Vienna Sightseeing Private City Tour & Sacher Cake Option

First time visitors

It was a very informative tour for a first time visitor. Francisco was very accommodating. We were happy with the choices of sites.

via Viator

Pleasant but Inexperienced Guide

I booked a private walking tour of Vienna for my mother and I on our first day, visiting from Canada for my birthday. Our guide Blanca was kind, enthusiastic, and also seemed very knowledgeable about Spain’s history and culture, and I imagine she would be an excellent guide there. However, she mentioned she had only been guiding in Vienna for a month or two and had lived in the city for a relatively short time, which became apparent throughout the tour. Being our first time in Austria, my mother and I were hoping for more historical and cultural context at the sites we visited. There were many occasions where we asked questions about the landmarks we were visiting, churches, and monuments, but Blanca was unable to provide answers. For example, she could not explain the symbolism in the stained-glass windows of one of the churches we visited, or why some windows depicted traditional biblical scenes while others featured a distinctly modern, Indigenous-inspired artistic style. She could not tell us when or why a church may have been built, and was unable to identify the historical figures featured on the Anker Clock we visited (said “I don’t know, just they’re famous people”). She also referred to Maria Theresa several times without explaining who she was or why she is such a significant figure in Austrian history. As first-time visitors to Vienna, we were looking for the stories and historical context that bring the city to life, as otherwise we could have walked around and viewed the sites and monuments on our own without a guide. This foundational knowledge was largely missing from the tour. Our private tour was also used as an opportunity to train two new guides. At times it felt as though the trainee guides had a stronger knowledge of Vienna’s history than Blanca herself. For example, stopping us to explain important monuments that Blanca was going to walk by, or informing Blanca that the show was about to start at the Anker Clock and so we should head over quickly. Blanca was also unfamiliar with popular restaurants that had been recommended to us in the area, and the trainee guides were able to offer their opinions and suggestions. I was grateful that they joined along. We felt the tour overall lacked professionalism at times. Blanca explained that she was in the middle of moving that day and took several personal phone calls during our tour. While I completely understand that unexpected things come up/life happens, it made us feel that her attention was divided and that we were not receiving the level of service we expected from a private tour. Blanca was a lovely person and so I feel badly leaving a negative review, however it was a low point of the trip and I would not recommend this tour to anyone. I think Blanca would benefit from spending more time developing her knowledge of Vienna’s history, architecture, and culture before offering private tours independently.

Response from the operator: Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry the tour did not meet your expectations. Blanca is a licensed guide who has lived in Vienna for several years. One trainee guide joined the tour with the guests' prior knowledge as part of their training, and occasionally contributed additional information. Blanca provided historical context throughout the experience, and apart from answering one urgent personal call for which she apologized, remained focused on the tour. We were surprised by this review, as the guests thanked the guide and even left a tip at the end of the experience.

via Viator