12 days, 13 nights

In cooperation with the Lord Mayor of the City of Vienna and together with the Austrian Driving Society this unique program has been created in 1991 for the 200^th anniversary of Mozart’s death as a historical journey with horses and carriages from Vienna to Prague in memorial of the various journeys Mozart had performed some 200 years ago between these two centers of European culture and power. This journey follows – as far as it it still possible nowadays – the original routes, a distance of about 420 km (262 miles).

Day 1: Arrival at Vienna
After your arrival you will be accomodated in a first class hotel in the center of Vienna. (*) The evening is reserved for an opera performance in the Vienna Opera House.

Day 2: Vienna – Stockerau (32 km)
The carriages are waiting in front of the hotel and will drive via the imposing, new-gothic building of the town hall of Vienna down to the banks of the River Danube. Depending on the water level of the river Danube we

• either visit the abbey Klosterneuburg with its famous wine cellars and baroque buildings and then cross the river by a small ferry boat (without power, just driven by the current of the river)
• or we take the route via the Danube Island and ist bridges along the northern banks of the Danube using the old tow paths where in times gone-by horses or men have pulled the heavily loaden barges upstream.

We arrive at Tuttendörfl, an excellent restaurant, where during the lunch you may watch the ships on the stream nearby. Riding through the groves along the river, we soon will arrive at the town of Stockerau, a place where in the old times horses were changed the first time on the way from Vienna to Prague. Here we will stay the night.

Day 3: Stockerau – Hollabrunn (33 km)
The carriages start at the market square of Stockerau. The way leads us through fields and vineyards, endless avenues and dirt roads give us an idea of the kind of traveling hundreds of years ago. For our lunch picnic we drive into the baroque palace of the Counts of Schönborn. Further-on we see from our carriages forests with oaks and wild boares, grainfields and again and again vineyards. At the end of the day we approach the town of Hollabrunn. Short before entering the town we stop in Raschala and its "Kellergasse" (wine cellar lane), a lane dug into the loamy ground, from which numerous wine cellars are built into to walls of both sides of the lane. Here many of the residents of Hollabrunn make their own wine, and we will be invited, to taste them, together with hearty snacks and, of course (*) some music. We stay the night in Hollabrunn.

Day 4: Hollabrunn – Retz (34 km)
The carriages will pick us up in front of the hotel. The way leads us through slightly hilly country, open land, on the northern sides of the hills grain fields, on their southern side vineyards. Our lunch stop is inside the castle of Guntersdorf, where the count admitted our visit. Through small wine growing towns and along the ridges we will soon see from far away the town of Retz, situated strategically on the top of the highest hill, above the town a white windmill. This town is close to the Czechian border, previously a part of the Iron Courtain. The horses clip-clop into the medieval market square with its historic town hall. The dinner is served inside an old inn with a lot of history, (*) folk music will entertain us this evening.

Day 5: Retz – Vranov (31 km)
The horses pull us up a long steep hill, we pass the white windmill, we had seen yesterday from the distance. Through dense forests along tiny winding roads we come closer and closer to the border between Austria and Czechia. A lunch in Niederfladnitz, a small wine-growing town, and then we drive down hill to the gorge of the River Thaya, which here forms the border. High above the river the gloomy fortress of Hardegg guards the border. Duke Ferdinand of Habsburg has lived here before he became Emperor of Mexico for a short time, and then has been executed by the revolutioners around Benito Juarez. Close to the border we will have lunch. Then we will cross the river by a wooden bridge. This border crossing is only allowed for foot passengers and horse-drawn vehicles, and the less: only for Austrians and Czechians. We obtain a special permission. In the evening we arrive at Vranov, a small place, ruled by an impressive castle. A visit of the castle and (*) a sword fight of knights will bring us back into the middle ages. The evening (*) ends with music and dance.

Day 6: Vranov – Telc (55 km)
Hilly country and forests accompany us this day. Lonely places, ruines of border fortresses, small villages along the road. Lunch picnic is served at the castle of Police (pronounce: Politse). In the late afternoon we arrive at Telc (pronounce: Teltsh). Driving through the arch way of the town wall we end up on one of the most beautiful market squares of Moravia, obviously unchanged since centuries. A visit of the castle and (*) a chamber concert are scheduled for the evening.

Day 7: Telc – Jihlava (35 km)
The carriages pick us up in front of the hotel at the market square and leave northward along avenues and small lakes. A lunch picnic near the castle ruin of Rosteijn is prepared. Up and down through the Moravian highlands we arrive in the late afternoon at Jihlava, a major city, at the Grand Hotel. The program for the evening is a typical local dinner and (*) an entertainment by a famous brass band.

Day 8: Jihlava – Havlickuv Brod (34 km)
Forests and open country change along our way. Little villages and huge agricultural cooperatives are situated in the large fields. Our lunch break is near Stoky. Having passed the industrial area we arrive in the early afternoon at Havlickuv Brod. (*) The evening program presents a ballet performance.

Day 9: Havlickuv Brod - Kutna Hota (56 km)
Along the River Szava the way leads us northwestward. Having passed huge forests we have our lunch break at the bank of a small lake in Zbysov. In the evening we arrive at Kutna Hora, a major city with copper mines. (*) The evening program presents the requiem of Mozart (with orchestra and singers) in the cathedral of Saint Barbara, the patron of the miners.

Day 10: Kutna Hora – Jevany (56 km)
Now we head westward. The carriages take us to very lonely country: Forests, small lakes, rivers are the background of our journey. In a green valley near Hrysely we will find our picnic place. Riding for a while along the banks of the River Jevansky we will arrive late in the afternoon at the small town of Jevany, the country residence of popular actors, artists and pop-singers. (*) Great folk music evening with songs and dances.

Day 11: Jevany – Prague (50 km)
The carriages will leave early this morning. The forest behind Jevany will be the last one on this journey. Behind Mnichovice the area becomes more settled, little towns, better maintained houses show that we are approaching the capital of Czechia. Halfway at the castle of Pruhonice we will have the lunch. In the far distance we already see the skyline of Prague. We pass the round red church of Kunratice and enter the city of Prague. Along the River Moldau (chechian: Vltava) we drive into the "Golden Town" and after having crossed the WentzelSquare we will stop in front of the hotel "Intercontinental". (*) In the evening we will visit the famous "Black Theater".

Day 12: Prague
While the horses have their first resting day, we will have a sight-seeing tour in the forenoon, (*) a concert in the Bertramka (Mozart’s residence in Prague) and a visit of the National Theater in the evening.

Day 13: Departure
After breakfast the guests of the Mozart’s Journey will depart inidividually due to their own plans.

• 12 days carriage ride
• full board from the breakfast day 2 till breakfst od day 13.
• 13 nights (3x 4* hotels, simplier hotels en route)
• (*) cultural program: quotation on request

Dates: