Vienna and the Wachau Valley: A dazzling drive from Prague via Mikulov

You don’t need an excuse to visit Vienna. The Austrian capital is a hotspot year-round. Its star power, however, shines incredibly bright when fine weather makes fanciful trips to the beer gardens and breezy rides down the Danube a seasonal rite of passage.

Separated by a mere 335 km of smooth highway driving, a weekend in Vienna never felt closer, more accessible (or sustainable) than behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 4MATIC Electric Art Edition. You’ll pull into the city of music, art, and Mozartkugeln in under 3.5 hours.

Set your destination for the Anantara Palais Hansen Vienna Hotel, along the city’s famous Ringstrasse – your home base for three fun days. We’ve created a suggested itinerary full of must-sees and hidden gems, guaranteeing that your quick getaway over the border will be memorable.  

We started early, hitting the D1 motorway from Prague shortly after 8:30 a.m. Our Mercedes-Benz app selected the best place to recharge along the way – Mikulov. The UNESCO Heritage town, about 250 km into our journey, is home to a fairytale castle and top Moravian wines. We were tempted to stay and taste but didn’t give in. 

After a 15-minute charge – the Mercedes can go around 500 km off a full charge – we were back on the road winding through the picturesque scenery of South Moravia and Austria. (Tip: Don’t forget to buy your Austrian highway vignette, which can easily be purchased online.)

Arriving in Vienna, the Mercedes’ lane and blind spot sensors, 3D parking assistance and automatic speed control made navigating the city’s busy streets a breeze.    

The Anantara Palais Hansen Vienna Hotel, a neo-renaissance icon built in 1873, dominates the city’s skyline, making it easy to locate. The five-star property offers a wide range of spa and beauty procedures, providing a nice balance to an afternoon of serious sightseeing.   

After checking in, we grabbed lunch at the nearby Daihachi sushi. This spot’s clientele is 90 percent locals, a welcoming statistic for a city littered with tourist traps. The sushi here is simple and extremely fresh.  

We returned to the hotel for espresso and dessert in the lobby bar. An apple strudel ceremony takes place around 3 p.m each day. A ringing bell announces the arrival of the apple strudel cart – a complimentary treat for hotel guests. 

Don’t pass on pairing your strudel with a few cups of coffee. If you’re wondering why Austrian brew always tastes so good, there is a simple answer: the tap water, sourced directly from Austria’s mountain springs.

After lunch, we hopped on a tram to visit the Beauty of Diversity exhibit at the Albertina Museum, which has been getting rave reviews.

Another fun and sustainable way to explore Vienna is by bicycle. Numerous cycle paths offer a whole new way to experience the city. WienMobil bicycles is a top bike-sharing service in Vienna. After an easy free registration, you can scan your QR code using the Next Bike App or the WienMobil app. 

We received recommendations for a bike tour along the Danube Bike Path. There are three routes to choose from. Make sure you ride through Prater Hauptallee. It’s a magical place.

Dinner was at Pizzeria Mar, a short walk from our hotel in the charming Servitenviertel neighborhood, often called the city’s “Little Paris.” The pizzeria is a local favorite with a 40-year track record. The kitchen’s Pizza Romana is out of this world. 

After a delicious hotel breakfast, where a la carte and buffet options are included, we took the Mercedes for a spin around the Viennese hills and vineyards. 

Am Cobenzl, a mountain in Vienna’s 19th district, is a popular excursion. Located about 11 km from the city center, a scenic drive via Cobenzlgasse and Höhenstrasse, Cobenzl is surrounded by vineyards, wine taverns, and hip restaurants.

Taking the Mercedes for a spin through this exquisite terrain was smooth and comfortable, not to mention fun to drive. The car has a beautiful design and functionality down to the smallest details, from the luxurious seat experience to its smart displays and textures.   

It was hard not to want to test the Mercedes’ full power, but even when we tried, the built-in safety system gave us a verbal warning and quickly adjusted the speed.    

Now, back to the roadway: At the end of Cobenzlgasse, we stopped for a round of warm apple strudel at the Rondell Café am Cobenzl, which provides stunning city views. The spot offers an excellent selection of Viennese cuisine. It would be a sin to leave without trying the Wiener Gemischte Satz, a dry, crisp cuvée that’s different each year.

We continued up the Höhenstrasse to the Kahlenberg, where we enjoyed more beautiful views of Vienna and the surrounding vineyards. We walked further up to the Leopoldsberg, which offers the highest viewing point in Vienna.

After an afternoon of hiking, we decided to indulge in some pampering at the hotel. The signature Anantara spa combines Thai traditions with state-of-the-art wellness for an ultimate luxury retreat experience. We enjoyed the hydro pool, saunas, steam bath, and relaxation area.

Dinner included a five-course gourmet experience at Edvard, a Michelin-starred restaurant where Chef Paul Gamauf presents exquisite tasting experiences that change with the seasons. Only the freshest ingredients are selected, then presented with modern flair, paired with exceptional wine options by an experienced sommelier.  

Before heading home, we wanted to explore more of the Wachau Valley’s storied landscape. The UNESCO World Heritage site, situated along the Danube, offers a harmonious blend of nature, history, and cultural explorations that genuinely captures the spirit of Austria. 

When we went to pick up the car in the secured hotel garage, where it was conveniently charging, the Mercedes already knew we intended to take a detour home and was roaring to go. 

The Mercedes-Benz app allowed us to always be in control, even when the car was not with us. It sent us notifications when someone unlocked it, when it was charging, if it detected a collision, and its location. (In case of a parking spot collision, the car takes real-time photos; four cameras cover all sides.)

The app also allowed us to pre-schedule trip routes, temperatures, and air quality from the comfort of our hotel room. The information was then automatically sent to the car.

In other words, the inside air temperature and air quality immediately acclimated to precisely what we requested shortly after the engine was turned on, a journey home meticulously plotted on the GPS.

Navigating through the lovely Wachau Valley, the interplay of natural beauty and historical significance becomes vividly apparent. We cruised past historic monasteries such as the Melk and Göttweig abbeys, enduring symbols of the region’s significant spiritual and architectural heritage. 

We passed charming old towns, like Dürnstein, which felt like we’d stepped back in time with its narrow, cobblestone streets and ancient walls.

The detour, taking us through Krems an der Donau and Durnstein, extended the drive up to Prague via České Budějovice by some two hours, but the journey, with all its natural beauty, was well worth our time.