have been challenging people for centuries. With veering roads over steep grades, you can truly appreciate what it takes to ride in the Tour de France in the French Alps on a <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/start-planning/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bespoke bike trip</a>. While the climb itself is a feat to remember, the outstanding views will make for an unforgettable journey. And, of course, no trip to the French Alps would be complete without a trip to the famous crystal-clear Lake Annecy.
<img loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-38648 size-full" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/French-Alps-embedded-image.jpg" alt="" width="752" height="450" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/French-Alps-embedded-image.jpg 752w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/French-Alps-embedded-image-480x287.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" />
<h2>Venture into the Atlas Mountains of Morocco</h2>
Morocco provides a variety of landscapes to traverse, from Berber villages to stunning oases. However, the true magic of Morocco lies in wandering the Atlas Mountains. The tranquillity and fresh air of the mountains are an escape from city life. Travel off the beaten path on our <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/trip/morocco-walking/?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWmpZME9XVm1PVEZsT1dSaCIsInQiOiJTTks4MjBBYnpEXC84Z3Y4bmNnRHMxMWw2dk4reFZraEhCQnFTTmRtN1FRNlV4ZVJHNld1aTAyZkxYT1lyTlVtejdZYTRoZVwvWUJmcWtcLzBaeWNcL0RTV2c9PSJ9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morocco Walking </a>trip where you will hike and dine in style every night.
<img loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-38649 size-full" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Morocco-embedded-image.jpg" alt="" width="752" height="450" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Morocco-embedded-image.jpg 752w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Morocco-embedded-image-480x287.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" />
<h2>Experience the Yellow Mountains of China</h2>
In modern Beijing there is so much to see and do; ride past hutongs, walk through Tiananmen Square and climb the Great Wall. But delve deeper than China&#8217;s bustling cities and you&#8217;ll discover magical sites like the Li River, scenic bamboo forests and the stunning. Yellow Mountains. On a <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/custom/china-bespoke/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bespoke trip to China</a>, take time to appreciate the tranquil side of China while discovering mountain vistas overlooking infinite valleys that seem to stretch out forever.
<img loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-38650 size-full" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/China-embedded-image.jpg" alt="" width="752" height="450" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/China-embedded-image.jpg 752w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/China-embedded-image-480x287.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" />
<h2>Trek Mount Etna in Sicily</h2>
Centuries of civilizations have left their mark; rich in culture, art, gastronomy and architecture, Sicily has immense opportunities to offer. Along with a rich history, one of the oldest attractions in Sicily is Mount Etna. Found on the coast of Sicily, this active volcano is the highest summit at about 11,000 ft. It is truly a sight to behold, taking in the stark contrast of black lava amongst the evergreen pine forest.
We love a good hike as much as the next person but something we love just as much (if not more) is a spectacular wine tasting at the end of an adventurous day. On our <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/trip/eastern-sicily-walking/?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWmpZME9XVm1PVEZsT1dSaCIsInQiOiJTTks4MjBBYnpEXC84Z3Y4bmNnRHMxMWw2dk4reFZraEhCQnFTTmRtN1FRNlV4ZVJHNld1aTAyZkxYT1lyTlVtejdZYTRoZVwvWUJmcWtcLzBaeWNcL0RTV2c9PSJ9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eastern Sicily Walking</a> trip, we give you the best mix of adventure and wine that Sicily has to offer.
<img loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-38651 size-full" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Sicily-embedded-image.jpg" alt="" width="752" height="450" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Sicily-embedded-image.jpg 752w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Sicily-embedded-image-480x287.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" />
<h2>Discover the Coastal Mountains of British Columbia</h2>
British Columbia feels untouched by human hands. Hike through ancient groves of giant trees and climb the breathtaking Coastal Mountain range. With an amazing mix of rugged nature and inspiring culture, British Columbia will keep you captivated at every turn.
If you don’t feel like climbing, why not chairlift to the top of the mountain for a scenic hike and views of the surrounding peaks? Feel like biking the Valley Trail, or kayaking to Meares Island, or maybe just walking along endless beaches? All this and more is possible on our <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/trip/west-coast-multi-active-private/?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWmpZME9XVm1PVEZsT1dSaCIsInQiOiJTTks4MjBBYnpEXC84Z3Y4bmNnRHMxMWw2dk4reFZraEhCQnFTTmRtN1FRNlV4ZVJHNld1aTAyZkxYT1lyTlVtejdZYTRoZVwvWUJmcWtcLzBaeWNcL0RTV2c9PSJ9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">British Columbia Wilderness</a> trip where adventure awaits.
<img loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-38923 size-full" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/BC-embedded-image-1.jpg" alt="" width="752" height="450" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/BC-embedded-image-1.jpg 752w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/BC-embedded-image-1-480x287.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" />

Our Favourite Jaw-Dropping Mountain Ranges to Explore

Need to Know

Reading for the Road

Travel Tips

B&amp;R Picks

Czech Republic

Reading for the Road: The Best Books About the Czech Republic

Reading for the Road: A Few of Our Favourite Books About Austria

<h2>Where to Eat</h2>
<h3><a href="http://www.loewengrube.it/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Restaurant Loewengrube</a></h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-37125 size-full alignright" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Lowengrube-Chairs-350px-comrpessed.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="259" />Set in a home that dates back to the 13thC, this restaurant focuses on Tyrolean cuisine, offset against surprisingly modern flavours and unusual pairings that work on the palate (like a prawn burger with kumquat condiments). 
But if you’re looking for traditional, you’ll get it here too (think Alpine cheese and locally foraged herbs and game). A staggering wine selection of more than 1,000 labels to discover doesn’t hurt, either.
<h3><a href="http://www.voegele.it/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Voegele</a></h3>
Tradition is king at the Voegele, which means ‘little bird’. Open since at least the year 1277 (where it received some good press), this local institution is a mainstay. Secret meetings between conspirators took place here during the Second World War, and even Goethe himself ate here in his day. You’ll find a place for an easy casual lunch or dinner, as the menu is packed with hearty local specialties such as potato fritters, just like your Tyrolean grandmother used to make.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-37126 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Vogele-Food-732px-compressed.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="487" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Vogele-Food-732px-compressed.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Vogele-Food-732px-compressed-451x300.jpg 451w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />
<h3><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/BatzenBrau/about/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Batzen Bräu </a></h3>
It’s all about local beer here at this modern brewhouse, complete with beer garden and indoor seating. The building dates from 1404, and has seen life as a wine tavern, an artists’ salon and residence; it barely survived heavy bombing in the Second World War. Today, you can sample some of the local brews, order a burger or experience unpretentious <a href="https://www.tyrol.com/things-to-do/culture/food-beverage/top-dishes">Tyrolean fare</a> here. There are menus in English and English-speaking staff on hand, so not to worry! 
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-37128 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Batzen-Food-732px-compressed.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="448" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Batzen-Food-732px-compressed.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Batzen-Food-732px-compressed-480x294.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" /> 

<h3><a href="https://www.forsterbrau.it/it/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Forst Brewery &amp; Restaurant</a> </h3>
Enjoy casual and regional favourites at this cozy birreria, complete with a dozen local varieties to choose from. If the weather is beautiful, go for the outdoor terrace! Rich and earthy Tyrolean favourites like noodles, risotto, dumplings and venison abound, in addition to typical Mediterranean flavours. If you’re unsure what to order, choose a set menu to get a feel for the regional cuisine.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-37130 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Forsterbrau-cleanplate-732px-compressed.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="524" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Forsterbrau-cleanplate-732px-compressed.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Forsterbrau-cleanplate-732px-compressed-419x300.jpg 419w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />
<h3><a href="http://www.zurkaiserkron.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Restaurant Kaiserkron</a>  </h3>
Just steps from the main square, this elegant and formal restaurant, ideal for dinner, offers up refined cuisine with a modern take on Southern Tyrolean flavours thanks to Sardinian-born chef Claudio Melis. Try the filled pastas or rustic flavours of the region, but don’t be surprised to see grilled octopus and the occasional sashimi dish. 

<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-37131 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Kaiserkron-room-732px-compressed.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="396" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Kaiserkron-room-732px-compressed.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Kaiserkron-room-732px-compressed-480x260.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />
<h2>Where to Stay:</h2>
<h3>Castel Hörtenberg: The Metropolitan Oasis</h3>
Castel Hörtenberg is a beautiful historic property that exudes a sense of timelessness. Situated in one of Bolzano&#8217;s oldest neighbourhoods, it stands as a testament to the city&#8217;s rich heritage. After a day of immersing yourself in the wonders of Bolzano, whether on foot or by pedalling one of the hotel&#8217;s provided e-bikes, the property beckons with its beautiful garden, outdoor pool, spa and intriguing cantina. This space holds a certain air of mystery, inviting travellers to explore its storied past while enjoying the finest local wines and cuisine.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-52057 size-large" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Castel-Hörtenberg-900x600.jpeg" alt="Castel Hörtenberg" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Castel-Hörtenberg-900x600.jpeg 900w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Castel-Hörtenberg-450x300.jpeg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Castel-Hörtenberg-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Castel-Hörtenberg-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Castel-Hörtenberg.jpeg 2000w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
<h3>Hotel Greif: Artistic and Intimate</h3>
It’s always difficult to strike the right balance between tradition and modernity, but the 33-room boutique Hotel Greif gets it just right: this centuries-old guesthouse has been reimagined. Its classic and stately exterior gives way to a contemporary interior: no suite is the same, as each is custom-designed by a different artist. With an excellent location right on Bolzano’s main square, you can take advantage of the rooftop lounge while admiring your surroundings.  
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-37133 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Hotel-Greif-bar-732-compressed.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="582" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Hotel-Greif-bar-732-compressed.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Hotel-Greif-bar-732-compressed-377x300.jpg 377w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />
<h3>Parkhotel Laurin: The Grand Dame</h3>
Across from the Greif, its sister property is a larger, more lively affair, and a hub of art and culture in the town. This historic hotel first opened in 1910 and has hosted Austrian and German royalty since its very beginning. Since updated, you’ll find a multitude of events on its calendar, including Sunday brunch, live piano music, and anything from traditional orchestra to DJs and more. Rooms and public spaces alike are decorated with over 200 original artworks from the 20thC.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-37135 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Parkhotel-Laurin-better-732px-compressed.png" alt="" width="732" height="457" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Parkhotel-Laurin-better-732px-compressed.png 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Parkhotel-Laurin-better-732px-compressed-250x156.png 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Parkhotel-Laurin-better-732px-compressed-480x300.png 480w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />

Accolades

Media Mentions

The Globe and Mail

European Delivery

Liechtenstein

Vaduz

Shifting gears through Europe's little secret

Insider's Guides

Switzerland

<h2><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-42387 size-large" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/fussen-1600x1000-960x600.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/fussen-1600x1000-960x600.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/fussen-1600x1000-250x156.jpg 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/fussen-1600x1000-480x300.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/fussen-1600x1000-768x480.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /></h2>
<h2>3. Hanau to Baunatal, Germany</h2>
<h4>The German Fairy Tale Road <img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-34813 size-medium alignright" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/german-fairytale-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/german-fairytale-200x300.jpg 200w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/german-fairytale-400x600.jpg 400w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/german-fairytale.jpg 683w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" /></h4>
Known and loved the world around, the tales of the Brothers Grimm are childhood classics. Traverse this whimsical road from Hanau, their birthplace, to Baunatal, birthplace of Dorothea Viehmann, from whom the Grimm brothers learned many tales. All the classic fairytale characters are here: Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood, and more. Along the way, visit many of the towns featured in their stories, including Bremen, and even Sleeping Beauty’s castle in the ancient forest of Reinhardswald. Let these magical stories come to life as you navigate this route!
Highlights: Steinau’s Grimm House, where the brothers once lived; Alsfeld, featuring the house of Little Red Riding Hood; Bad Wildungen’s Snow White museum; UNESCO Heritage site of Bremen town hall and statue of Roland; Sababurg, the Sleeping Beauty castle in the Reinhardswald. 
Route: Hanau to Baunatal, Germany 
Length: 600 km (372 mi.)
<h2>4. Bruck to Carinthia, Austria</h2>
<h4>Austria’s hairpin turns on the High Alpine Road</h4>
Not for the faint of heart, if you’re truly looking for a bucket list drive, Austria’s Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse is the one for you. Yes, it’s scenic, with all the Alps you can handle (no less than 37 mountains), rolling hills and wildflower-filled valleys to those pristine lakes, but you’ll be watching the road as you take 36 thrilling hairpin bends around the mountains, reaching just over 2,500 metres above sea level. Whew! The drive takes about an hour; start early to avoid all the gawkers and photo-snappers.
Highlights: Did we mention the 36 hairpin turns? Once you’ve completed this drive, along with all the tour buses, cars, motorcycles and even brave cyclists taking on this Giro d’Italia route, you can pat yourself on the back for having completed one of the most epic drives of all time, not to mention the highest surfaced mountain pass road in Austria. 
Route: Bruck to Carinthia, Austria. Note that due to impassable conditions due to snow, this route is typically only open June to September. 
Length: 48 km. (30 mi.)
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-34808 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/GrossglocknerHochalpenstrasse-752x500.jpg" alt="" width="752" height="500" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/GrossglocknerHochalpenstrasse-752x500.jpg 752w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/GrossglocknerHochalpenstrasse-752x500-451x300.jpg 451w" sizes="(max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" />
<h2>5. Martigny, Switzerland to Aosta, Italy</h2>
<h4>Switzerland’s Great St. Bernard Pass</h4>
This famed mountain route is home to the iconic dog of Swiss hospitality, the St. Bernard, along with the monks from the same order. On this historic route, used for thousands of years, you’ll pass through the postcard-perfect landscape of the Swiss Alps, surrounded on each side by peaks and crags. As you travel, rise as high as 2,490 metres above sea level through tunnels and winding alpine roads, complete with vivid green meadows and the bluest lakes you’ve ever seen.
Highlights: History is on your side: you’ll be travelling the oldest path in the Western Alps, which was used as early as the Bronze Age, stretching to the Roman era and beyond; it was even marched by Napoleon’s men as they made their way to Italy in 1800. 
Route: Martigny, Switzerland to Aosta, Italy (near Milan). Note that due to impassable conditions due to snow, this route is typically only open June to September. 
Length: 76 km (47 mi.)
&nbsp;

<h3>Český Krumlov: castles and scandals</h3>
The town of Český Krumlov is not the oldest in Bohemia, nor does it possess the most colourful history. What makes it unique in Bohemia—and, in fact, in the entire Czech Republic—is how amazingly well-preserved it is, along with the striking views obtainable from virtually any spot in town.
The Krumlov Castle was established around 1250 and grew over the centuries to become one of the most significant castle complexes in Central Europe (second only to Prague Castle). Over 40 buildings and numerous gardens and courtyards comprise its grounds. The Rožmberk family’s rule brought early prosperity from the 14th to the 17th centuries, but huge debts forced the last Rožmberk—Petr Vok, a noted debaucher—to sell the town to Rudolf II, a Habsburg. The acquired wealth of Český Krumlov was the only thing that kept the town from being destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War, but the huge cost left the town broke.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-33804 size-large" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ceskykrumlov_2_960_c-860x600.png" alt="" width="860" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ceskykrumlov_2_960_c-860x600.png 860w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ceskykrumlov_2_960_c-430x300.png 430w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ceskykrumlov_2_960_c-768x536.png 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ceskykrumlov_2_960_c.png 960w" sizes="(max-width: 860px) 100vw, 860px" />
While the years following the First World War under communism did not actively help the state of the historic buildings, the communists’ lack of interest in the Old Town saved it from sloppy restoration (or worse, conversion into a modern town). Since the end of the communist era, intense revitalization of the town has brought it new wealth and vitality. In 1992, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Post-Cold War tourism has now picked up where the Rožmberks left off, yet Český Krumlov has resisted the fast-food and merchandising chains, neon advertising and other unattractive attributes of commercialization. This is due in part to its UNESCO designation—along with local pride and foresight.
<h3>Šumava: the last wilderness of Central Europe</h3>
 The Šumava “Bohemian Forest” region of pine trees and peat bogs is part of the largest continuous forest in Europe; it is contiguous with the Austrian Waldviertel and the Bavarian forests and represents perhaps the last true wilderness in Central Europe. It was governed semi-feudally by the lords of Krumlov right into the early 20th century.
The Czech part of this enormous multinational forest, the Šumava, partly owes its integrity, like Český Krumlov, to the Cold War. When the Czechs evicted all German-speaking families after World War II, the region remained very sparsely populated. 
This isolation, combined with the poor roads and lack of population preserved the natural environment better than any park could have done—now that the roads are again open and tourists are flocking here for its natural beauty, large parts of the forest have been declared national parks.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-33814 size-large" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/sumava_960_c-960x570.png" alt="" width="960" height="570" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/sumava_960_c.png 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/sumava_960_c-480x285.png 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/sumava_960_c-768x456.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
&nbsp;

<h3>What to See &amp; Do</h3>
Apart from strolling next to the Salzach River to appreciate the beautiful surroundings, there are many sites to see in this well preserved city that boasts renowned baroque architecture and great history.
<h4><a href="http://www.salzburg-burgen.at/en/hohensalzburg/index.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Festung Hohensalzburg (Salzburg Castle)</a></h4>
Towering over the city and approaching 1,000 years of age, a visit to Salzburg&#8217;s fortress will effortlessly transport you back in time. From its beginnings as a simple wooden bailey when the Bishop of Salzburg had a bone to pick with the papacy, through a long series of expansions that reflect the conflicts in the region, Salzburg Castle is today one of the best preserved castles in Europe.
It can be reached by a strenuous 15-minute walk from the centre, or a quick ride up the cable car that was first opened in 1892! Highlights include the Golden Hall and its gold-studded ceiling, the Marionette and Fortress Museum, as well as a good selection of predictably terrifying torture devices.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-32840" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/hohensalzburg-752x500.jpg" alt="" width="752" height="500" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/hohensalzburg-752x500.jpg 752w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/hohensalzburg-752x500-451x300.jpg 451w" sizes="(max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" />
<h4><a href="http://www.mozarteum.at/en/museums/mozarts-birthplace.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mozart&#8217;s Birthplace</a></h4>
Bit of a tourist mill, but a quick visit will allow you to say “it was the violin he played in his childhood that really caught my eye” over drinks in the near future. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in this house in the middle of Salzburg&#8217;s pedestrian zone in 1756. Although he never got friendly with the city, the museum houses a trove of souvenirs from his early years.
<h4><a href="http://www.museumdermoderne.at/en/home/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Museum der Moderne</a></h4>
Perched high above Salzburg on the Mönchsberg and with a fantastic view of the city, the Museum of Modern Art does temporary exhibitions only. It is worth checking their website for current content. The museum is also a trail head for a number of tracks into the surrounding woods. Don&#8217;t forget to take a moment to discuss the art and take in the first rate views of the Old Town over a Kaffee und Kuchen or lunch at their restaurant, the M32.

Vienna Christmas Markets

<h3>Yuletide Flavours</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-32267 size-medium alignright" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Vienna-Christmas-Markets-treats-450x300.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Vienna-Christmas-Markets-treats-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Vienna-Christmas-Markets-treats-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Vienna-Christmas-Markets-treats-900x600.jpg 900w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Vienna-Christmas-Markets-treats.jpg 960w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px" />Lebkuchen (gingerbread) and stollen (a type of fruit loaf cake) will satisfy anyone with a sweet tooth, while a hearty bratwurst and Christmas carp will still any hunger.
Not to be left untasted is the feuerzangenbowle, a punch consisting of red wine and rum. Second to none to get the Christmas party started.
Personal experience has proven that two to three cups of feuerzangenbowle followed by a casual meander of the market is the ideal recipe for obtaining a cozy blend of nostalgia and seasonal cheers.
Be bold and lace on some skates or try your hand at curling (eisstockschiessen in German).
<img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-32259 size-medium alignright" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Vienna-Christmas-Markets-toys-400x300.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="300" />Admire the nativity scene, then attempt (and almost surely fail) to count the many hand-painted figures. Try to remember the lyrics to Silent Night and let ‘er rip when you are sure to be drowned out by the choir, 50 vocalists strong.
Stop for some caramelized chestnuts, throw moderation to the wind and upend a mug of mulled wine, before continuing on your merry way.
<h3>One Large Weinachtsmarkt</h3>
<figure id="attachment_32266" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-32266" style="width: 400px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-32266 size-medium" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Vienna-Christmas-Markets-mulled-wine-400x300.jpg" alt="There's plenty of mulled wine on offer. " width="400" height="300" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-32266" class="wp-caption-text">There&#8217;s plenty of mulled wine on offer.</figcaption></figure>
With over 20 sub-Christmas markets, it is easy to forget <a href="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/2014/08/13/things-to-do-in-vienna/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vienna&#8217;s many other charms</a> and get the impression that the entire city is one large Weinachtsmarkt.
Each with their own specialty – culinary, artisanal, thematic – they will leave no Christmas itch left unscratched.
The grandiose architecture of Vienna’s Ringstrasse, a collection of imposing neo-gothic, renaissance, classical or baroque buildings, has often been compared to a wedding cake.
Vienna’s Christmas market is the icing on top.

Vienna's Christmas Markets

Notes From the Road

<figure id="attachment_30541" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30541" style="width: 400px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-30541" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Lederhosen.jpg" alt="Bavaria: where men don't think twice about squeezing into tassled leather shorts" width="400" height="265" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-30541" class="wp-caption-text">Bavaria: where men don&#8217;t think twice about squeezing into tassled leather shorts</figcaption></figure>
Nowhere – and I repeat, nowhere – else in German-speaking Europe will you find dirndls, for instance. Berliners wouldn’t be caught dead in one. In Bavaria women of all ages have a handful. A casual one, a fancier one, last year’s one, etc.
The men don’t think twice before pulling on knee-high cream-coloured socks that are tied off at the knee with leather tassels. Not to mention squeezing into well-fitted short shorts made out of leather.
In my opinion, one explanation for these idiosyncrasies owes to the locals’ physical surroundings. If asked to describe them in a word, I’d say “ideal.” If given four words? “Just shy of perfect.”

But only if you like majestic mountains, pristine lakes, cool valleys and small towns so quaint it’s hard not to want to take up geranium breeding and wood whittling after passing through only one.
Especially worthy of admiration are the buildings. As enormous as ocean-going vessels, built to house several generations as well as herds of farm animals, and often perched high off the valley floor from where their hand-painted facades, which tell of legends and biblical deeds, can be seen by anyone (with binoculars).
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-30545" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Bavaria-buildings.jpg" alt="Bavaria-buildings" width="1200" height="800" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Bavaria-buildings.jpg 1200w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Bavaria-buildings-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Bavaria-buildings-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Bavaria-buildings-900x600.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" />
In an environment of such consummate beauty, why not be yourself? Unabashed and wholeheartedly. There’s no shame in not knowing who Richard Rodgers is if you live in Sankt Wolfgang in Salzkammergut.
The best known festival in this part of the world is the Oktoberfest, which although seldom in October is most definitely festive. A lesser known fact are the endless lesser holidays sprinkled throughout the year. Solemn religious ones, official state ones, enthusiastic local ones, ones sponsored by community associations; from when the snow thaws until deep into the fall, there is seldom a weekend that isn’t a long one.
<figure id="attachment_30548" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30548" style="width: 400px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-30548" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Tracht.jpg" alt="Don your tracht, and head to the maibaum for a maß " width="400" height="250" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Tracht.jpg 400w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Tracht-250x156.jpg 250w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-30548" class="wp-caption-text">Don your tracht, and head to the maibaum for a maß</figcaption></figure>
Ureinwohner and newcomers alike know the drill. Don your tracht (the short shorts or dirndl), and head to the Maibaum (the centre of town) for a Maß (a litre stein of beer). I’ll wager just such a Maß we don’t coincide with such a Fest during our week among the lakes. But you’ll have to come to take me up on it.
When you get here, we’ll harmonize a beer bench ditty that’ll instantaneously make you friends, “<a href="http://www.oktoberfest-songs.com/ein-prosit-lyrics.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ein Prosit, ein Prosit, der Gemuetlichkeit</a>.”

Notes From the Road: The Unabashed Charm of Bavaria

In Deep

<h3>Lake Lugano</h3>
The smallest of the three lakes (and the most politically confusing), Lake Lugano zigzags 35 kilometres (22 miles) through the Swiss canton of Ticino, and reaches back into Italy with its eastern extension. Along the way, it passes by the enigmatic, self-contained Italian enclave of Campione d’Italia, just south of the city of Lugano (more on that below).
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-30472" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Lake-Lugano.jpg" alt="Lake-Lugano" width="1200" height="800" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Lake-Lugano.jpg 1200w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Lake-Lugano-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Lake-Lugano-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Lake-Lugano-900x600.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" />
The emerald-green sub-alpine lake was created by glaciers during the last Ice Age, and reaches the astounding depth of 279 metres (915 feet). The steep, fjord-shores, which are considerably less developed than both Italian lakes, enhance its natural setting, giving it an austere intimacy that is typically Swiss.
<h3><img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-30487" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Campione-dItalia-381x300.jpg" alt="Campione-d'Italia" width="381" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Campione-dItalia-381x300.jpg 381w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Campione-dItalia.jpg 761w" sizes="(max-width: 381px) 100vw, 381px" />Campione d’Italia</h3>
Campione d’Italia, literally a “Sample of Italy,” is a small Italian enclave located on the southern shore of the lake, but entirely in Switzerland.
Bequeathed to the church in 777 by its Lombard owner, Totone, Campione remained loyal to the church for centuries. In fact, Campione was famous for its master builders, Maestri Campionesi, who had a hand in constructing most of Italy’s Romanesque cathedrals. Campione has remained part of Italy since 1797, when Napoleon passed through, bringing it into the Kingdom of Italy.
Although Campione is still an Italian enclave today, it belongs to Switzerland in terms of customs, economy and currency (told you it was politically confusing&#8230;). These days, Campione d’Italia is more famous for its casinos, with the profits going to support public works in the province of Como.
<h3>Morcote</h3>
Morcote lies in the Swiss canton of Ticino on the shore of Lake Lugano. This peaceful little lakeside village sits at the bottom of Monte San Salvatore and has only about 1,000 permanent inhabitants.
Morcote is historically significant due to its strategic position on Lake Lugano. As early as the 12th century it had privileges to impose taxes on trade, control the fishing industry and hold markets. In fact, it was the lake&#8217;s largest port until the dam in nearby Melide was built in 1847.
As with many of the towns along the lake, tourism became the main industry in the late 19th century and remains so today. The Scherrer Gardens, the former home of wealthy St. Gallen textile merchant, is one of the top attractions, and has been since 1965 when it was left to the Morcote Municipality.
Arturo Scherrer was a keen traveller and a lover of art who collected objects from around the world and even replicated sites that inspired him. The gardens are rich with luxurious subtropical vegetation along with his art collection, which you can see in this video from Morcote&#8217;s tourism board:
<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z4wE6w_J_Yw" width="752" height="423" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<h3>Gandria</h3>
Located at the foot of Mount Brè, Gandria sits perched on the edge of Lake Lugano. This picturesque fishing village hosts a myriad of stepped streets and sleepy houses. Its charming qualities are much appreciated by artists and tourists today. Opposite Gandria on the far side of the lake is the Gandria Customs House, now a museum where devices once used by smugglers are exhibited.

In Deep: Lugano, Switzerland

<h2>4 Perfect Places to Ward off Winter</h2>
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-30195" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Vietnam-900x600.jpg" alt="Vietnam" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Vietnam-900x600.jpg 900w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Vietnam-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Vietnam-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Vietnam.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
<h3><a href="http://www.butterfield.com/trip/vietnam-cambodia-family-private/" target="_blank">Vietnam</a></h3>
This is a land of magic and mystery, whose rich history and fascinating cultural traditions are trumped only by the astonishing variety of its cuisine and unfailing warmth and graciousness of its people.
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<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-30196" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Galapagos-900x600.jpg" alt="Galapagos" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Galapagos-900x600.jpg 900w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Galapagos-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Galapagos-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Galapagos.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
<h3><a href="http://www.butterfield.com/trip/ecuador-galapagos-by-sea-private/" target="_blank">The Galapagos Islands</a></h3>
Explore the land that stirred Darwin and turned science on its ear. A pantheon of the animal kingdom’s strangest and most wonderful creatures awaits just off the coast of Ecuador. And when you’re not separating the boobies from the cormorants in the world’s greatest cage-less zoo, snorkel off-shore and toast the horizon as you cross the Equator on a luxury yacht. The evolution will not be televised; this is the real thing.
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<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-30198" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Cambodia-900x600.jpg" alt="Cambodia" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Cambodia-900x600.jpg 900w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Cambodia-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Cambodia-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Cambodia.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
<h3><a href="http://www.butterfield.com/trip/indochina-multi-active-private/" target="_blank">Cambodia</a></h3>
Cambodia’s ancient Khmer temples at Angkor represent one of the most impressive and well-preserved ancient sites in the world. The warm and welcoming people of Cambodia, meanwhile, embrace everyone with open arms and huge smiles, happy to show how far they’ve come from the years of war that first brought them to the attention of many in the West.
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<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-30204" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/South-Africa-900x600.jpg" alt="South-Africa" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/South-Africa-900x600.jpg 900w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/South-Africa-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/South-Africa-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/South-Africa.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
<h3><a href="http://www.butterfield.com/trip/south-africa-family-multi-active/" target="_blank">South Africa </a></h3>
Visit one of the world’s most beautiful landscapes in a new era of reconciliation and growth. Follow coastal roads at the wild tip of Africa; enjoy private tastings at renowned wine estates; walk mountainside paths above spectacular scenery; discover the world class wines of the Cape Wine Country; and join expert guides tracking elephants, lions, leopards and other wildlife in the vast Kruger National Park. An experience unlike any other.

The 7 Best Places to Visit this Year

A random aside on boats: In 2015, <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/aliciaadamczyk/2015/04/08/how-much-does-a-superyacht-really-cost/#52a7433d26eb" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Forbes magazine estimated that a 100-metre superyacht “should cost around $275 million.” </a>Should?! I’d happily buy one for less, thank you very much. Market forces aside, one such superyacht translates into 19,642 Feeling 346 sailboats. Furthermore, Forbes warns superyacht owners that they should prepare to spend 10% of the yacht’s initial purchase price on yearly upkeep. That’s another almost 2,000 additional Feeling 346 sailboats piling up in the lake each year.
At that rate, the fragile ecosystem of the lake would soon be replaced by an enormous tower of sailboats reaching to the sky, poop decks and rigging swaying in the breeze.
<h2>4. The Town of Rust</h2>
<h5>(Trust me, it&#8217;s better than it sounds.)</h5>
<figure id="attachment_28863" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-28863" style="width: 450px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-28863" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/800px-Rust_Burgenland_-_Rathaus_Gemeindeamt_01-450x300.jpg" alt="Rust's Town Hall (admit it: you didn't expect it to be in such good condition, did you?)" width="450" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/800px-Rust_Burgenland_-_Rathaus_Gemeindeamt_01-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/800px-Rust_Burgenland_-_Rathaus_Gemeindeamt_01-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/800px-Rust_Burgenland_-_Rathaus_Gemeindeamt_01.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-28863" class="wp-caption-text">Rust&#8217;s Town Hall (admit it: you didn&#8217;t expect it to be in such good condition, did you?)</figcaption></figure>
Austria’s smallest statutory city, it received the right to hold a market in 1470, which is very early. (Before that, the citizens of Rust had to drive to the box stores of nearby Eisenstadt.)
Benefiting from its proximity to Lake Neusiedl, Rust prospered due to industries derived from the reeds that grow around the lake, ship building (small, flat-bottomed wooden ships), and wine growing.
Rust became a Free City in 1681, which meant it reported, and paid taxes, only to the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Unfortunately, he lived next door in Vienna most of the time, making tax embezzlement a dicier proposition.
Rust also has a medieval town square lined with terraces that&#8217;s worth checking out.
<h2>5. The Wine</h2>
Lake Neusiedl is one of <a href="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/2013/08/23/vines-101-austrian-wine/">Austria’s nine DAC regions</a> (though not its most famous). Although most Austrians prefer German to Latin, DAC stands for Districtus Austriae Controllatus, and is akin to France’s appellation D&#8216;origine Contrôlée or Italy’s Denominazione di Origine Controllata. A mix of international and native Austrian grape varieties are grown.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-28871" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Neuseidler-vienyard.jpg" alt="Neuseidler-vienyard" width="752" height="532" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Neuseidler-vienyard.jpg 800w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Neuseidler-vienyard-424x300.jpg 424w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Neuseidler-vienyard-768x543.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" />
It has been argued that the small but growing international distribution of wines made from the local varietals – Blauer Zweigelt, Blaufrankisch, Sankt Laurent, <a href="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/2013/09/04/gruner-veltliner/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gruner Veltliner</a>, Neuburger, Zierfandler and Welschriesling – owes to how difficult they become to pronounce and therefore order once you’ve had more than two glasses.
Thus I frequently find myself turning to my friend Peter, the sommelier who accompanies us on the culinary and wine odyssey that is the first night of our <a href="http://www.butterfield.com/trip/danube-biking/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Danube Biking</a> trip at the Taubenkobel’s legendary restaurant, who often provides both helpful pointers and another glass.
<h2>6. The Legacy of the Esterhazy Family</h2>
<figure id="attachment_28874" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-28874" style="width: 254px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-28874" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/507px-Coa_Hungary_Family_Esterházy.svg_-254x300.png" alt="The Esterhazy coat of arms " width="254" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/507px-Coa_Hungary_Family_Esterházy.svg_-254x300.png 254w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/507px-Coa_Hungary_Family_Esterházy.svg_.png 507w" sizes="(max-width: 254px) 100vw, 254px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-28874" class="wp-caption-text">The Esterhazy coat of arms</figcaption></figure>
Originally minor nobility from what is today Southern Slovakia, the steady accumulation of land and unwavering loyalty to the Habsburgs led to the Esterhazy family amassing unfathomable wealth—and even four hundred years later, it shows.
<h5>A Bit of Esterhazy History</h5>
The twin processes of ennoblement and becoming rich and powerful began under Nikolaus Esterhazy, a 16thC Hungarian nobleman whose conversion to Catholicism and military successes against the Turks and local Protestants caught the eye of the Vienna-based Habsburgs.
When forced to hand over his lordship of Munkacs in 1622, in the wheelings and dealings surrounding the 30 Year War, the Habsburgs rewarded Nikolaus with not one, but two new lordships.
<figure id="attachment_28876" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-28876" style="width: 152px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-28876" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Esterházy_pál-152x300.jpg" alt="Paul, the first Esterhazy to earn the title &quot;Prince&quot; " width="152" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Esterházy_pál-152x300.jpg 152w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Esterházy_pál.jpg 240w" sizes="(max-width: 152px) 100vw, 152px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-28876" class="wp-caption-text">Paul, the first Esterhazy to earn the title &#8220;Prince&#8221;</figcaption></figure>
Next in line as the head of the Esterhazy clan was Paul, third son of Nikolaus, whose two older brothers had died fighting the Ottomans. A poet, harpsichordist and composer of both cantatas and religious treaties, the multi-faceted Paul also commanded the troops that raised the Turks’ siege of Vienna in 1683.
The Habsburgs were again quick to show their gratitude for his victory, and soon the title of “Prince” became a hereditary perk of being born an Esterhazy. And so forth and so on.
<h5>740,000 Football Fields</h5>
By the late 18th century, the Esterhazys owned approximately 1,500 square miles of land. That is the equivalent of four billion square metres, or 740,000 football fields. Currently, a square metre of agricultural land around Lake Neusiedl costs 10 Euros, or US$11.40.
As it is always interesting to convert past fortunes into contemporary terms, we can say that at the time of the American Revolution, the Esterhazys owned land that was worth approximately 40 billion Euros. Not bad.
<h5>A Legacy of Luxury</h5>
<figure id="attachment_28878" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-28878" style="width: 1280px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-28878 aligncenter size-full" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/1280px-Esterházy-kastély_4051._számú_műemlék_2.jpg" alt="1280px-Esterházy-kastély_(4051._számú_műemlék)_2" width="1280" height="507" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/1280px-Esterházy-kastély_4051._számú_műemlék_2.jpg 1280w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/1280px-Esterházy-kastély_4051._számú_műemlék_2-480x190.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/1280px-Esterházy-kastély_4051._számú_műemlék_2-768x304.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/1280px-Esterházy-kastély_4051._számú_műemlék_2-960x380.jpg 960w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-28878" class="wp-caption-text">The Esterhazy summer residence in Fertod, referred to as &#8220;the Versailles of Hungary&#8221;</figcaption></figure>
The most visible remains of the Esterhazys are their castles in Eisenstadt, a Baroque jewel that for years was home to their personal composer Joseph Haydn, and the summer residence in Fertod, commonly referred to as the “Versaille of Hungary.”
These enormous and lavishly decorated palaces, complete with ballrooms, opera houses, grand music halls, chapels, stables, manicured gardens and countless wings and rooms, are just 25 miles apart. &#8220;Shall we return to Eisenstadt, dear Galanta? Fertod is so terribly quiet at this time of the week.&#8221;
When whichever reigning head of the Esterhazy family had not temporarily bankrupted themselves with the lavish lifestyle for which their name became synonymous at the Habsburg court in Vienna, they would subject their palaces to never-ending renovations designed to keep them à la mode, often French.
<h2>7. Its Role in Ending the Cold War</h2>
Four months before the Fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9th, 1989, the foreign ministers of Austria and Hungary opened the Iron Curtain in the Austrian village of Klingenbach.
<figure id="attachment_28881" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-28881" style="width: 752px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-28881" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Klingenbach.jpg" alt="Klingenbach" width="752" height="350" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Klingenbach.jpg 752w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Klingenbach-480x223.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-28881" class="wp-caption-text">Klingenbach</figcaption></figure>
The act would have far-reaching consequences. Soon after, the border crossing at Nickelsdorf was opened by the Hungarian border patrol who had clearly decided to stop doing their job.
Thousands of Eastern Germans who were more or less free to travel within the Eastern Block, poured into Austria to enjoy democracy and wiener schnitzel. These events fueled the civil unrest that led to the official opening of the Berlin Wall.
Biking across this historic crossing today, it&#8217;s impossible not to pause and take a moment to ponder such monumental events.
<h2>8. Bike Paths</h2>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-28883" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Danube-Biking-384x300.jpg" alt="Danube-Biking" width="384" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Danube-Biking-384x300.jpg 384w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Danube-Biking.jpg 640w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" />And speaking of biking, in the area surrounding Lake Neusiedl, there are 40 <a href="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/2015/10/21/the-8-best-cycling-routes-in-france/">bicycle routes</a> measuring a total of 1,000 kilometres.
For bike-touring wanderers like ourselves, it&#8217;s basically heaven. We’ve chosen what we consider to be the nicest 104 kilometres (62 miles) of them – or 128 kilometres (76 miles) if you opt for the long option – for the second day of our aforementioned Danube Biking trip.
And to answer your question, yes: narrowing it down from 1,000 kilometres to the very best 100 is excellent work if you can find it.

8 Reasons Why You MUST Visit Lake Neusiedl

Experts + Insiders: Dane Tredway

Profiles

Experts + Insiders: Veronika Macas

<h4>Geology</h4>
<figure id="attachment_27848" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-27848" style="width: 480px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-27848" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Dolomit_Rumunia_pseudomorfoza_po_kalcycie-480x263.jpg" alt="Dolomite " width="480" height="263" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Dolomit_Rumunia_pseudomorfoza_po_kalcycie-480x263.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Dolomit_Rumunia_pseudomorfoza_po_kalcycie.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-27848" class="wp-caption-text">Dolomite</figcaption></figure>
Dolomite consists of calcium magnesium carbonate, which differs from limestone (calcium carbonate) only in its magnesium content.
The jagged, greyish masses that tower above are the only part of the range made up of dolomitic rock. The velvety, lush hills below these imposing structures are actually volcanic rock that settled into the ravines of the range some 200 to 250 million years ago.
Due to titanic shifting in the Earth’s plates, these Alps were pushed up to their present form during the Alpine Orogeny. At that time, the mountain range was still under the Tethys Sea, and the mountains would have been islands and archipelagos. You can still find shells and other fossils in the rock that remains from that time.

<h4>The Queen of the Dolomites</h4>
Take in the view from atop Marmolada—the highest peak in the Dolomites, towering above at 3,343 metres (11,000 feet). It’s known as “the Majesty” of this area, as well as “Queen of the Dolomites.”
Marmolada is the only peak in the Dolomites made of limestone rather than dolomite rock. The theory is that it was covered with volcanic rock while the other ranges were undergoing the “dolomitization” process, and thus it “missed the boat.”
On the southern slopes are the glacier runs upon which you can ski year-round. At approximately 4.5 km (2.7 mi.) long and 1.5 km (0.9 mi.) wide, this is the largest and most renowned glacier in all of the Dolomites. Now it’s in retreat, and you can see the crevices and scars left on the rock by the abrasive and erosive power of the ice.
<hr />
<blockquote>“The mountain reveals herself in all her infinite beauty only to those who love her for the scent of the malga and the roar of the torrent, for the harshness of the cliffs of rock and the softness of the whispering pasture; to those who know in equal measure the edelweiss and the cyclamen, the cloud and the brook, the stone and the grass-stalk; to those who feel the thrill of ascent, the pleasure of the walk through the woods, the harmony of the start and the tinkle of the cow-bell. Only those that understand all this can aspire to know the rugged pathways of the high mountain.”</blockquote>
—G. Mazzotti

In Deep: The Dolomites

Bastion Ste Anne

France

Burgundy

You hired acclaimed architect <a href="http://www.dsai.ca/team/diamond-jack" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jack Diamond</a> to help transform the house. Can you speak to the vision you and he had for it? What was the process like in both determining what you wanted to do, and what you could do within the constraints of les architectes des batiments de France?
We were able to do very little other than restore it. We wanted to add to it but the authorities would only allow us enough space to put in two bathrooms and an inside staircase. And they wouldn’t let us do it in stone. They suggested glass. “But it’s for bathrooms,” we exclaimed! We settled on wood. While it only has one full bedroom and a loft (where our grandchildren often sleep when they come visit us), its coziness adds to its charm and exclusivity. Jack Diamond designed a small but exquisite addition for us. The green house is the unique room: totally glass in an iron framework, with a fireplace and a sunken stone floor, with broad views onto the gravel pathways, the fruit trees and flowers of the garden. It is greatly admired.
You mentioned the garden, which is a highlight of the property. What makes it so unique?
<a href="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Martha-and-George.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-27339 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Martha-and-George.jpg" alt="Martha and George" width="400" height="267" /></a>Some of the old fruit trees still exist in a beautiful gnarled way: figs, kiwi, pears, plums. And some of the flowers are species that are not seen today, which we treasure. We restored the design of paths radiating out from the house in a fan to echo the shape of the property. The focal point is a small, stone sentry tower; even the domed roof is of cut stone. It is an emblem for the whole town, a symbol of the fortifications surrounding Beaune.
From the modern design to the lush gardens, there’s a lot to love about the property. For you personally, what’s your favourite part?
My favourite moment is always climbing the stone steps from the busy centre of Beaune and opening the small, inconspicuous gate that opens unexpectedly, into our little paradise, our secluded, quiet park. It is always a delight, a surprise. The gravel paths all lead to our échaugette, the stone sentry tower where soldiers stood on guard against invaders during the Thirty Years War.
How does a stay at the Bastion differ from staying in one of Beaune’s hotels?
There is no way to compare. Here, you are in an exquisite, secret hideaway. It is luxurious in every way, from the Bulthaup kitchen, the Jura espresso machine, to the fine art and furnishings. These are, of course, in addition to the historic house and grounds that would be impossible to find elsewhere. While there are maid and catering services available (and bicycles!) you are on your own without the minute-by-minute services one finds in a luxury hotel. The choice depends on a traveller’s needs—both physical and spiritual.
What feeling or impression would you like guests to leave with after a stay at the Bastion?
The feelings the Bastion always leaves me – and I hope our visitors – with are of good fortune and an urgent desire to return! We have people coming back this year for the fourth time. They feel so privileged to have found our retreat, which offers beauty, peace history and a one-minute walk to the centre of Beaune, with its wonderful, gourmet restaurants, wine and shops. Don’t forget, this is one of the great wine capitals of the world.

family

<figure id="attachment_23286" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-23286" style="width: 199px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-23286 size-medium" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/397px-Inizio_strada_52_gallerie-212x320.jpg" alt="Entrance into the intricate WWII tunnel system. " width="199" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/397px-Inizio_strada_52_gallerie-212x320.jpg 212w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/397px-Inizio_strada_52_gallerie.jpg 397w" sizes="(max-width: 199px) 100vw, 199px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-23286" class="wp-caption-text">Entrance into the intricate WWII tunnel system.</figcaption></figure>
Having become enamoured by the book <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/05/books/war-and-memory.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Soldier of the Great War</a> by Mark Helprin, which partly takes place in the Dolomites, I was also intrigued by the role this region played in the war—to discover, for instance, the tunnels and outposts where the Austrians and Italians faced each other on the front lines.
While the book sparked my interest, fortunately, there are even better ways to experience the region’s history. In fact, on <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/trip/bespoke/dolomites-bespoke" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our new trip</a> you discover two areas of the Dolomites – the Alpe di Siusi (Europe’s largest mountain plateau) and the Alta Badia (with its unique Ladino popular culture, its own language and First World War sites). The region offers breathtaking hikes past gloriously bright wildflowers, mountain biking, rock climbing and the chance to enjoy the entire panorama from cable cars and chair lifts. An area this inspiring brings out the adventurer in anyone.
Fortunately for foodies, there are as many culinary adventures to be had as active ones. Think polenta and mushroom risotto by day, and Michelin stars by night (for the parents, that is—for the kids our guides have something fun up their sleeves). And what kid wouldn’t have a giggle over ordering stinco di maiale (slow-cooked pork)?
I’m thrilled that when I recommend the Dolomites to families, I no longer have to qualify my answer with a “but… we’re not running trips there at the moment.” Our return to this region is long overdue, so put on your dirndls and lederhosen and step into the Alpine world of the Dolomites.
A beautiful adventure awaits.

Notes From the Road: The Dolomites Family Multi-Active

Columnists

Experts + Insiders: Lewis Evans

Insider's Guide to Vienna

<figure id="attachment_19625" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-19625" style="width: 320px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-19625 size-medium" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/691px-0181-0183a_-_Wien_-_Stephansdom-320x277.jpg" alt="Things to do in Vienna " width="320" height="277" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/691px-0181-0183a_-_Wien_-_Stephansdom-320x277.jpg 320w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/691px-0181-0183a_-_Wien_-_Stephansdom.jpg 691w" sizes="(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-19625" class="wp-caption-text">Stephansdom Cathedral</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Stephansdom</h3>
The most recognizable structure in the city (and an absolute must on any list of things to do in Vienna) would have to be its Gothic cathedral. Built in 1359, it has been added to over the centuries, transforming it into the masterpiece it is now. Entrance is free but there is a fee to go up to the South Tower where you are rewarded with an excellent bird’s eye view of the city.
<h3>Museums Quarter</h3>
This hip new arrangement of several museums is actually housed in the old Imperial stables; it includes many bars, lounges and open public spaces for relaxing. Among the museums are the <a title="Leopold Museum " href="http://www.leopoldmuseum.org/en/leopoldcollection/focus/Schiele" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Leopold Museum</a> (mostly Austrian artists such as Schiele, Klimt, Kokoschka), the <a title="MUMOK" href="https://www.mumok.at/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MUMOK</a> (Museum of Modern Art) and the <a title="Kunsthalle Wien" href="https://www.kunsthallewien.at/?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kunsthalle </a>(international contemporary art). Also just across the street towards the Hofburg Palace are the National Museum of Natural History and the National Museum of Fine Arts.

4 Must-See Things to Do in Vienna That Reveal its Old World Charm

Favourite hotel in the world? 
<a title="Six Sense Ninh Van Bay " href="http://www.sixsenses.com/resorts/ninh-van-bay/destination" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Six Sense Ninh Van Bay</a> in Vietnam is a fun one. I love the isolation, using a bike to get around on the property, the personal pools for each bungalow, the personal butlers and the beautiful scenery.
<img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-18692 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Christina_1.jpg" alt="Christina Cain" width="320" height="212" />
Favourite restaurant in the world? 
I’m a big fan of the simple, local food spots. One that comes to mind is in Nha Trang, Vietnam. They literally pull up plastic seats and a grill on the sidewalk and cook up the freshest catch right in front of you. It’s the simplest thing sitting on the sidewalk watching the world go by like the locals do, but it’s meals like this that stay in my memory.
Favourite bar/wine bar/watering hole in the world? 
I love little old enotecas (wine bars). One of my favourites is in Le Marche and is run by the local Sommelier association. It’s like stepping into a library of wine from the region. I also love the small old-style ones you find in the south of Italy where you can sit outside on the piazza and enjoy a glass of wine and people-watch.
Favourite bottle of wine? 
Depends on the season. When it’s cold outside, I love a good <a title="Vines 101: Piemonte Wine " href="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/2013/03/25/vines-101-piemonte-wine/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barbaresco from Piemonte </a>. In the summer, I love a crisp white from the Südtirol and Alto Adige region in northern Italy, or a Rosato from the Salento in Puglia.
Do you have a favourite travel quote, mantra or words to live by? 
&#8220;Go with the flow&#8221; is the first. Be open, invite conversation, notice things.
Someone has just landed in a country they’ve never been to, where they don’t speak the language. What’s your number one piece of advice for them? 
Enjoy, turn off your cell phone, live in the moment.
And finally, what’s the craziest thing you’ve seen or done while on a trip? 
Ah man, you can’t ask that! You know the golden rule: what happens on a trip stays on trip. (Ed. Note: <a title="Tom Abraham" href="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/2013/09/26/experts-insiders-tom-abraham/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I get that a lot</a>, but I keep asking. Tough crowd, these guides turned Trip Designers.)

Experts + Insiders: Christina Cain

<figure id="attachment_17917" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-17917" style="width: 320px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-17917 size-medium" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Lewis_Evans2-320x212.jpg" alt="Classic European fairy tales were born in these majestic, brooding forests—why else would the gentleman to my right wear that hat?" width="320" height="212" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Lewis_Evans2-320x212.jpg 320w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Lewis_Evans2-124x82.jpg 124w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Lewis_Evans2.jpg 640w" sizes="(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-17917" class="wp-caption-text">Classic European fairy tales were born in these majestic, brooding forests—why else would the gentleman on the right wear that hat?</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Of Forests and Fairy Tales</h2>
Classic European fairy tales, the ones with evil-looking houses on chicken legs, were born in these majestic, brooding forests. A network of tree-lined roads, highways of the ancient Skoda, connect countless hamlets, each with its own carp pond, minuscule train station and statue of a forgotten martyr invaded by lichen.
In the evenings street lights spend pools of yellow light. Frenetic Gypsy music drifting from a tavern reminds us that the devil laughs last. Maybe Kafka wasn’t just making things up.
<h2>On to Austria</h2>
Eventually, we arrive in Austria and with it into the 19th century. (A 19th century with perfectly asphalted bicycle paths, fortunately.) The term here is Kulturlandschaft. Implied is a landscape that for thousands of years has been carefully modelled by the human hand. The facades of houses are hand-painted and adorned with decorative woodwork.
In vineyards, stone terraces clamber up valley walls defying both gravity and notions of sensible economic yield. Giant fronds of geraniums cut through the landscape like brushstrokes of bright colour and church bells are made to toll at the drop of a Hut. The inhabitants are bon vivants. A prolonged breakfast, wine with lunch, a detour to whichever Heuriger is serving the best <a title="Gruner Veltliner" href="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/2013/09/04/gruner-veltliner/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Grüner Veltliner</a>. After a few days in the <a title="Wachau " href="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/2013/08/23/vines-101-austrian-wine/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Wachau</a>, you&#8217;ll have your own opinions on the latter.
<h5>Vienna, a European Crossroads</h5>
<figure id="attachment_28794" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-28794" style="width: 450px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-28794 size-medium" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/NFTR-Prague-Vienna-450x300.jpg" alt="Vienna, perhaps the world’s classiest border city" width="450" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/NFTR-Prague-Vienna-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/NFTR-Prague-Vienna.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-28794" class="wp-caption-text">Vienna, perhaps the world’s classiest border city</figcaption></figure>
Vienna requires little introduction. Imperial heart of the Habsburg Empire, refined and grand, but also and to this day, a European crossroads. Perhaps the world’s classiest border city. In Vienna, we’ll pass below the balcony from which Empress Sissi observed royal life at the Hofburg.
I suggest you raise an acknowledging hand, and while carefully avoiding the evidence of the many horse-drawn carriages, make your way to the <a href="https://www.sacher.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hotel Sacher</a>, where a piece of Sachertorte and a <a title="Vienna Coffee" href="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/2013/08/28/how-to-order-a-vienna-coffee/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vienna coffee</a> await. Sachertorte; deeply chocolatey with a hint of apricot and a veneer of icing.
A tale of two cities—and as many cakes.

Notes from the Road: From Prague to Vienna, A Journey Through Time

Experts + Insiders: Jérôme Boré

Regional Delicacies

Wine Regions

It&#8217;s zesty and zingy, tart and with pizazz. Can it only be drank when young? No, although most often it is. Light and spritzy (spritzig in Austrian dialect) when young, if aged properly a full-bodied Spätlese can easily age for more than a decade, during which it mellows and grows rich in texture. And what dish is it best paired with? Aha! This is where Gruner Veltliner is in a category of its own. Peppery Grüners can take on a steak and generous earthy ones love seafood. There isn’t a vegetable that doesn’t dream of being washed down by a mouthful of Gruner, including normally cantankerous artichokes and grilled asparagus.
As any aspirant to any throne can tell you, with praise there will also come criticism. “I can’t read the damn labels.” Ignore them. Austria’s wine classification system is famously antiquated. “Can anything that cheap even be good? Yes, try it. “It has a screw top.” This means you can open a new bottle incredibly quickly when the old one is empty. Total bonus. “But I have Austrian neighbours who use Grüner to make spritzers.” Chances are these same neighbours also frequent nudist beaches. Austrians are crazy like that. “Why did they have to add that annoying ‘Veltliner’ bit”? We don’t know. Consider it optional. Gruner will do.
“Does this mean that Gruner is a delightful, refreshing, versatile and sensibly priced white wine that comes in an elegant bottle?”
Jawohl.

Gruner Veltliner: Crown Prince of Austrian Wine

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Vines 101

<h5>Riesling</h5>
Elegant aroma, racy with fine nuances 
The noble riesling is grown in many of Austria’s top vineyards, mainly in the Wachau, but also in the Kamptal. Some of the world’s best riesling wines are from these areas. The riesling exudes a rather charming bouquet that hints of peaches, apricots and citrus fruit. Its acidity contributes to a racy wine with generous length. Because it develops well, the riesling is ideal for aging; the rare Spätlese and Auslese, and the “smaragd” wines of the Wachau, are prime examples.
<h5>(Blauer) Zweigelt</h5>
Cherry notes, smooth and velvety 
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-14616" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Zweigelt_cropped_sized.jpg" alt="Zweigelt, an Austrian Wine" width="625" height="207" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Zweigelt_cropped_sized.jpg 625w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Zweigelt_cropped_sized-320x105.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px" />This grape takes its name from Professor Zweigelt, who successfully crossed the blaufränkisch with the St. Laurent. His result, the Zweigelt, produces a wine with a bouquet that is distinctively fruity when young, and more delicate and harmonious when mature. Its spectrum is vast; from a light table wine enjoyed young, to a full-bodied wine lovingly aged. Because the sturdy Zweigelt vine produces excellent results throughout Austria’s red wine areas, the variety is seen as the hope of the country’s red wine production.

Vines 101: Austrian Wine from the Wachau Region

History

Spotlight

Veneto

<h2>Popular Venetian Masks</h2>
<figure id="attachment_12242" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-12242" style="width: 288px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-12242 " src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Arlecchino.jpg" alt="Venetian masks from the Commedia dell'arte tradition " width="288" height="191" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Arlecchino.jpg 320w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Arlecchino-124x82.jpg 124w" sizes="(max-width: 288px) 100vw, 288px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-12242" class="wp-caption-text">An Arlecchino mask, circa 1671.</figcaption></figure>
<h5>Arlecchino</h5>
A zany trickster (the name literally means &#8220;harlequin&#8221;) and staple of Commedia dell&#8217;arte, the Arlecchino mask sports ape-like features like a large, round brow and a stout nose, conveying the character&#8217;s simple nature. But the mask&#8217;s real trademark is the bump that sticks out from its forehead, meant to represent a devil&#8217;s horn and portend the character&#8217;s mischievous nature.
<figure id="attachment_12262" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-12262" style="width: 191px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/2013/07/08/venetian-masks-veiled-in-history/medico-della/" rel="attachment wp-att-12262"><img loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-12262 " src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Medico-della-212x320.jpg" alt="Venetian masks: Medico della peste" width="191" height="288" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Medico-della-212x320.jpg 212w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Medico-della.jpg 424w" sizes="(max-width: 191px) 100vw, 191px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-12262" class="wp-caption-text">A Medico della peste mask adorned with a sketch of the full costume.</figcaption></figure>
<h5>Medico della peste</h5>
Literally meaning &#8220;plague doctor&#8221; this mask evolved not from theatre but from medicine. Originally worn by a17th-century French doctor, Venetian doctors took to sporting the long-nosed mask with a black cloak and other precautions like white gloves, which they hoped would spare them from disease.
<h5>Bauta</h5>
Historically the Bauta was one of the most popular Venetian masks. The white mask was often paired with a black cloak and regulated by the government, as citizens were required to wear the outfit and conceal their identity when voting on political issues and participating in events that required anonymity, and thus equality.

austria

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