The Sounds of Music - Die Klänge der Musik – Germany & Austria
Spring 2023
The hills truly do come alive on this delightful exploration of four alpine regions connected by language, history, and culture. Experience it all, from Amadeus Mozart’s birthplace in Salzburg Munich’s world famous Hofbrauhaus—one of Europe’s oldest beer halls to a cable car ride into the Alps. Connect with locals on visits to bustling cities of Munich, Innsruck, Salzburg, Vienna, and picturesque mountain villages. Amongst other highlights, you will visit Dachau concentration camp, Schönbrunn Palace where Marie Antoinette spent her childhood, as well as many of the sites from the Sound of Music movie.
Students interested in the Sounds of Music trip to Germany and Austria can register for the class (IS200 with Dr. Hill) any time after registration begins in March 2022. Students are advised to register early as popular trips fill up quickly.
Group Leader: Dr. Chip Hill
Sightseeing: Munich, Innsbruck, Salzburg, The Sound of Music tour, Vienna
Entrances: Dachau, Schönbrunn Palace, Nordkette cable car, Mozart's Birthplace, Concert in Salzburg,
Overnights: Vienna State Opera House and Opera Museum, Hofburg Palace, Concert in Vienna (2), Mozarthaus Munich (2), Innsbruck (2), Salzburg (1), Vienna (3)
Your Itinerary
Day 1: Fly to Germany
Board your overnight flight to Munich!
Day 2: Munich
Arrive in Munich
This center of culture boasts over 45 museums, 10 university buildings and two opera houses.
Walking tour of Munich
Your introduction to Munich begins with a Tour Director-led walking tour. You might stop in front of the iconic Hofbräuhaus or walk through the local Viktualienmarkt, a daily food market in the heart of the city!
Dinner at the Hofbrauhaus
The original Hofbrauhaus was built in the 16th-century by the Bavarian Duke, Wilhelm V. Enjoy dinner at this historic beerhall.
Day 3: Munich
Guided sightseeing of Munich
Hop on the bus where your guided tour takes you past the Olympic Stadium, the Residenz, the Deutsches Museum, and the Alte Pinakothek art museum. Your tour concludes at Marienplatz, the city’s main square and medieval heart since 1158. Here you’ll see the city’s famed Glockenspiel-an ornate clock complete with bells and life size figures.
Visit Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial site
Once merely another sleepy German village, Dachau has since 1933 gained notoriety as Germany’s first Nazi concentration camp. Today, the old administration building houses a museum documenting the rise of Hitler and the horrors of camp life.
Day 4: Munich | Innsbruck
Travel to Innsbruck
Your motor coach winds its way below rugged, snow-capped mountains as you arrive at your hotel in the spectacular Austrian province of Tyrol.
Walking tour of Innsbruck
Join your Tour Director for an orientation to the beautiful city of Innsbruck.
Day 5: Innsbruck
Guided sightseeing of Innsbruck
Begin your tour near the railway station and head towards the wonderful summer residence of the Habsburgs. From here continue into the main square where you will see the famous Golden roof as well as wonderful views of the Tyrolian mountains in the distance. Your walk ends near the beautiful St. Anna’s column on Maria-Theresien Strasse.
Nordkette cable car
Enjoy a round-trip journey from the center of Innsbruck straight to the mountains. Arrive at the 1905-meter high Seegrube. Once you get there you can enjoy a great panorama of the Alps.
Day 6: Innsbruck | Salzburg
Travel to Salzburg
Welcome to Salzburg - famed for its alpine views, chocolate production, stylish architecture and being the setting for The Sound of Music. One of Austria's most charming and accessible cities awaits you.
Guided sightseeing of Salzburg
Welcome to Salzburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site nestled in the Alps. Here you will visit Mozart’s birthplace before venturing into the heart of the city, much of which was designed during the 16th century. Your walk will take you to see the imposing and beautiful Domplatz as well as striking examples of Gothic churches, most notably the Franziskanerkirche.
Enjoy dinner and a concert at Hohensalzburg Fortress
Ascend the railway to Hohensalzburg Fortress and find breathtaking sights and sounds with dinner and a concert this evening. Enjoy the works of Mozart in one of the state rooms of the fortress after dinner with panoramic views of the city.
Day 7: Salzburg
Travel to Vienna
Vienna has long played a central role in the changing face of Europe and has adapted many times to war, revolution, siege, and the rise and fall of empires.
Guided sightseeing of Vienna
Your expertly guided tour takes you down the Ringstrasse, a series of wide boulevards commissioned by Emperor Franz Josef in 1857. Ride past the flower-adorned Rathaus (Town Hall), and the Hofburg, where the powerful Habsburg dynasty ruled until 1918, before visiting Schrönbrunn Palace.
Visit the Schönbrunn Palace
You’ll visit the beautiful Schönbrunn Palace, where Marie Antoinette spent her childhood. After viewing the elegant interior, stroll through the palace’s beautifully landscaped gardens.
Day 8: Vienna
The Sound of Music sightseeing
Who can forget Salzburg in The Sound of Music? Today, enjoy a guided sightseeing of Salzburg’s most famous sights from this classic movie. Try to identify scenes from the film as you pass Salzburg landmarks such as the Mirabell Gardens, the Domplatz, and the Residenz Fountain.
Visit the Mozarthaus
Step back into the world of Mozart as you explore his only surviving residence in Vienna. Here he penned some of his most famous works and spent some of his happiest times. A highly interactive and thematic museum, Mozarthaus is a fantastic introduction into his life, works and the times in which he lived.
Attend an evening concert
Enjoy an evening of music in one of the many concert halls of Vienna, the capital of classical music.
Day 9: Vienna
Tour the Vienna State Opera House
Completed in 1869 in the Neo-Renaissance style, Vienna's State Opera House was the city's first opera house and one of the first great monuments to adorn Vienna's new Ring Boulevard.
Visit Hofburg Palace
Enjoy a chance to wander through the former winter palace of the ruling Habsburg family, which is renowned for its impressive courtyards and majestic fountains.
Attend an evening concert
Enjoy an evening of music in one of the many concert halls of Vienna, the capital of classical music.
Day 10: Depart for home
Transfer to the Vienna airport for your return flight.
Your Tour Director assists with your transfer to the airport, where you’ll check in for your return flight home.
