The tour meeting point is Vienna's 'Wien Mitte' railway station (09:00 Apr-Oct & 09:30 Nov-Mar). Once we've met and introduced ourselves, we'll board a train southwards (approx 30 minutes) to the heart of the Vienna Woods.

Summer We begin our hike in the lovely spa town of Baden, once a favourite country retreat of Beethoven. We meander through the classic village centre and its gorgeous parks before hiking along forest trails towards a magnificent elevated viewpoint which overlooks the Vienna basin & the Wienerwald in all directions. This spot alone is a photographer's dream! We then enter the vineyards, wandering through row upon row of lush green vines. As reward for our efforts, we'll take a break sat among the vines for an open-air wine tasting. Winter Our train brings us directly to the vineyards of the Thermal Region and to one of Austria’s oldest wine making institutions, steeped in middle-age tradition and history. We'll discover how the monastic orders became wine pioneers of their time, develop an understanding of what has shaped the Austrian wine landscape over time, and consider in what direction it may be moving forward...with a welcome glass of sekt in your hand, of course!

Summer & Winter We then continue to the picturesque wine village of Gumpoldskirchen. On the summer itinerary we'll have lunch at one of its traditional Austrian wine taverns before our second wine tasting, while on the winter itinerary we do the wine tasting before lunch. The tasting is led by one of the region's finest winemakers. This allows for plenty of opportunities to ask diverse questions ranging from family background and history, to the impacts of climate change, to organic production methods! All of which give an intimate insight into the challenges facing modern day vintners in Austria. The tour ends with a short train ride back to the city centre. You'll arrive to your hotel in plenty of time to freshen up before dinner, the opera, the theatre, or the concert. Whichever it is, you'll sleep well that night!