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The rhythmic clip-clop of Vienna's famous
silky-coated Lipizzaner horses echo on the
grey cobblestones, as they return to their
stables from a world-class performance. My
heart skips a beat as these handsome horses
pass by with their ears pricked, manes plaited
and braided tails swishing.
Founded in 1565 by the European Imperial
Habsburg dynasty, the famous Spanish
Riding School is the world's oldest riding
academy, where classical horsemanship stars
as horses and riders work as one. A visit to the
outstanding gold and white trimmed baroque
hall of the Winter Riding School at Hofburg
Palace is part of our tour. But all eyes are glued
on the magnificent horses that drink from
marble water troughs in their palatial stables.
It is just one of many "pinch me" moments
on Viking's Grand European Tour that sails
along the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers,
visiting Hungary, Austria, Germany and The
Netherlands. From Budapest to Amsterdam
or return, the 15-day voyage provides a deep
dive into the art, architecture, history, cuisine
and culture of these four countries.
And it is a veritable feast for all senses, passing
lofty hilltop castles and fortresses that star on
the Rhine's most scenic stretch. No wonder
the region was declared a UNESCO World
Heritage site in 2002—there are more than 40
castles and crumbling ruins dotted between
Bingen and Koblenz. Sitting on the top deck in
warm sunshine gazing out at these incredible
structures leaves me in awe as to how they
were built just by manpower.
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