APARTMENT REVIEWS As it was our first time using a NARPO apartment and I think we were one of the first guests so Ithought it would be useful to give some feedback. The apartment itself (studio A) is in an old but fine building ideally positioned for sight seeing in central Vienna. At the centre for the tourism area is St Stephens Cathedral and that is a flat walk from the apartment of about 10/15 minutes. Obviously you can double that time for a direct walk to the far side (the river Danube). The tube station is only 200yds up the road and their are local tram stops virtually outside. The hop on/hop off bus stops are about a 5 minute walk. Overall could not be more centrally positioned. The studios themselves are up a steep staircase of 71 steps which some may need to be aware of (no lift!!). The living rooms were previously classrooms so are a bit sparse. Ours (A) had a flexible divide wall and we lived in one half of the room - the other half only had a desk and chair in it. The room was only furnished with a sofa bed, a table and two chairs but did have fitted cupboards (so plenty of floor space!). The kitchen /dining room is well fitted and equipped and everywhere is immaculately decorated. The separate toilet and shower are across a corridor, we had our own, I think B &C had to share. There is no TV but there is Wifi (which we used to get BBC radio on a tablet). The caretaker Konstantyn is very pleasant and helpful but we only saw him to check and check out. We read the one and only review available and booked the apartment as we were not put off by the thought of 68 steps. We are aged 70 and 68 but reasonably fit. The flights to Vienna were expensive so we opted to fly to Bratislava - we flew from Manchester but I do know that flights are also from Leeds - they are cheap - we also booked Hotel Perugia in the city centre and very good too we also used Sun Transfers online to get a taxi from the airport to the hotel It cost 14euros - this at 10.30pm as the buses, which are very good and cheap, had finished for the day. Then a few days in Bratislava, very enjoyable, including a first time visit to the Opera to see Carmen for 10e - great experience. Followed by a 5 euro/1 hour bus ride to Vienna - very good value and free non alcoholic drinks provided, very relaxing. On arrival at Stadion metro station we bought OAP tickets from the easy to use machine 1.50e each and got off at Volkstheater and then the short walk to the Apartment building where we met the caretaker who could not have been more helpful. This way of getting to Vienna is really easy and inexpensive, there's also a train service or a water ferry in season but overall the bus is best Flixbus or Regio are available, book on line and its 4euros single journey. If you are over 60 or was it 65 then a Vienna Card (there are various types) may not be the best option as it's only 1.50e for a journey even if it's say 10 stops We used the apartment as a base and went to Saltzburg by train. The best value for o/60's is with Westbahn train service and is 19euros for an all day stop off as many times as you wish service, Saltzburg is 2 hours away buy your ticket in a tabac shop - easy. We also did a 3 hour cruise on the Danube through OBB (the Austrian State Rail Service) they offer a 59e full day trip and from the various choices we decided to travel to Krems, cruise to Meltz visit Meltz Abbey (very good) and travel back to Vienna by train Buy the ticket at one of the large railway stations from an OBB office You cannot do the trip cheaper by booking the various elements separately yourself. The apartment is in a superb location, we watched the Marathon on the Sunday, went to the English theatre - two streets away - on Tuesday for 10e each and walked and walked the gardens, parks, sights and did a couple of museums. Lots of cafes some super restaurants and the Cafe Central does a wonderful 2 course lunch for 12 euro a true bargain in a wonderful setting Another great place to eat is Figlmuller. Vienna is very welcoming and with a
population a tenth of London does not feel crowded The apartment is safe and secure Travel light 10kg each is ample for a week There is no tv but the dvd works fine and there is a radio in the kitchen for background music We were out all day and for one week we were more than willing to manage without tv. Overall very enjoyable Give it a try you will not be disappointed Konstantyn is very helpful and offered us a later check out if we so needed. We were allocated apartment B but as we were the only 2 guests there had full run of the building. We contacted the caretaker before we went stating that we would not arrive until after 8pm. He agreed to wait for us at the apartments for a small charge (we gave him 30 Euros) as he usually finished work at 1800 hrs. We flew from Edinburgh with Jet2 and hand luggage of 10kgs each, just over 200 for both of us. We arrived at Vienna airport at 1830hrs and had pre-booked a Limousine with Sun Travel for 35 Euro. Maximillian was waiting for us. We were greeted by Konstantyn the caretaker and he showed us around the apartment. He pointed out that there was an Orchestra in the other part of the building (Auersperg Palace) It is spectacular with many original features still in place, including the 69 stone steps to the apartment. Although we climbed the stairs many times and the numbers ranged from 67 to 72, there are 69 steps. Good for the leg muscles, we vowed only to climb them once a day. Would this last? After a long day we sat in the lounge and listened to our first free classical music concert. I am not a classical music lover but maybe now after a week of Strauss, Mozart, Beethoven etc. We were quite surprised when we were shown our bedroom, the floor space was larger than our whole bungalow! Day 1 Up bright and early and walked to Naschmarkt, a 30 minute walk at a leisurely pace. The market sells meat, fish, fruit and vegetables and there is a most delightful Greek stall. Make sure you try the hot hot peppers before you buy. Just a hint, make sure you take a large shopping bag with you. We both took rucksacks and it was the easiest way to carry stuff back to the apartment. We then ate in one of the many cafés which was excellent value and service. There are many places to eat and drink and I would recommend a visit. Once back in the apartment we sat and relaxed on the Veranda! I would probably describe it more as a rooftop area. There is no TV but did we miss it? No, we did not! A week without Brexit, marvellous. There is a great WiFi connection and we managed to see some of the Royal wedding on the ipad. The house next door on our way to the Naschmarkt.
Day 2 We caught the U-Bahn from Volkstheater into the City and walked to Belvedere We visited both houses and the souvenir shop where there was a great display of Klimt art. The Kiss is a very famous painting of his.
We spent about two hours here. We left via the bottom entry gates near to the Polish Catholic Church and enjoyed Coffee and cake in a nearby café. We then walked back through the estate into the Botanical Gardens. They were very basic and the signage was poor, but they were free to enter. Entertainment this evening was Strauss and Mozart I could get used to this lifestyle. Just a word of warning - make sure you have comfortable shoes to walk around in as I now have blisters on the top of my feet from my new Sketcher Sandals. Socks and shoes in future for me. Day 3 Took the same U-Bahn into the City and changed so that we ended up at Schwedenplatz right next to the Danube River, it is not Blue but Green! We bought tickets for two journey s costing 3 Euro each but you have to be over 63 to qualify. A great find was the Anker Café which is also an excellent shop with excellent produce and not too expensive. We decided to walk along the River Danube, we walked past the Urania Hotel which is an Iconic building, and eventually got to St Stephan s Cathedral We looked at the options and decided to take the three wheely bike tour of the City. It cost 39 Euro. The guide was wonderful and took us around all the main City sights including the Spanish Riding School. This was an excellent way to see the City and stress free for us. We both felt very safe and comfortable.
I visited the Cathedral and went to the side Altar, I lit a candle for my Mam that died on 1st March and said a prayer. I also shed a few tears but my Mam would not want me to be unhappy, so we went for another Beer afterwards. The Cathedral is beautiful and for a combined entry fee you can visit all parts including the roof tops. They even do evening visits. I would imagine that the City at night is a wonderful sight. A couple of photographs in the apartment, our bedroom and the Veranda (Roof Top Smoking Den). Day 4 We walked to the Parliament Building past the spectacular Town Hall.
The Parliament building is having some renovations done and was not accessible to the public. On the other side of the building is a park with literally dozens of wooden benches to sit and relax on. I broke my vow of only climbing the stairs once again and we walked to Schnitzelwirt, 52 Neubaugasse. It took about 15 minutes to get there, slightly uphill but well worth the walk. We caught the UBahn to the railway station for the 10.16 train to Bratislava, Slovakia. At this point I must say a huge thank you to one of the previous visitors for leaving all the information about this trip, it made the planning much easier for us. Arrived in Bratislava at 11.30. The bus dropped us at the bottom of the Castle Hill and yes, it is a hard walk up to the top but well worth the spectacular views. We visited all parts of the castle, sat and rested and explored some more. The Crown Tower is 47 metres high and the Hungarian/Austrian coronations were held there when it was the capital, it also housed the Crown Jewels during that period. We sat and watched huge barges along the Danube and it is still Green and not Blue. The English garden at the rear of the castle is well worth a visit. We walked back into the City and saw most of the sights that were recommended in the guide book. We even managed to find the Blue Church, by the time we found it 3.30pm it was closed.
It was a great day but lots of walking and the sun was very hot but there are plenty of bars and cafes to get refreshments when you need them. It is a small city, but the sights are worth visiting. Day 5 As this was to be our last full day in Vienna we decided to spend the day in and around the apartments. We visited the Bio Markt and bought some natural products. There was also a cheese tasting, so we bought cheese for lunch. Left the apartment at 7pm and went to Trilogie Greek Restaurant, Lange Gasse which I would highly recommend. It is bang opposite Billa supermarket about a 5-minute walk away. We arrived back at the apartment just in time to hear our last concert. I shall miss the evening entertainment. We spent about 600 euro the whole trip and that included buying all drinks and tobacco. If you are thinking about visiting Vienna and can climb stairs with ease then this is the place for you. I would highly recommend these apartments to anyone.