I am planning a cruise for early Fall 2022 which will end in Venice. Planned to fly to Vienna for 3 to 4 days to see the city of my grandfathers birth and would like to travel to Tobaj (Burgenland) for a day which was the birthplace of my 2nd and 3rd great grandparents. Is this something which could be done as part of a Rick Steves tour? Or would I better off with an individual guide? Also interested in hotel/restaurant recommendations in Vienna. Than you for any suggestions.
Posted by
1896 posts
Nobody knows the Corona situation in fall, but I will assume for now that traveling will be possible.
Tobaj is a small village (population 1400) in the very southeast of Austria, about 100 miles away from Vienna. Therefore you will need a full day for your visit. Public transport is available; there is a direct bus (G1) from Vienna to Tobaj and back. Travel time is about 2:30 hours. The last bus back to Vienna leaves at 5pm. Taking the first bus in the morning (8am) will give you about 6 hours in Tobaj.
Travel time by car is about 2 hours.
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
5372 posts
My grandfather was born in nearby Fuerstenfeld. The area around Tobaj/Fuerstenfeld is a lovely place to explore and there are many nice hotels as it is a thermal bath area. I would recommend that you at least spend the night in the area of Tobaj. I'd rent a car and drive there. Our family has done similar trips for ancestral purposes and we have always found that the mayor's office staff has been very friendly help. If you do decide to rent a car and stay 1-2 nights, I can provide recommendations on hotels. Honestly, I don't think any guide is necessary.
For hotel recommendations, it depends on your budget. You want to stay in the first district also called the Innere Stadt for the best access to the sights. There are many options, ranging from 5 star to budget. I'd suggest plugging your dates and preferences into booking.com and reading the reviews there.
For restaurants, I recommend Palmenhaus, Figlmueller, Glacis Beisl, Restaurant Puerstner. You also should visit a heuriger - my favorites are Feuerwehr Wagner, Heuriger Schübel-Auer and Mayer am Pfarrplatz. A visit to Vienna is not complete without a daily cafe stop - Cafe Sperl, Cafe Demel, Cafe Diglas, Cafe Prueckel.