EN CRUCEROS FLUVIALES ÚNICOS POR EUROPA

What an experience to watch the training of the “Lipizzaners”, the white stars in the imperial ambience of the baroque Spanish Riding School. Accompanied by classical Viennese music. With a bit of luck, the famous jumps performed by the horses can be seen as part of the morning training. A guided tour behind the scenes is also possible. It is not without merit that the Spanish Riding School is considered “the most beautiful riding stable in the world”.

Novi Sad is a little Serbian dream. Pastel-coloured houses in narrow streets. Museums and the Petrovaradin Fortress. And then there is the beautiful farm of the Matic family. The Matic family have been farmers for generations. For guests of the Riverside Mozart, they offer a Vojvodin breakfast with homemade delicacies like doughnuts – as well as Serbian music.

Even the ancient Romans called Ilok a “delicium mundi”. This means as much as deliciousness of the world. Wine growing in the Croatian town of Ilok and its villages Bapska, Šarengrad, Radoš and Mohovo goes back to a 2000-year-old tradition. The drive there is like a picture book and the famous and award-winning wines are a pure delight.

Do it like Tom Sawyer in his adventurous balloon ride and enjoy the world from above. What an adventure to fly silently over Budapest – in a traditional hot-air balloon at a height of 150 metres. And afterwards, stroll through the city and discover fancy shops and stand in amazement in front of architectural jewels.

What an estate! Château Béla in the south of Slovakia. Wine was already grown here in the time of the Roman Empire. Today, the team – led by the renowned Slovakian winemaker Miroslav Petrech – produces mainly Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon. Absolute top wines, recognised many times with numerous awards. The wine tasting with Miroslav Petrech will take place in the historic wine cellar. It is located under the castle and is not otherwise accessible to the public. And, of course, you get to see the castle as such.

It is located south of Bratislava, directly on the banks of the Danube. Its modern architecture is impressive. Its collection and its exhibitions of world-renowned artists have already inspired personalities such as Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands or Prince Albert of Monaco. One particular bijou is the sculpture garden of the Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum with impressive sculptures by El Lissitzky, Magdalena Abakanowicz, Jim Dine or Hans van de Bovenkamp, to name but a few.

Ready to take off? Off you go on a private helicopter flight over the Austrian Alps. What a panorama. The flight also passes over the famous “Salzkammergut”, one of Austria’s most beautiful cultural areas with mountains, lakes and meadows. You first have to come down from this event, even if you have already landed. Perfect for all you adrenaline junkies out there.

What would a society be that hides its past? This 90-minute tour of the Mauthausen Memorial offers a glimpse into the history of the Second World War, its pogroms and the deaths of countless people. Afterwards, you can visit the exhibition, which deals, among other things, with the harsh prison conditions, the hierarchy in the camp and the horrific abuse of the prisoners for medical experiments.

He started 40 years ago with a small garden shop. Today, a botanical life’s work has emerged from this: the Kittenberger Gardens, named after its founder, Rainhard Kittenberger. In the midst of the vineyards, he and his family have created a lush flowering landscape with a total of 50 themed gardens. A natural source of magic at any time of year. And certainly an inspiration for your own garden.

The Wachau is a synthesis of nature’s arts: rugged mountains up to more than 900 metres high, terraces for winegrowing and, time and again, churches and castles from the Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque periods. During your cruise, you can transfer to the helicopter for a sightseeing flight. What a beauty. You don’t want to have your gaze clouded by a blink of an eye. If the term were not so overused in tourism these days, you’d say: A paradise!