Perthshire village visits Vienna in remarkable 'Dull' test

Anna Brocklehurst, mum of three from Dull' lapa up the wintry thrills in Vienna as part of an unusual tourist exchange. PIC: Vienna Tourist Board/Hermann Hoeger | Vienna Tourist Board/Hermann Hoeger

Around half the population of a Perthshire village swapped their winter routines for Wiener Schnitzel, waltzes and world-class art after being invited on a very unusual mission.

The invitation came courtesy of the Vienna Tourist Board, which had an unusual proposition for the village whose name has long been a gift to headline writers. Dull, home to roughly 80 residents and paired with Boring in Oregon — and more recently Bland in Australia — was asked to act as an unlikely panel of travel reviewers. Their mission: to decide whether Vienna really deserves its reputation for being “a bit dull” in January.

The timing was deliberate. January is traditionally quieter for the Austrian capital, coming on the heels of the Christmas markets that draw millions of visitors each winter. Like many European cities, Vienna has also seen visitor numbers dip since the pandemic, prompting tourism chiefs to think creatively about how to showcase the city outside peak season.

Residents of Dull gather in Vienna's extravagant Hotel Imperial. PIC: Vienna Tourist Board / Martin Morscher | Vienna Tourist Board / Martin Morscher

Last autumn, a delegation from the Vienna Tourist Board travelled to Highland Perthshire to make their case in person. Door by door, they hand-delivered invitations to the residents of Dull, reassuring them that the offer of a free luxury weekend abroad was genuine.

Soon, a list was drawn up of villagers willing to clear their diaries. Just under half of Dull’s population signed up. Last Friday morning, a coach rolled into Highland Perthshire to collect them, beginning a tightly packed 48-hour immersion in Viennese culture.

For a village with no shop, no café or pub and little in the way of nightlife beyond monthly SWRI meetings at nearby Camserney Hall, the contrast was immediate. The group — quickly dubbed “the Dullers” by their hosts — were based at the Hotel Imperial, a grand address once favoured by Queen Elizabeth II and famously occupied by the Rolling Stones during their 2006 tour.

Their first taste of Vienna came through its food. That evening, the villagers were taken to dinner to sample the city’s signature dish, Wiener Schnitzel, followed by cheese tasting and live music.

Guest from Dull with the Mayor of Vienna Dr. Michael Ludwig (third left) and the British Ambassador to Austria, Lindsay Skoll (third right), at the Vienna Ball of Sciences. PIC: Vienna Tourist Board_Martin Morscher | Martin Morscher

“It was such a great start to the trip,” said primary head teacher Richard, who travelled with his wife Anna and their three sons, Max (16), Fred (14) and Arthur (9). “It was a real experience for the boys in particular.”

The weekend unfolded at pace. On Saturday, many of the group pulled on skates at Vienna Ice Dream, the sprawling outdoor ice-skating complex set up outside City Hall and billed as one of the largest of its kind in the world. Seven interlinked rinks wind through the square, bustling with locals and visitors alike.

Among those braving the ice was Hilary Wheater, the eldest member of the group. A historian who has written about Dull’s ancient past — including its Celtic crosses and stone circle remnants — she gamely completed a few circuits before retreating to one of Vienna’s lovely museums to warm up.

January in Dull, she reflected, could not be more different.

More than 400 balls take place in Vienna in January, with the residents of Dull getting special lessons before taking to the floor. | Vienna Tourist Board

“I love our peaceful village at this time of year,” she said. “While not much happens, it’s when I find the time to write. People joke about the name, but Dull is very nice and neighbourly.”

Art and culture formed the backbone of the visit. The group explored museums and galleries. They also visited the Spanish Riding School, enjoying behind-the-scenes access to the historic halls and Lipizzaner stables during a morning training session.

A particular highlight was a private early-morning tour of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, arranged before the doors opened to the public. With their own English-speaking guide, the villagers wandered through the national art collection which includes masterpieces by Titian, Raphael, Bruegel, Rubens and Rembrandt in near silence, the grandeur of the building and its treasures all the more striking for the lack of crowds.

Winter in Vienna | © WienTourismus/Christian Stemp

Music was never far away. Some attended a Vivaldi concert performed by an orchestra in Karlskirche (St. Charles Church) a spectacular Baroque church. Others prepared for a very different Viennese tradition: the ball.

January is peak ball season in Vienna, when the city hosts around 400 glittering events. Among them is the Ball of the Sciences, held in the Gothic splendour of the Rathaus, or City Hall. Dull-based architect Colin Smith and his wife, Iona, are keen Scottish country dancers whose annual highlight is the Aberfeldy Highland Ball at Blair Castle. They readily agreed to attend.

To ensure no one felt out of step, the Vienna Tourist Board arranged dance lessons with professional coach Thomas Kraml. Patiently guiding the novices through the basics of the waltz, he also explained they should not miss the midnight Quadrille — a joyful, chaotic group dance that draws everyone onto the floor.

“It’s like organised chaos,” Thomas said. “But utterly wonderful.”

For Jenny Caplan, a young entrepreneur and gaming designer who grew up in Dull, the ball became one of the most memorable parts of the trip. Travelling with her parents Jane and Ricky, she initially hesitated about attending without a partner. The problem was swiftly solved when the tourist board introduced her to Vienna resident Alexander Pan, a “taxi dancer”.

Taxi Dancers are men that are offering their dancing services at balls. Soon after her first bashful steps in the dance studio, Jenny found herself wearing a ball gown and sparkling tiara, gliding across the Rathaus dance floor as the night stretched on until 4am.

Jenny said afterwards. “I really got on with Alex. The ball was an unforgettable experience.”

By the time the group returned to Scotland on Sunday, the verdict was unanimous. Vienna, even in January, had far exceeded expectations.

“It’s all been fantastic, if a bit surreal,” said veterinary nurse Holly. “The hospitality was second to none.”

For the Vienna Tourist Board, the experiment delivered exactly what it hoped for: genuine, good-humoured ambassadors who could attest that the city’s cultural life does not hibernate after Christmas. For Dull, it was another improbable chapter in the story of a village that may be quiet by nature, but has proved — once again — that its residents are anything but dull.