 | You'll spend the first seven days of your trip exploring the urban and rural areas of Austria. Vienna, which was once the center of the Holy Roman Empire and the modern world, boasts 5000 years of history and culture. You'll marvel at some of the most amazing architecture in Europe. You'll explore palaces and museums that hold both ancient artifacts and the stories that go with them. You'll dine on Viennese delicacies ranging from Wiener Schnitzel to Sacher Torte to the world's best street-vendor hotdogs and sausages. You can shop in the trendiest boutiques or dig for treasures at one of the largest flea markets in Europe. If you can't find something enjoyable to do here, you're probably dead. Click here for Vienna info While the city has much to offer, the countryside is where you'll find the true heart and soul of Austria. You'll live like the locals do, visiting small villages and enjoying local festivals, local shopping and local dining in Krumbach, Aspang, Kirschlag and Bad Schonau in the Burgenland region. You'll interact with middle-school students for a day, spend free time with local residents, and see Austria like no tourist will ever be able to. Click here for Burgenland info We'll also take a day excursion to visit Hallstat, a town situated in the rugged Alps of central Austria. Hallstat has been populated for over 7000 years, and is home to a salt mine that has been in continuous operation since well before Roman times. You can tour the salt mine, shop in the small boutiques or just sit beside the lake, eating and watching the swans. The area also offers sand beaches and warm swimming. This was by far the most popular stop on last year's trip, so we're returning again and allowing an entire day for exploring the area. We'll stay the night in a Courtyard Hotel in Linz, Austria, and on the way back to the convent, we'll stop and tour Mauthausen-Guzen, the only Nazi concentration camp still standing. This remnant of the holocaust is an eye-opening museum, and what you see will likely move you to tears. Click here for Hallstat info Click here for Mauthausen-Guzen info |