Dates

June 2-13, 2024

Price

to be published May 2023

Dear Friends,

Please join us in June 2024 Moravians and Music tour heading to Prague, Vienna, and Saxony.  We will visit the area where Count von Zinzendorf offered sanctuary to religious refugees from Bohemia and Moravia. Plus, our time and location in Germany coincides fortuitously with the International Bach Festival in Leipzig. We will visit Prague, where Jan Hus was a campus minister and preached the basics of the Protestant Reformation—one hundred years prior to Martin Luther, no less! We will see Prague Castle, where Moravian forebears allegedly perpetrated the famous “defenestration of Prague” which launched the Thirty Years War, a major tiff between Catholics and Protestants. We will visit Vienna where palaces and museums reflect the munificence of generations of Habsburg nobility, whose power and might encompassed kingdoms and empires. From museums, castles, and palaces, to gardens, cuisine, and concerts, we will stroll through parks, imbibe delicacies, and nurture friendships throughout. 

We invite you to join us as we explore the heart of Europe and engage the senses in a magical and mystical tour.  Staying in five star hotels and changing hotels only three times, there will be ample free time to wander and explore on your own.  Our travel partner, Sofia Travel, is a boutique travel provider with over thirty years’ experience. Their expert staff will handle every detail to ensure quality and the personal touches that will make this an enriching experience that lasts a lifetime.  Space is limited, so please reserve your spot soon.

Auf Wiedersehen!

Betsy Overton
Trip coordinator

Sample itinerary

Please note that this itinerary is liable to change until the official publication of the tour details

Day 1/2 - Depart USA, Arrive Vienna

Depart USA, arrive Austria, and transfer to our five star hotel in the heart of old Vienna. Settle in for four nights as we enjoy a welcome reception and our first dinner together as a group. (D)

Day 3 - Vienna: Hofburg, Lipizzaner Stallions, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Kunsthistorisches Museum
Our exploration of Vienna begins at the grandiose Hofburg, the palatial home of the Habsburg dynasty dating to the 13th c., where we tour the Imperial Treasury and see a performance of the Lipizzaner Stallions (schedules permitting). We then continue to St. Stephen’s Cathedral and marvel at its 14th c. Gothic architecture and opulent interior. After time for lunch in Vienna’s central pedestrian district, we visit the Kunsthistorisches art museum—one of the greatest art museums in the world—where we marvel at canvases by Van Eyck, Caravaggio, Rubens, and Brueghel. In the afternoon, visit on your own the Albertina with its estimated 1 million old master prints. (B,D)

Day 4 - Vienna: Vienna State Opera, Naschmarkt, Belvedere Palace, Orchestral Concert

Our second day in Vienna begins with a behind the scenes tour of the world famous Vienna State Opera where Gustav Mahler was once the conductor. Then, enjoy free time to wander the enticing stalls of the Naschmarkt traditional food market before a visit to the sumptuous Belvedere Palace with its ornate gardens, royal residence, and grandiose architecture. In the evening, we attend an orchestral performance at one of the greatest orchestral halls in the world, the Musikverein, where we hear works by Haydn, Ravel, and Dvořák. (B)

Day 5 - Vienna Free Day, Optional Excursion to Melk Abbey, Optional Giselle Ballet

 Enjoy the day at leisure to wander the romantic streets of Vienna, take in a world class museum, or hear a musical performance in a neighborhood church. Or, take an optional excursion to the beautiful Wachau Valley. Depart Vienna and head to quaint Melk along the Danube River for a visit to the beautiful Benedictine Melk Abbey, then cruise down the Danube, soaking up the natural beauty, on your way to the town of Krems before returning to Vienna. In the evening, attend an optional performance of the ballet Giselle at the Vienna State Opera. (B) 

Day 6 - Český Krumlov, Prague

Departing Vienna, we enter the Czech Republic and visit the unforgettable Bohemian town of Český Krumlov, one of the most picturesque towns in Europe. We wander through its UNESCO protected old town and admire the view from its dramatic castle. We then continue to our centrally located hotel in Prague just off the beautiful Vltava River where we check in for three nights and enjoy our first dinner out in this cosmopolitan city. (B,D)

Day 7 - Prague: Old Town Square, Marriage of Figaro

Today we are introduced to glorious Prague, one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. We begin by walking through the Jewish Quarter and learn of the tumultuous 20th century history of Czechoslovakia. We then continue to the Old Town Square with its famous astronomical clock, the oldest in operation.  After an afternoon at leisure and traditional Czech dinner, we attend a performance of Mozart’s most famous opera, the Marriage of Figaro, at the beautiful Estates Theater. (B,D)

Day 8 - Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral, Mala Strana, Charles Bridge, Optional Mozart Dinner

Today we are transferred by bus to the highest point of Prague where we tour Prague Castle, the largest castle in the world, and St. Vitus Cathedral, the most important church in the country, before free time to wander through the picturesque Mala Stana neighborhood and cross the lively Charles Bridge. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore the enchanting back streets and museums of Prague. In the evening, attend an optional Mozart Dinner in a historical setting. (B) 
 

Day 9 - Herrnhut, Leipzig

Departing Prague, we have the unique opportunity to visit Herrnhut, Germany where the Moravian Church was founded in 1722. Here we’ll meet with members of the modern church, meet with one of the ministers, and take a tour of their church and God’s Acre while learning the history of the Moravian Church. We then visit Count Nikolaus von Zinzendorf’s nearby home. In the evening, we arrive in Leipzig in the midst of their yearly international festival celebrating their most famous former resident: Johann Sebastian Bach. (B,L,D) 
 

Day 10 - Leipzig: Market Square, Bach Museum, Bach Walking Tour, Clavier Concert

Today we explore Leipzig at its traditional Market Square before a visit to the Bach Museum with its original manuscripts, instruments, and explanations of Bach’s life and music. We then tour the church where Bach was music director for nearly thirty years and where his body is buried before a walking tour of the important places of Bach’s life. In the afternoon, visit on your own the interesting Zeitgeschichtliches Forum museum that elucidates the East-West partition of Germany. In the evening, we attend a performance from the world’s premier Bach musicians at the Gewandhaus concert hall. (B)

Day 11 - Leipzig Free Day, St. Thomas Concert, Optional: Organ Tour

Enjoy a free day to explore Leipzig and the numerous displays, activities, and concerts related to Bach’s life. Or, take an optional visit to two nearby towns to learn about the construction of their organs and hear their impressive sounds. In the evening, we gather together for a final celebratory meal and an intimate concert in Bach’s home church to conclude our time together in Europe. (B,D)
 

Day 12 - Depart Europe/Post Tour Extension
Depart Europe for the USA or continue on the post tour extension. (B)

EXTEND YOUR TRIP WITH FOUR NIGHTS IN MUNICH

RESERVE YOUR SPOT ON THIS TOUR

We'd love to travel with you!

If you'd like more information about this tour, please contact us or give us a call at (214) 493-3027.

This trip is managed and organized by Sofia Travel and offers Salem Academy & College alumnae and friends a chance to explore Vienna, Prague, and Saxony together.  The trip is not sponsored by Salem Academy & College.  Travelers personally assume all risks and responsibilities associated with their participation in the trip.