Wobbling Winos: Day 33 - Wiener Neustadt to Vienna

Day 33: Wiener Neustadt to Vienna. 58km, 3h20.

After a lot of deliberation we set off on the B17 out of Wiener Neustadt to Vienna. We were hoping to find the Euro Velo 9 but we could not find a good map with the route, so the B17 it had to be. This is route along a minor highway; pretty flat with a light head wind and was probably the most boring stretch that we have cycled through on our trip. We took it in turns to cycle in the front every 5 km which helped to save the legs. One's legs take more strain peddling on a flat route than rolling hills when different muscles work.

After 15 km we spotted a sign on the side of the road for the Weinstrasse Thermen region cycling route. Hoping that this would lead us to the Euro Velo 9 cycle route to Vienna we took a left turn at Guntramsdorf in the direction Modeling.

A number of well meaning cyclists pointed us in the direction of the Euro Velo 9 cycle route from Modeling, but we got completely lost - the signage is not good at all! However by hook or by crook we managed to link up with the 230 motorway just outside Vosendorf which took us to the right side of Vienna for our accommodation, on a much smaller road than the B17, which was great.

Before we knew it we were on the outskirts of Vienna having cycled through pretty flat agricultural terrain. The cycle paths were non-existent coming into Vienna and to our apartment in the Belvedere area but the Austrian drivers are very tolerant of cyclists and we managed to get there without any trouble.We were met by the landlord, Jan, an architect, and made to feel very welcome. The accommodation is exactly what we need, very comfortable and a 15 minute walk to St Stephan's Platz.

Although we had been to Vienna before we were totally bowled over by the grandeur and majesty of the buildings and we stood in awe as we looked at St Stephans Dom, The Oper, The Hofberg Palace and Belvedere. Vienna was a Celtic trading post when the Romans arrived in 15 BC. Vineyards were introduced in the 3rd and 4th century by the time that Vienna had grown into a town. The rulers changed hands a number of times before being taken over by the Babenburgs. The Habsburgs then inherited Vienna. A tumultuous few centuries ensued, before Vienna reached the so called golden age at the beginning 18th century with baroque architecture, civil reform and the classical music revolution.