Traveling to Austria offers students a unique and enriching experience filled with history and cultural exploration. Vienna, the capital of Austria, boasts a rich history reflected in its imperial palaces, classical music heritage, and stunning architecture. Students can immerse themselves in the city’s vibrant arts scene and explore famous landmarks such as the Schönbrunn Palace and St. Stephen’s Cathedral.
A visit to Melk Abbey, a Benedictine monastery overlooking the Danube River, provides a glimpse into Austria’s religious history. The abbey, with its baroque architecture and ornate libraries, offers a serene atmosphere for reflection and learning. Students can marvel at the intricacies of medieval craftsmanship and gain insights into the life of the monks who resided there.
Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart, is a picturesque city known for its well-preserved baroque architecture. Students can wander through the charming old town, visit Mozart’s residence, and explore the Hohensalzburg Fortress with panoramic views of the city. The city’s musical legacy offers unique performance opportunities, whether in historic venues or during music festivals that celebrate its cultural heritage.
Top Attractions
Salzburg: Schloss Hohensalzburg
Hohensalzburg Fortress is a large medieval fortress in the city of Salzburg, Austria. It sits atop the Festungsberg at an altitude of 506 m. It was erected at the behest of the Prince-Archbishops of Salzburg. The fortress is 250 m long and 150 m wide making it one of the largest medieval castles in Europe.
Salzburg: Mirabell Palace and Garden
Mirabell Palace is a historic building in the city of Salzburg, Austria. The palace with its gardens is a listed cultural heritage monument and part of the Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Salzburg: Mozart Birthplace
Mozart’s birthplace was the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at No. 9 Getreidegasse in Salzburg, Austria. The Mozart family resided on the third floor from 1747 to 1773. Mozart himself was born here on 27 January 1756. He was the seventh child of Leopold Mozart, who was a musician of the Salzburg Royal Chamber.
Stift Melk – Melk Abbey
Melk Abbey is a Benedictine abbey above the town of Melk, Lower Austria, Austria, on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Danube river, adjoining the Wachau valley. The abbey contains the tomb of Saint Coloman of Stockerau and the remains of several members of the House of Babenberg, Austria’s first ruling dynasty.
Vienna: Hofreitschule
The Spanish Riding School is an Austrian institution dedicated to the preservation of classical dressage and the training of Lipizzaner horses, based in Vienna, Austria, whose performances in the Hofburg are also a tourist attraction.
Vienna: Hundertwasser House
The “Hundertwasserhaus” is an apartment house in Vienna, Austria, built after the idea and concept of Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser with architect Joseph Krawina as a co-creator. Friedrich Stowasser, better known by his pseudonym Friedensreich Regentag Dunkelbunt Hundertwasser, was an Austrian visual artist and architect who also worked in the field of environmental protection.
Vienna: Imperial Palace
The Hofburg is the official residence and workplace of the President of Austria and was formerly the principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty. Located in the center of Vienna, it was built in the 13th century and expanded several times afterwards.
Vienna: Opera
The Vienna State Opera is an opera house and opera company based in Vienna, Austria. The 1,709-seat Renaissance Revival venue was the first major building on the Vienna Ring Road. It was built from 1861 to 1869 following plans by August Sicard von Sicardsburg and Eduard van der Nüll, and designs by Josef Hlávka.
Vienna: Schloss Belvedere
The Belvedere is a historic building complex in Vienna, Austria, consisting of two Baroque palaces, the Orangery, and the Palace Stables. The buildings are set in a Baroque park landscape in the third district of the city, on the south-eastern edge of its centre. It houses the Belvedere museum.
Vienna: Schloss Schönbrunn
Schönbrunn Palace was the main summer residence of the Habsburg rulers, located in Hietzing, Vienna. The name Schönbrunn has its roots in an artesian well from which water was consumed by the court.
Performance Venues
Vienna: Stephansdom
St. Stephen’s Cathedral is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna, Christoph Cardinal Schönborn, OP.