2016 Europe, Middle East, and Africa Travel Guide - (Page 12)

AUSTRIA BELGIUM Vienna With its countless stately museums, sophisticated coffee houses, pristine grand avenues, and horse-drawn carriages, Vienna is one of Europe's most elegant cities. It's filled to the brim with green spaces, classic and modern architecture, and the music of Mozart, offering a host of options to entertain any and all sorts of travelers. SEE: Don't miss the MuseumsQuartier, one of the 10 largest cultural quarters in the world, home to mumok, the Modern Art Museum, and the Leopold Museum, featuring one of the world's most important collections of Austrian art. For more museum-hopping-Vienna has more than 100 museums-visitors can head to the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Art History Museum), built in 1891, and the Museum of Natural History. SAVOR: Yes, the Naschmarkt might be Vienna's best-known market and thus a bit touristy, but with its 120 market stands and restaurants there's no denying it offers a culinary treat- from Viennese to Vietnamese. Detour over to the market on Saturdays during the flea market. SIGNATURE EVENT: Visit the city during ball season, which kicks off in November and reaches its peak in January and February. Balls range from the Coffee-house Owners' Ball, held at the Imperial Palace, to the Bonbon Ball, celebrated at Wiener Konzerthaus (concert hall) and known for its fun and informal ambiance. STAY: The Ritz-Carlton, Vienna is one of the city's best addresses for visitors, located right on the Ringstrasse and adjacent to Stadtpark. Occupying four historic palaces, the hotel, with its 202 guestrooms and 43 suites, offers the cool Atmosphere Rooftop Bar & Lounge (the views are gorgeous), a spa, an indoor pool, and spacious accommodations. CRUISE: Many river cruise lines that offer sailings on the Danube-think Viking and Crystal, to name just a couple-include Vienna on their itineraries. In fact, the Port of Vienna is the largest Austrian river port and one of the largest ports on the Danube River. Brussels Divided between Dutch-speaking Flemings and French-speaking Walloons, the capital of Belgium may be known as the Capital of Europe, but take a look at Brussels as the natives do: a town of lively old-fashioned, working-class districts and smart bourgeois neighborhoods with streets tucked away behind skyscrapers; a town of fine restaurants, lusty taverns and great jazz; a visual treat of fascinating museums and beautiful parks. SEE: Take in the best in art at the Royal Museums of Art and History, a complex that features museums that rank among the best in Europe and whose treasuries include ancient artifacts as well as works of Bruegel the Elder, Magritte, and Ensor. The Grand Place, variously described as "the most beautiful medieval square in Europe" and "a living theater" of flower stalls and bird markets, is central to joining in the Brussels scene, and getting out of town may mean a short trip to Antwerp, Ghent or Bruges. SAVOR: There is simply no contest: Belgian handmade chocolates- known as pralines, filled with various fresh cream flavors-are simply the best in the world. On location, chocolate lovers will want to follow the "Chocolate Trail" to such famous chocolatiers as Godiva, Marcolini and Neuhaus. SIGNATURE EVENT: One of the great spectacles of the festival season in Europe is the medieval Ommegang Procession held in the Grand Place, this year July 7. STAY: "Boutique" is in in Brussels. One favorite lodging is the Amigo Hotel, occupying a 16th century merchant's mansion that was sold to the City Council, which turned it into a prison; this deluxe property is located next to the Grand Place. New to the urban scene and also near the Grand Place is the 23-room Hotel des Galeries, whose Belgian restaurant opens onto the glassroofed Royal Galleries of Saint Hubert shopping arcade. CRUISE: Brussels is the departure point for river cruises to Amsterdam, aboard the deluxe river cruise vessels of Avalon, Tauck and Uniworld. 12 FACTS May to September The World of Ice Giants, near Salzburg in the village of Werfen, is the world's biggest explored labyrinth of ice caves with a length of almost 30 miles GETTING THERE: Delta flies to Vienna connecting through Amsterdam and Paris ENTRY DOCUMENTS: Valid passport CURRENCY: The Euro LOCAL FOODS: Apple strudel; Tafelspitz, boiled beef with a variety of root vegetables, broth, served with roasted potatoes, and horseradish and chives sauce; trout from Austria's crystal-clear lakes; Linzer torte; goulash; cheese noodles from Carinthia; and kasespatzle, macaroni & cheese, Austrian-style BEST BUYS: Sacher Torte; fab Helmut Lang fashion pieces; Swarovski jewelry; traditional clothing such as the Dirndl dresses; coffee INFORMATION PLEASE: austria.info BEST TIME TO GO: FUN FACT: FACTS April to November Belgium produces more than 300 varieties of beer GETTING THERE: Delta flies to Brussels from Atlanta and New York (JFK) ENTRY DOCUMENTS: Valid passport CURRENCY: The Euro LOCAL FOODS: Steamed mussels; frites; an endless array of Belgian beers; and, of course, waffles and the celestial chocolate BEST BUYS: Lace-both antique and new; pewter; jewelry; tapestries; and the justly famous chocolates INFORMATION PLEASE: visitbelgium.com BEST TIME TO GO: FUN FACT: Royal Galleries of Saint Hubert, a shopping arcade in Brussels. http://www.austria.info http://www.visitbelgium.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 2016 Europe, Middle East, and Africa Travel Guide

Austria
Belgium
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Holland
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
Ghana
Kenya
Morocco
Nigeria
South Africa
Senegal
Tanzania
Egypt
India
Israel
Turkey
United Arab Emirates

2016 Europe, Middle East, and Africa Travel Guide