Category: Travel & Lifestyle

Ohhh, the fun you can have in Vienna during Christmas! Being one of the most fabulous city-break destinations, Vienna goes all out during Xmas with a whole variety of Xmas markets. The biggest is, no doubt, the Wiener Weihnachtstraum am Rathaus, which we simply couldn’t get enough of. The light arch, that welcomes visitors, is iconic by now, so you know, once your’e through, you’ll have a marvellous time: local food stands tempt you to Wiener Würstl, Bratkartoffeln (roast potatoes) and Krapfn (local doughy sweet), whilst fresh mulled wine flows by the gallon. Food aside, there’s plenty of handicraft art & baubles for the Christmas tree at home, so you’re sorted then!

The Bussiplatz, a famous square nearby, is just the cutest square during the festive season. Bussi is dialect for a kiss, so you can imagine, how many couple fell in love there…it represents the local charm perfectly, as kissing is a big part of their Hello’s here.

The Weihnachts- und Kulturmarkt by the Schönbrunn Palace enjoys the most beautiful backdrop possible! Very dreamy and historic, this palace welcomes a more adult public, with a more cultural orientated crowd. The queues to get in can be long, so be prepared…

One of our absolute favourite markets is the Bio-Adventmarkt! Really innovative and great fun for the kids, you’ll find tonnes of handicraft stands there. Again, a gazillion food stands (what makes us think that the Viennese take their food so seriously?), so you can keep warm easily. The carousels make all kids happy, but we love the fact that not only is it eco-friendly, much of the cottage industry’s and home-made artefacts are on display here and you can have fun like a local here.

The Prater was the last on our list of Vienna’s top markets. So, if you’re into amusement park on a giant scale, with a hefty yuletide flavour, then this is for you. Many say, you cannot leave the city without having been to the Prater and had a ride on the giant ferried wheel, but as a matter of fact, there are many fairground attractions here to tire out the kids, so be prepared!

The best of all is, that all is that all these markets are FREE! So, take the family for maximum impact or just enjoy them as a couple in one of the most romantic hotspots in Europe. Whatever you do, and whenever you go, you’re guaranteed a great night out, that’s for sure

You’ve got 60 minutes to carry out the perfect crime: steal the most expensive painting in the world! Think laser matrix, cracking security codes, tricking high tech locks, disabling alarms and dodging security guards – very Ocean’s 11…or indeed Pierce Brosnan’s Thomas Crown Affair. Either which way, your imagination will be more than stretched. So, gamers listen-up: this should be right up your street. Blagging our way through the process, our presenter Claudia Peifer, pretended to be a replacement cleaner on an extra shift, tried to be a gymnast and faked being a security guard herself.

It is an incredible labyrinth of never ending challenges, starting in a storage cupboard. From there, you’re expected to master a proper obstacle course until you might (or might not) get your hands on the loot, trying to beat the system undetected. The Perfect Crime is the latest theatrical adventure created by the guys behind Heist and The Crystal Maze’s Live Experience. It’s interactive nature brings out the best (or the worst) in you and is a fantastic exercise for team building and sticking it out until the end #mustgo (theperfectcrime.co.uk)

The Perfect Crime – The Story

Back in 1990, the Isabella Gardner Museum in Boston suffered a major theft: 2 of the most valuable paintings were stolen, one being The Storm on the Sea of Galilee by Rembrandt, and other was The Concert by Vermeer. With the FBI offering a reward of $1 Million, no information has come forward so far to this day. The amazing thing is, that on the Black Market, their estimated worth is around $100 Million, so the perfect heist to get your hands on one of those paintings would indeed be a worth your while. Forget even thinking about claiming the rewards money – that wouldn’t be ‘playing the game’.

The plot spins around breaking into the storage of a veteran thief, based in London. The bar is the meeting point at the hideaway, and Baroque (your host) will explain the start point to you and what awaits thereafter. You’ll be equipped with a walkie-talkie, and your mate on the outside is your only link to guide you to the next steps. You are utterly dependant on him, as he is also able to see the monitors that follow the movements of the security guards. Other than that, you’re on your own…or at least you need to rely on your team members, if you’re in a gang.

Rogue Productions

Rogue Productions is a theatre company that created interactive games and theatrical experiences. Their audiences are expected to participate in whatever plot they’ve set on solving or action to be carried out. What you can be sure of is, that every show is an adventure, testing the punter to the core. They want their visitors to be part of the story, challenging their character and imagination, using the power of play and immersion to turn the audience into heroes, or Rogues, themselves. Apart fromf their public events, they are award winning creators of independent work as well, taking on commissions and for brands and company institutions – interesting stuff.

The Director – The Producer

DEAN RODGERS, the show’s director, is an absolute pioneer of immersive entertainment. His experience is extensive, having been the co-creator and co-director of the famous immersive experience called Heist, and the game & experience designer of Time Run: The Lance of Longinus, which is widely regarded as one of the best escape games in Europe. He’s also the co-founder of The Crystal Maze: Live Experience, and explains what The Perfect Crime is all about for the punter ahead of our experience on film.

ORAN DOYLE, the show’s producer, has many years of experience on jobs spanning the UK, Europe and America. His projects include works for the Historic Royal Palaces and productions like Les Enfants Terribles. He is also the creative director at Third Folly, a multidisciplinary arts company, creating works and events for heritage spaces. As a visiting lecturer at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, he is also active in training young actors and other emerging talent.