Season 1, Episode 20

Vienna

This episode of "Passport to Europe" visits one of Austria's crowning jewels, the city of Vienna. Travelers come to Vienna to experience the extravagance of an imperial empire, where life was lived decadently, nothing was done simply, and even horses danced. As a matter of fact, one of Samantha Brown's first stops is at the Spanish Riding School, where she catches a morning rehearsal of the famous Lippizane stallions. She then takes a crash course of her own by learning a few steps of the Vienna Waltz. But Samantha finds out that waltzing isn't the only thing the Viennese love- they love their coffee, and if you stop into the cozy Café Hawekla for a cappuccino, you may just bump into 90 year old, Mrs. Hawelka who makes it her mission to search out and set up any single person who enters her café. Always uncovering the special places to stay in a city, Samantha finds that just 10 minutes outside the central historical district is the Hotel Alstadt- a real bargain of an establishment. It's a 19th century apartment building turned into a spacious hotel. A trip to Vienna wouldn't be complete without stopping into one of Austria's most famous attractions- Shonbrunn Palace. This is where Marie Antoinette grew up, and where at the age of six, Mozart performed publicly for the first time! Samantha dresses to the nines and discovers the beauty and grace of dancing at one of Vienna's most popular balls- the Officer's Ball at the Emperor's Imperial residence. But one of Samantha's most memorable moments was discovering that the city Vienna is known for its long-standing traditions, culture and beauty. A city that should you visit, listen carefully for this is where you will hear angels sing- and they're called the Vienna Boys Choir- welcome to Vienna!

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