WHAT I SAW: VIENNA
Opera Ball
We got to sit in a box and witness the dazzling white-tie celebration held inside the Vienna State Opera which was transformed into a grand ballroom for the evening. Young debutantes in white gowns and tiaras open the night with a formal polonaise. Old-world elegance at its most theatrical!
Think soaring frescoed ceilings, dark wooden bookcases lined with antique volumes, marble statues, and enormous 18th-century globes. Built under Emperor Charles VI, it feels less like a library and more like a palace of knowledge: intimate and awe-inspiring. A must see!
A soaring Gothic masterpiece with a colorful tiled roof that dominates the skyline. Step inside, and you’ll find vaulted ceilings, intricate altars, and a mix of quiet reverence and bustling city life. We climbed the tower for sweeping views of the rooftops!
The Belvedere Palace is a baroque gem set amid manicured terraces, gardens, fountains and sculpted statues. Inside, the Upper Belvedere are Gustav Klimt’s masterpieces, including the legendary The Kiss, glowing with gold and sensuality. But to wander past all his other works is what will convince you to become a true admirer of his splendid talent.
Vienna without the gilt. Housed in a beautifully renovated 19th-century building near Karlsplatz, the Albertina Modern focuses on modern and postwar art—from German Expressionism to contemporary global artists.
