Richard Pena cordially invites you to join him on the customized and unique journey to Austria. Visit Vienna and Salzburg to explore the Rule of Law, Comparative Law and the magic of the Christmas Markets.

Richard writes "I hope you will consider coming with us on this unforgettable delegation to Austria. Visiting Europe in early December affords us an opportunity to visit the Christmas Markets while also engaging with our peers to understand Law and Legal Services in Austria. 

Professional Connections & Peer Engagement:

✓ MCLE will be applied for through the State Bar of Texas and will likely be eligible in most states.

✓ The primary professional objective of this journey is meaningful interaction and collaboration with a focus on the Rule of Law, as well as ongoing communication and collaboration on topics such as comparative law, ethics and professionalism, the Allgemeine Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch law code that regulates lawyers and more.

✓ Meet with Dr. Franz Pelant, President of the Senate of the Supreme Administrative Court (one of the three supreme courts in Austria) and Mag. Alexander Raimann, LL.M a partner at LAWCO.

✓ Meet with lawyers, professors and legal experts in Vienna and Salzburg. Topics and final meeting schedule to be finalized based around the registered delegates areas of interest and expertise.

✓ Accompanying guest program – guests will enjoy privately guided cultural activities while professional members of the group are in scheduled meetings.

Cultural & Community Connections Includes (but not limited to)

✓ Dine with friends of Nanda in Vienna at a “Heurigen” (wine tavern), a Viennese locals favorite.

✓ Attend an evening Christmas concert in Salzburg at the beautiful Hohensalzburg Fortress.

✓ Explore the regal history of Schönbrunn Castle and marvel at the beautiful city landscapes of Vienna.

✓ Participate in several traditional holiday workshops and learn how to prepare a typical Christmas Punsch, traditional cookies, and handmade ornament.

✓ Visit traditional Christmas markets in Vienna and Salzburg, a sight to behold and a great place to buy unique Christmas gifts!

✓ Enjoy a walking tour of both Vienna and Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart to learn about his legacy through tales of his life in Salzburg and places of importance to him.

✓ Enroute to Salzburg, enjoy a guided visit of Melk Abbey located on a rocky outcrop above the Danube River.

✓An optional extension to Prague will be offered for those who would like to extend their time in Europe. 

Please come an join me in Austria to experience the journey of a lifetime where you are sure to make new friends, broaden your professional network, and have stories to tell forever more. Plus, you'll be able to shop for the most incredible artisan gifts at the local Christmas Markets.

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Depart from a New York area airport today and fly to Vienna. 

Professional Participants - As this Nanda Journey is focused primarily on professional development, costs associated with your participation on the program may be tax deductible as an ordinary and necessary business expense. Consult with a tax professional to determine eligibility.  

Please note: All itineraries are subject to change based on availability of hotels, flights and hosting organizations at the time of finalization of booking. Comparable meetings and activities will be arranged should an itinerary change be necessary. 30 days before departure, a finalized itinerary will be available and reflect final details.

Upon arrival, the group will be met and transferred for check-in at your local hotel or bag drop depending on flight time. 

Lunch will be provided this afternoon at a local restaurant. 

Enjoy an afternoon orientation talk and tour with your national guide to learn the most important facts about the city as you take a first walk through town.

Gather as a group for a welcome briefing back at the hotel this afternoon. 

Dinner will be provided at the hotel so you can make it an early night. 

Overnight: Hotel Josefshof (or similar)

Included meals: Lunch & Dinner

The group will have the day set aside for professional meeting with a representative like Dr. Franz Pelant, President of the Senate of the Supreme Administrative Court (one of the three supreme courts in Austria). Pelant worked as a consultant in the Federal Ministry of Justice and has had a long career in Austria including a focus on immigration law. Discuss the Austrian legal system and laws based on their constitution, Rule of Law, relations with their fugal state neighbors, ethics, and professionalism and more. 

Accompanying guests: – Guests will head out this morning on a privately guided tour to Vienna Woods and Mayerling including a visit to Heiligenkreuz Abbey. A picturesque, forested area situated to the west of Vienna, Austria. An excursion to the Vienna Woods offers a delightful escape from the bustling city life, providing visitors with a serene natural environment, historic sites, and recreational opportunities. Heiligenkreuz Abbey is one of the oldest continuously occupied Cistercian monasteries in the world. Return to town for lunch with the group.

Lunch will be provided at a local restaurant. 

This afternoon the group will enjoy a captivating, guided city tour that will unveil the grandeur of Vienna's past and present. As you traverse the iconic Ringstrasse Avenue, you'll be transported through time, passing by majestic palaces, lush parks, and cultural landmarks that define the city's architectural splendor. Admire the historic outside of the Hofburg complex, where centuries of imperial history come to life. Venture into the vibrant city center, and marvel at the magnificent St. Stephen's Cathedral, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. End your morning with the regal history of Schönbrunn Castle. Uncover the stories of the Habsburg dynasty and explore their sumptuous rooms and picturesque gardens with the assistance of informative audio guides.

Enjoy a welcome dinner with some locals at a “Heurigen” (wine tavern), a Viennese locals favorite and learn how to prepare a typical Christmas punsch. 

Overnight: Hotel Josefshof (or similar)

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner 

This morning the professionals will wrap up your professional visits in Vienna with a meeting with a local law firm. Mag. Alexander Raimann, LL.M a partner at LAWCO. He did his internship in the judicial district of the Graz Higher Regional Court, studied European Law in Germany, and received his Master of European Law in 1998. Discuss topics of mutual interest including education and training for lawyers in Austria and other topics of mutual interest.

Accompanying guests: – Guests will have free time this morning to explore independently or sleep in before connecting with the others for lunch and the afternoon activities. 

Lunch will be provided today. 

This afternoon we will invite a local holocaust survivor, or family member, to speak to the group. They will share their experiences and answer questions of interest. 

You will have additional time this afternoon to explore the Christmas markets and learn how to create a handmade ceramic ornament. 

Dinner is on your own this evening. 

Overnight: Hotel Josefshof (or similar)

Included meals: Breakfast & Lunch

After breakfast and hotel check-out, make your way via motorcoach to Salzburg (4-hours).

In route stop at Melk Abbey for a guided tour. During your tour learn about Melk abbey’s history, past and present. Explore the Prelate’s Courtyard, imperial staircase, and the imperial corridor into the Baroque Marble Hall, a former dining hall for imperial guests and onward to the balcony and its excellent view of the Danube valley, the town below. 

After lunch at a local restaurant head onward to Salzburg for a Sound of Music tour including stops at original shooting locations from The Sound of Music. This will include Mirabell Garden and Pegasus Fountain, where Maria and the children danced in the movie; Nonnberg Convent, where Maria was a novice; Schloss Leopoldskron, the house, where the Trapp Family lived in the movie which is now a luxury hotel; Hellbrunn Palace (singing scenes in the movie); Gazebo (now placed in Hellbrunn), where the Baron von Trapp kissed Maria for the first time; and the Church Mondsee, where Maria and the Baron get married.

Dinner is on your own this evening.

Overnight: Hotel am Mirabellplatz (or similar) 

Included meals: Breakfast & Lunch

The group will have the morning set aside for professional meetings with your local counterparts, if possible, at a law school of one of their many universities. Discussion education and training for lawyers and judges in Austria and other topics of mutual interest. 

*Note that today you will be using public transport to navigate the city like a local!

Accompanying guests: Guests will head out to visit Hellbrunn Palace and Trick fountains this morning. Join the others for lunch on own and afternoon explorations.

Lunch is on your own today. 

This afternoon the group will enjoy a guided walking tour of Salzburg city center. See Mirabell Gardens, the Hohensalzburg fortress on the hill and the impressive Salzburg Dome. Wander along the famous Getreidegasse, where history comes alive in the intricate wrought-iron signs and charming medieval facades. Feel the pulse of Mozart's legacy as you delve into the tales of his life in Salzburg, turning every corner into a symphony of discovery.

Enjoy a special evening with an atmospheric Advent and Christmas concert at the renowned Hohensalzburg Fortress.  The special atmosphere of the 900-year-old Fortress together with the excellent acoustics of the Golden Hall ensure that the concert-goer experiences far more than just a concert. From the concert hall and high above the city, you have an incomparable and unique view of the town of Salzburg and its surroundings. Watching a Fortress Concert makes for an unforgettable experience and a highlight of your stay in Salzburg.

Dinner will be provided at the hotel.

Overnight: Hotel am Mirabellplatz (or similar) 

Included meals: Breakfast & Dinner

After a chance to sleep in and a late breakfast the group head will take part in a cooking class. Learn how to prepare the most popular cookies at Christmastime in Austria - Vanilla Kipferl with an experienced chef and get served a hot goulash soup for lunch. 

This afternoon the group will have your last visit to another Christmas market before you head back to the hotel to prepare for dinner. Enjoy a mulled wine or Weihnachtspunsch drink while exploring (hot alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage popular this time of year in Europe).

Say goodbye as you reflect and share memories over a farewell dinner. 

Overnight: Hotel am Mirabellplatz (or similar)

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive to the Munich International Airport for check in for your flight home. Depending on the flight time, lunch is by individual arrangement.

Included meals: Breakfast

Program Leader: Richard Pena, Law Office of Richard Pena P.C., Austin, Texas 

We are excited to have Richard Pena leading this legal delegation. Richard is a veteran delegation leader, having led 19 legal delegations to countries throughout the world, including one to Ireland. He has received the Eisenhower Achievement Award for being an outstanding legal delegation leader and is a national leader in the legal field. 

Richard has served as the President of the State Bar of Texas , President of the American Bar Foundation,  Past President of the Austin Bar Association, is a former Chair of the Texas Bar Foundation, and former Chair of the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation. Richard has received three Presidential Citations from the State Bar of Texas for is meritorious service to the profession. He has received the Distinguished Lawyer Award presented by the Austin Bar Association as well as the Difference Maker Award by the ABA General Practice , Solo and Small Firm Division.  He has also received the Spirit of Excellence Award in the ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession. The Texas Bar Journal recognized him as a  legal “trailblazer” in its February 2014 issue. Richard has the highest rating in the legal profession based on his AV Preeminent rating by Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. 

He is a Vietnam Veteran and is co-author of the book Last Plane Out of Vietnam. 

Review and download Booking Terms & Conditions HERE