Vienna

Arrive in Vienna and check in to our centrally located hotel. Meet fellow travelers at a welcome reception and dinner.

Take a walking tour through Vienna’s Innere Stadt, or Inner City, focusing on Vienna during the Hapsburg Empire. Visit the fascinating Imperial Crypt, primary burial place for Habsburg royalty, with its ornate metal sarcophagi. Stop for lunch, then stroll past the Hofburg, former imperial residence and today the official seat of the Austrian president. Visit Stephansdom (St. Stephen’s Cathedral), seat of the Archbishop of Vienna and renowned for its elaborate glazed tile roof with a mosaic of the Habsburg dynasty’s double-headed eagle. This evening, drive along the Ringstrasse, the 19th-century avenue that encircles Vienna’s Old City, passing some of the city’s most iconic buildings, lovely parks, and private mansions.

No other art movement represents fin-de-siècle Vienna better than the Jugendstil or Secessionist movement, more commonly known by its French name, art nouveau. This morning, examine the work of the Vienna Secession’s best-known architects, Joseph Maria Olbrich and Otto Wagner. Begin with Olbrich’s Secession Building for a private viewing of Klimt’s remarkable Beethoven Frieze. See Otto Wagner’s Postal Savings Bank and rail station pavilions, then pay a private visit to his church at Steinhof, considered one of the greatest art nouveau churches. Following lunch, visit the Belvedere Palace, which houses many of the best-known works by painters Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele. Later, we leave the Belle Époque behind and turn our attention to modern Austria during a specially arranged guest lecture by a local journalist.

Drive to the eastern border of Austria to explore the Burgenland region. Hear how the area was given its name and how various nationalities including Austrians, Hungarians, Croats, and Serbs call this region home. Stop first in the region’s capital, Eisenstadt, to visit Esterhazy Palace, where Joseph Haydn conducted and composed for almost 40 years. Also visit the Haydn-Haus Eisenstadt, the composer’s home for 12 years, for further insights into the composer's life. Enjoy a typical Burgenland lunch, then drive to the delightful village of Rust on Lake Neusiedl to catch sight of the newly arrived storks settling into the same nests they come back to every year. Return to Vienna and enjoy dinner on our own.

Begin the day with a private guided tour of the newly renovated Austria Parliament and hear from a member of the Parliament on the contemporary political scene. Next, set out for the idyllic scenery of the Vienna Woods. In the charming village of Mödling, enjoy a demonstration of strudel making. After lunch, drive through the lovely Helena Valley, inspiration for Beethoven’s 6th symphony, to Heiligenkreuz Abbey, home to nearly 100 monks. Continue to Mayerling Castle, scene of the suicide pact between Crown Prince Rudolf and his commoner sweetheart. Return to Vienna for an evening at leisure.

After breakfast, hear from a member of the Vienna Philharmonic on the history of the orchestra and its role in classical music in Vienna. Then, embark on a guided walk through the old town, following in the footsteps of the four great masters—Haydn, Mozart, Schbert, and Beethoven—to see where and how they lived. Continue to Liechtenstein Palace for a tour of its magnificent collection of paintings and conclude with a private concert of Schubert’s music by members of the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra in the house where Schubert once lived. Tonight, head to a heuriger, a traditional Viennese wine tavern, for a casual dinner.

Drive to the Wachau Valley, where we visit Melk Abbey, a masterpiece of baroque architecture situated high atop a rocky precipice overlooking the Danube and containing an impressive library of medieval manuscripts. Enjoy the opportunity to taste some of the Wachau Valley’s famous Grüner Veltiners and Rieslings in the nearby town of Dürnstein, where Richard the Lionhearted was held captive in the 12th century, then explore the lovely village of Weissenkirchen before returning along the river to Vienna.

After a specially arranged guest lecture on modern Austria by a prominent local journalist, enjoy the rest of the day at leisure to explore Vienna independently. This evening, attend a performance of Giuseppe Verdi's Simon Boccanegra at the Wiener Staatsoper, or Vienna State Opera. Built in 1869 during the reign of Emperor Franz Josef I, the opera house is considered one of the world’s most important. (Note: The performance is subject to change, pending ticket availability.)

Depart on foot for the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Fine Arts Museum), a splendid repository of art collections assembled by generations of Habsburg monarchs. Sculpture and applied arts vie for our attention as we walk among the many magnificent paintings and Greek, Roman, and Egyptian antiquities. Enjoy lunch and the rest of the afternoon on our own. Gather this evening for a festive farewell reception and dinner.

After breakfast, transfer independently to the airport for flights returning home.