NEW: Opera and Wine in Vienna: A 4 Night Trip | 18 - 22 June

Join us in Vienna with drinks editor, Jonathan Ray, as we enjoy a fabulous few days of wine, opera, art and cocktails.

Opera lovers will be delighted that world-renowned baritone Christopher Maltman, fresh from his spectacular success as the Wanderer in the Royal Opera’s recent production of Siegfried (and as host of an uproarious readers’ dinner at The Spectator) will join us for dinner the night before his performance as Don Alfonso in Mozart’s Cosìfan tutte at the Vienna State Opera (for which of course we have excellent tickets) and will give us the low down on the plot and the backstage gossip.

There will be an option, on the second night, of grand opera at the Vienna State (Il trittico byPuccini) or operetta (Die Csárdásfürstin by Kalman) at the Volksoperwith post performance cocktails, no doubt, at Johnny’s favourite Viennese watering hole, Loos American Bar.

We will explore the mediaeval old town with a local guide and visit such great museums and galleries as the Kunsthistorisches Museum, the Belvedere Palace and the Leopold Museum before retracing the steps of Orson Welles and Joseph Cotton as we dip into the Third Man Museum.

Finally, we will travel an hour north-west to Wagram to visit the delightful winery of the Mehofer family, producers of exquisite Gruner and Roter Veltliner for over 300 years. We will taste their range of wines, tour their family museum and picnic among the vines on a hill overlooking the glorious, unspoilt Austrian countryside.

This promises to be a wonderful trip with like-minded Spectator readers in one of Europe’s – no, the world’s – greatest, most atmospheric cities.

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OPERA & WINE IN VIENNA | A FOUR NIGHT HOLIDAY | 18 - 22 JUNE 2026

DAY 1 - On arrival we transfer to the 5* Grand Hotel Wien where the tour is based. This fine hotel stands on the Karntner Ring in the centre of Vienna, a few yards from the Opera House and a ten-minute stroll from St. Stephen's Cathedral. There will be an optional excursion to the Cathedral this afternoon, including a stop for the essential Viennese tradition of Kaffee & Kuchen at one of the historic grand cafés. This evening, we enjoy a tasting of Austrian wines in the hotel before heading out for dinner with celebrated baritone, Christopher Maltman.

DAY 2 - This morning, we shall visit the extraordinary collection of Old Master paintings at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, which includes masterpieces by Rembrandt, Brueghel, Dürer and the masters of the Italian Renaissance. In the afternoon we visit the Mozart House, where he wrote Le Nozze di Figaro and which is now a museum dedicated to his life in Vienna. We shall return to the hotel before our evening performance of Mozart’s Così fan tutte at the Vienna State Opera.

DAY 3 - Travelling out of the city centre we will visit the Mehofer winery in the Wagram wine region, where the same family has been producingwines for 300 years. We will sample the wines made from prized local varietiessuch as Grüner and Roter Veltliner and learn about the organic production techniques used today. After a wine-tasting and lunch at a local restaurant wewill return to Vienna.

DAY 4 - Today we visit the Belvedere Palace with its wonderful collection of works by Austrian artists, including Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss. In the afternoon we will visit the Third Man Museum, a small museum dedicated to memorabilia from Orson Welles’ post-war masterpiece. We return to the hotel for dinner before the optional performance of Puccini’s Il trittico at the State Opera or Die Csárdásfürstin at the Volksoper.

DAY 5 - We transfer to the airport for our return flight.

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Price £3,294 per person based on shared occupancy | Single supplement £486

Prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

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Flights with British Airways:

Depart Heathrow 12:25, arrive Vienna 15:45

Depart Vienna 11:00, arrive Heathrow 12:30

Flight times subject to change – regional departures and Club Class supplement available on request.

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WHAT'S INCLUDED

Return flights

Four nights’ accommodation with breakfast

Tickets for one opera (a second available on request)

Two dinners and one lunch

One wine tasting

All sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities

Services of the Kirker Tour Leader and a local guide

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Please speak to Lucy Ayling at Kirker for more information on 0207 593 2284 or email lucy.ayling@kirkerholidays.com