A Holy Roman Empire Trio

Spend time at the State Opera House, which was opened in 1869 with a performance of Mozart’s Don Juan.

Stop just outside the city center for a visit to the 1,441-room Schönbrunn Palace, which was designed for the Habsburgs before becoming the Imperial summer palace during Maria Theresa's 40- year reign. It was the scene of great ceremonial balls, lavish banquets, and fabulous receptions held during the Congress of Vienna (one of these included a performance by a 6-year-old Mozart). Our tour will include the State Apartments and a stroll through the Imperial Gardens.

Our centrally-located Vienna hotel will be our home for the next two nights. We will have breakfast at the hotel daily.

Explore the Old City with a visit to St. Stephen's Cathedral, one of the greatest Gothic structures in Europe. St. Stephen’s is rich in woodcarvings, altars, sculptures, and paintings. One of the paintings shows the scene of the double marriage between the Hapsburg, Bohemian, and Hungarian dynasties in 1515 that laid the foundation of the Austrian Empire.

Explore Stadt Park (City Park), a lovely park that lies on the slope where the Danube used to overflow into the Inner City before the construction of the Danube Canal. Many memorial statues of the Great Composers of the past stand in the park; the best known depicts Johann Strauss Jr., composer of operettas and waltzes including The Blue Danube Waltz.

Your first concert performance will be today in Vienna. Venue options include St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the United Methodist Church, the Residence of the Canadian Ambassador, and Haus Gustav Klimt. Other possible venues may include the Karlskirche, the U.S. Embassy, Perchtoldsdorf, a Medieval Fortress, Esterhazy Palace, or Schönbrunn Palace.

Enjoy a walking tour as we step back in time to explore the tangle of quaint narrow streets surrounding the castle and cross the ancient Charles Bridge to arrive at the Old Town Square and view the historic Town Hall, the famous astronomical clock, and the 14th century Tyn Church.

Prague Castle is the most popular site visited in Prague. It is the largest ancient castle in the world. Constructed in the 9th century by Prince Bořivoj, the castle transformed itself from a wooden fortress surrounded by earthen bulwarks to the imposing form it has today. Rulers made their own additions, so there is a mixture of styles. The castle has three courtyards and has always been the seat of Czech rulers as well as their official residence.

Vist the Smetana Museum which illustrates the life and work of the famous Czech composer.

Your second concert performance is today in Prague. Sacred venue options include St. Vitus Cathedral, St. Nicholas Church The Church of Our Lady before Tyn, St. Francis Chapel, The Klementium, St. Giles’s Church, St. Thomas’ Church, Letensky Chateau, and the Hotel Olympic Garni. St. George’s Basilica or the church of St. Salvator. More secular venues include the National House at Vinohrady, Majakovsky Hall, Old Town Square, The Novotneho Lavka Concert Hall, The Boat Restaurant Marovia, Hlahol Concert Hall, or the Podebrady Spa. The Ramparts of Prague Castle are a place for a beautiful concert attracting large crowds.

On the day of German reunification (October 3, 1990), Berlin became an independent city-state. Berlin is the national capital of Germany and is home to more than 170 museums and galleries. Despite its now vibrant, trendy atmosphere, there are also poignant reminders of World War II and the city’s long division.

Enjoy a Walking Tour down the famous Unter den Linden, one of Berlin’s most fashionable and important boulevards. Along the walk, view the Deutsche Staatsbibliothek, the Equestrian Statue of Frederick the Great, Humboldt-Universität, and the Deutsche Staatsoper.

Spend time at the Brandenburg Gate, a triumphal arch, which stood in “no man’s land” between East and West Berlin during the Cold War and became a symbol of a divided Germany. Enter the Room of Silence, built into one of the guardhouses, where visitors gather to meditate and reflect on Germany’s past.

Explore the Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie and view parts of the Berlin Wall, as well as an illustrated history of the Wall and the division it caused in the city and in Germany.

Your third concert performance will be today. Venue options include the evocative setting of the Kaiser-Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche (Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church); Kirche Maria Regina Martyrum, built in 1963 as a memorial to the victims of National Socialism; Auferstehungskirche; and the Kirche Zur Heimat.

Our rewarding and enjoyable tour comes to an end as our tour director accompanies us to the airport on our final day.