Austria and Czechia are countries where beauty and ideas live side by side: imperial architecture, extraordinary music, and layered history. This OLLI at Eckerd College journey invites lifelong learners to explore Vienna, Salzburg, Český Krumlov and Prague through guided learning, local encounters, and shared experiences that bring the region’s culture to life.

OLLI Eckerd Moments

Visit a Volkshochschule (Adult Education Center) and engage with staff about civic learning and “second chance” education.

A private concert in Vienna with a local musician, offering an intimate cultural moment.

A hands-on cooking class and dinner at a traditional Heuriger (wine tavern), enjoying local cuisine.

Meet with Charles University Center for Lifelong Learning. Explore their ongoing adult-learning courses, summer schools, and inter-university programs.

Traditional Czech Folklore dinner experience with invited Charles University guests.

Cultural Heritage & History

Guided exploration of Vienna’s artistic legacy with a visit to Belvedere or Kunsthistorisches Museum, with focus on Baroque and Austrian art.

Vienna’s cultural and imperial landmarks, from Ringstraße and Hofburg to Secession-era design, WWII sites linked to The Third Man, and Schönbrunn Palace.

Stop in St. Florian Monastery en-route to Salzburg to see the famed Bruckner Organ.

Walking tour of Salzburg Old Town, including Mozart’s Geburtshaus.

The medieval town of Český Krumlov, UNESCO treasure of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture.

Guided walking tour through Prague’s Old Town, including Old Town Square and St. Nicholas Church.

Prague’s Jewish Quarter and WWII learning experiences, exploring history, memory and resilience.

Czech art and architecture exploration through the National Gallery or Alfons Mucha Museum.

For questions relating to this journey, please contacts Nanda Journeys.

Call 888-747-7501 Ext 1 or Email info@nandajourneys.com and mention the program title OLLI at Eckerd College Austria and Czechia: Culture, Music and Lifelong Learning

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Depart independently today for Vienna, Austria. Settle in for your overnight flight as the journey begins.

International Flights are an additional expense which Nanda Journeys is happy to assist you with. Flight recommendations will be provided approx. 120 days before travel. 

Upon arrival, one group transfer will be provided to transfer to the group hotel for check-in or bag drop depending on flight time. 

Lunch is on your own this afternoon.

Hotel Josefshof am Rathaus (4 star) is tucked into a quiet side street in Vienna’s historic Josefstadt district, an ideal base for exploring the city on foot. From here, Vienna’s elegant Ringstraße, museums, theatres, cafés, and shopping streets are just a short stroll away, with excellent public transport connections nearby for effortless city access. The hotel’s rooms are spread across two historic buildings, giving each one its own character and sense of place. Expect classic Viennese charm paired with modern comforts, including premium box spring beds, along with onsite dining and a welcoming bar to unwind at the end of the day.

This afternoon, enjoy an orientation talk and introductory walk with your national guide, designed to bring Vienna to life through context, story and first impressions.

This evening, gather for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight: Hotel Josefshof (or similar)

Included meals: Dinner

Please Note: Breakfast is included daily at your hotel.

This morning head out for a guided tour of Belvedere or Kunsthistorisches Museum with a focus on learning about Baroque and Austrian art. This type of art flourishes from the early 17th century during the reign of Empress Maria Theresa.

Lunch will be provided this afternoon.

This afternoon is a signature OLLI experience: a visit to a Volkshochschule (Adult Education Center) in Vienna, where you’ll meet with Austrian lifelong learners and staff to learn how adult education is woven into civic life and community culture. This is more than a site visit, it’s a chance for meaningful exchange: sharing ideas, asking questions, and discovering how learning continues across generations in Austria, just as it does within OLLI at Eckerd College.

Later, enjoy a private concert with a local musician, an intimate cultural moment and a beautiful way to experience Vienna through one of its greatest gifts: music.

Dinner is by individual arrangement (own expense).

Overnight: Hotel Josefshof (or similar)

Included meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Cultural Explorations of Vienna

Set out this morning for a guided city tour of Vienna passing Ringstrasse Avenue, Hofburg, walking through the city center to see St. Stephens Cathedral. A quick visit of St. Stevens will give you a view of the front of the nave and part of the northern side before heading onward to Hofburg. The Hofburg is the former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty. Built in the 13th century the palace was expanded several times and served as the imperial winter residence. Since 1946 it has been the official residence and workplace of the president of Austria. Head onward to see Third Man WW2 sites.

Spend some time exploring Schönbrunn Palace for a self-guided tour of the palace. During the reign of Maria Theresa, as an imperial summer residence, Schönbrunn Palace became the glittering focus of court life. From this time on, it played host to the leading statesmen of Europe.

Lunch is by individual arrangement. Late this afternoon head to a cooking class at a Heuriger followed by dinner of your own creation.

Overnight: Hotel Josefshof (or similar)

Included meals: Breakfast & Dinner

After breakfast, check out and travel by motorcoach toward Salzburg.

En-route stop at St. Florian Monastery to see the remarkable Bruckner Organ. If available, meet with an organist to learn about the instrument and hear its sound fill the monastery space.

The monastery is considered an important cultural center of the region. The imposing baroque rooms, the "Bruckner Organ" and the library containing 160,000 works impress thousands of visitors each year.

Lunch is by individual arrangement.

Make your way onward to Salzburg and check in at Hotel Imlauer & Bräu Salzburg, ideally located in the heart of this enchanting festival city. The hotel offers welcoming comforts after a full day of discovery, with onsite dining and thoughtfully appointed guest rooms including Wi-Fi, coffee and tea making facilities, and bathroom amenities for your convenience.

Dinner will be provided this evening.

Overnight: Hotel Imlauer & Bräu (or similar)

Included meals: Breakfast & Dinner

This morning, enjoy a guided walking tour through Salzburg’s Old Town, focusing on Mozart’s life and legacy in the city. Visit Mozart’s Geburtshaus, where he was born and lived for much of his early life.

Lunch will be provided at a local restaurant before your return to the hotel.

This afternoon is free for independent exploration. Enjoy time for cafés, gardens, music, shopping, or simply soaking in Salzburg’s atmosphere at your own pace.

Dinner is by individual arrangement.

Overnight: Hotel Imlauer & Bräu (or similar)

Included meals: Breakfast & Lunch

After breakfast and hotel check out, travel by motorcoach from Austria into Czechia, watching the landscape shift as you cross borders that have shaped centuries of European history.

En route, stop in Český Krumlov, one of the Czechia’s most beautifully preserved medieval towns and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Set in a dramatic bend of the Vltava River, the town feels like a living storybook: cobblestone streets, pastel façades, hidden courtyards, and layers of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture.

Enjoy a guided walk through the historic center, with time to learn how Český Krumlov grew from a strategic medieval settlement into a cultural treasure shaped by noble families, trade routes, and the rise and fall of empires. Explore the castle complex, perched high above the town, and discover how its architecture reflects changing tastes and political eras across the centuries.

After lunch continue onward to Prague to check into your hotel this evening.

Arrive in Prague and check in at Hotel Andel Prague (or similar), a comfortable and well located base in the lively Prague 5 district. With nearby cafés and easy transport connections, it offers convenient access to Old Town.

Dinner is on your own this evening. 

Overnight: Hotel Andel Prague (or similar)

Included meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Begin today with a guided walking tour of Prague’s Old Town starting at Powder Tower. Visiting Old Town is like entering a fairy-tale medieval settlement. As you explore, you’ll walk through centuries of history: Old Town Square, St. Nicholas Church, and Prague’s extraordinary mix of Gothic, Baroque, and Art Nouveau architecture.

Stop for lunch at a local restaurant.

This afternoon will focus on Czech art and architecture with a visit to either the National Gallery or Alfons Mucha Museum. The National Gallery is state-owned and has the largest collection of art in the country including masterpieces of Czech as well as international fine art in permanent or various temporary exhibitions.

Dinner is by individual arrangement.

Overnight: Hotel Andel Prague (or similar)

Included meals: Breakfast & Lunch

This morning is dedicated to visiting the Jewish Quarter north of Old Town and visiting a WW2 Museum. The Jewish Quarter was developed as a ghetto for the Jewish people and the only place they were originally allowed to live, work and bury their dead. Only from 1848 onward were they allowed to settle in other parts of Prague. Today the quarter is one of the most exclusive residential areas in the city. It houses many old synagogues and cemeteries. They are home to several significant World War II museums and memorials so your day will take you to one of these facilities to explore exhibits, artifacts and learn about the impact of the war on the country and city.

Lunch will be provided at a local restaurant.

Meet with Charles University Center for Lifelong Learning to explore adult learning programs, summer schools, and inter-university initiatives, with time for discussion and potential collaboration.

This evening, enjoy a traditional Czech folklore dinner with invited Charles University guests: a special cultural moment to share food, music, and connection.

Overnight: Hotel Andel Prague (or similar)

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

After breakfast depart for the airport for your flight home. Depending on the flight time, lunch is by individual arrangement with free time to explore.

Review and download Booking Terms & Conditions HERE