Studies Abroad: Salzburg Year - Itinerary

Students are prepared in advance for what they will see and do through their classroom experiences, particularly Fine Arts and German, providing the basis for a rich and interactive educational and cultural experience. All excursions are led by program directors and/or tour guides, but usually allow some free time for students in each major city. Exact excursion plans are set during the year and are subject to change.

Planned Excursions

The following excursions occur during the year and are separate from the Fall and Spring Tours.

Salzburg Tour: Traditionally taking place the day after students arrive in Salzburg, the first tour helps to acquaint them with the city and its sites. Walking through the Altstadt (old city), students will be able to see some of Salzburg’s oldest buildings (the eldest date from the 12th century) on picturesque streets like Getreidegasse. Typical excursions include a visit to the Fortress Hohensalzburg, the impressive home of Salzburg’s archbishops from the 11th to 16th centuries, which is also the largest completely preserved castle in Europe. Additionally, students usually visit the Mirabell Palace and gardens. Built by one of Salzburg’s archbishops in the 17th century, Mirabell Palace is currently the seat of the city government. The gardens are open to the public and include fountains and an amusing statue garden.

Salzkammergut Tour: The Salzkammergut province consists of the northwestern corner of Austria. Originally named for its salt mines, it is now widely known for its natural beauty with impressive mountains and lakes. Possible tour destinations include St. Gilgen, St. Wolfgang, Bad Ischl, and Hallstatt. St. Gilgen, Mozart’s mother’s birthplace, is located on the upper edge of Wolfgangsee (Wolfgang Lake) and features picturesque shops and various tributes to the composer. St. Wolfgang is located further down the lake and includes the ornate 15^th century pilgrimage church, Wallfahrtskirche. In Bad Ischl, students can visit the Kaiservilla, which was the regular summer residence of Emperor Franz Josef I and Empress Elizabeth (“Sisi”). Lastly, students usually visit the lovely lakeside village of Hallstatt and tour its nearby salt mines.

Vienna Weekend Trip: Rich with both history and art, Austria’s capital is an ideal destination given its pertinence to the Salzburg program’s class offerings. Prepared by lesson plans, students arrive with the knowledge that they need to get the most out of the city’s sights. Planned visits usually include palaces such as the Habsburg Schatzkammer (the treasury of Austria’s monarchy), the beautiful Schloss Belvedere (former home of rulers Maria Theresia and Franz Ferdinand and current home of many exquisite works by Gustav Klimt), and Schloss Schönbrunn. Museum tours often include Austria’s stunning Kunsthistoriches (Art History) Museum, the Kunst Haus Wien, and Hundertwasser Haus. Students will usually also see Stephansdom (St. Stephan’s Cathedral) and attend a performance at the Vienna State Opera. On the way back, students may also visit Melk, an Austrian Benedictine monastery.

Mauthausen: Operating as the main Nazi concentration camp in Austria between August 8, 1938 and May 5, 1945, Mauthausen is located on a rock quarry (Wiener Graben) in the countryside near Linz. Approximately 150,000 victims died in the camp before it was liberated by American troops. Today the site includes a museum and various memorials, as well as the surviving buildings and quarry.