Vienna is remarkable! Once the leading city in Central Europe, today's Vienna is a modern city robed in 18th-century charm and 19th-century grandeur. The Old World ambience of the city is determined as much by attitude as architecture. The Viennese invented cafe society and they continue to perfect the art of sophisticated relaxation. Nowhere else in Europe are you so aware of warmth and friendly comfort. This feeling is so prized by the Viennese that they refer to it by name - Gemütlichkeit. To get a true sense of the word, spend some time in a cafe where you'll see the residents lingering over newspapers, chatting with friends, and relaxing over a whipped-cream confection and a rich cup of coffee.

     The Wiener Puppen- und Spielzeugmuseum is housed in a fine Baroque building. Originally a private collection, it was opened to the public in 1989 and includes a large collection of dolls and toys from the past two centuries, mainly French and German. Particularly intriguing are the early 20th-century "exotic" dolls or Südsee-Babies. They are Black, Polynesian, and Oriental models. Among the exhibits are some astonishingly opulent dolls' houses from the turn of the century, and some teddy bears.

     The Lobkowitz Palace is home to the Österreichisches Theatermuseum where a tour of the famous Richard Teschner exhibit and performance of his Tänzerin in Grün (The Green Dancer) has been specially arranged. Teschner revolutionzed puppet theater with his unique Figurenspiegel and rod puppets, so beautifully articulated, they breathe!

     Our hotel, the Schönbrunn, is just across the street from the magical Schönbrunn Palace. It is called the "guest house of the Kaisers." It has had a long history since Franz Josef I ordered its construction in 1907. In its heyday, guests ranged from Thomas Edison to Walt Disney.

     This evening,take the underground to the Prater and ride on that most famous landmark, the Riesenrad. Built in 1896, the giant ferris wheel was immortalized in Graham Greene's The Third Man.

May 27

     Every Saturday, rain or shine, the Flohmarkt, a chaos of makeshift stalls in back of the Naschmarkt, offers a staggering collection of stuff ranging from serious antiques to plain junk. Don't expect glamour or even politeness from the vendors - in fact, some can be downright nasty. Scattered amid the racks of cheap clothing, kitchenware, and hardware of this Saturday-only fair, you're likely to find sentimental reminders of the Imperial polyglot of cultures that comprised the roots of late, 19th-century Vienna. Oh, yes - definitely haggle over prices and always remember: caveat emptor!

     "Tante Dorothea" is anticipating our visit. Poets have written odes to her; composers have immortalized her in song; princes and paupers, the famous and the infamous, have patronized her. The Dorotheum is a pawnshop that went upmarket, offering a kaleidoscipic cornucopia of treasures and bargains from bone china and bric-a-brac to Old Master paintings and precious jewelry. Our special tour includes a sneak preview of some lots from the upcoming Toys and Dolls Auction. Learn how you can leave your absentee bids and shop for anything and everything in the fixed-price room. Then enjoy a flute of cold champagne, compliments of your tour leaders!

     Our guided city tour includes the major sights of the Innenstadt - the Hofburg, including the Burgkapelle and the Spanische Reitschule, and of course, the eight centuries old Stephansdom, symbol of the city - and includes highlights of the beautiful Schönbrunn Palace, Belvedere Palace, and the colorful Hundertwasser House.

     This evening, travel back to the 18th century with the Vienna Mozart Orchestra. The concert is performed in the Great Hall of the Wiener Konzerthaus completed in 1913 during the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph. The choice of works gives an impression of an authentic concert of the baroque era. In the original style of "musical academies," as concerts were known in Mozart's time, single movements from symphonies and solo concertos, as well as operatic overtures, arias, and duets from expecially popular and well-known works, are performed in magnificent historical costumes and wigs.