Journey through Central Europe

Whether you’re seeking to recapture your ancestral heritage or simply wish to discover a beautiful and poignant part of the world, this small group tour offers ample opportunity for enrichment, enlightenment, and enjoyment. With both comprehensive touring and time for independent exploration, it provides a generous overview of four distinctly different – and fascinating – nations.

Journey through Central Europe

Whether you’re seeking to recapture your ancestral heritage or simply wish to discover a beautiful and poignant part of the world, this small group tour offers ample opportunity for enrichment, enlightenment, and enjoyment. With both comprehensive touring and time for independent exploration, it provides a generous overview of four distinctly different – and fascinating – nations.

Highlights

  • Spend time in Warsaw, virtually destroyed during WWII and since rebuilt, see the 13th century Royal Castle, tour the former Jewish Ghetto and Jewish Cemetery, and enjoy a private classical piano recital
  • In Krakow, tour the Wieliczka Salt Mine, an underground city carved from salt, and see the centerpiece, a chapel with a carving of the Last Supper, and visit Auschwitz to pay your respects to those who were imprisoned
  • In Budapest, the “Paris of the East”, stroll Fisherman’s Bastion for outstanding views of the Danube River, tour Dohany Synagoge, Europe’s Largest, and enjoy a traditional Hungarian dinner
  • Marvel at the Vienna Opera House, see the inside of the majestic Schönbrunn Palace and enjoy a classical music concert before heading to the Vienna Woods and visiting the health spa town of Baden
  • End in Prague to see the Hradcany District, St. Vitus’ Cathedral, and stroll the Golden Lane, then visit Josefov, Prague’s historic Jewish ghetto, which includes the Old Jewish Cemetery

*Twin rooms for this trip are sold out. There are limited single rooms available.

This is an exclusive U-M departure operated by Odysseys Unlimited.

Itinerary

Day 1: Depart U.S. for Warsaw, Poland
Day 2: Arrive in Warsaw
Day 3: Warsaw
Day 4: Warsaw | Krakow
Day 5: Auschwitz
Day 6: Krakow
Day 7: Krakow | Slovakia | Budapest, Hungary
Day 8: Budapest
Day 9: Budapest
Day 10: Budapest | Danube Bend | Vienna Austria
Day 11: Vienna
Day 12: Vienna Woods
Day 13: Vienna | Prague, Czech Republic
Day 14: Prague
Day 15: Prague
Day 16: Depart for U.S.

Host

Vansant Jacqueline 1000x800

Jacqueline Vansant

Professor Emerita of German

Fun fact

This is a hard one, but maybe this is interesting–I spent my junior year in Salzburg and have had multiple grants to study, teach, and do research in Austria.

U-M Role

I was a professor of German at UM-Dearborn and taught all levels of German. I also taught in the now defunct Master of Liberal Studies program, and the honors and women’s studies programs. My research focuses on Austria cultural and literature, and memory and exile studies. I am presently working on a edition of a group correspondence carried out by Jewish-Austrian classmates. In addition, I am writing a collective biography of this group.

Trip Experience

I’m excited to go to parts of the one-time Austro-Hungarian monarchy that I don’t know. Moreover, having worked in Holocaust studies, I have long wanted to make a memorial trip to Warsaw and Auschwitz. The stops along the way come up in much of Austrian literature, which makes it even more exciting.

Waitlist Only
Sept. 10-25, 2024

Starting price

$5,897

Deposit per person

$500

Countries Visited

Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland

Activity Level

Medium
Sept. 10-25, 2024

Starting price

$5,897
*Single supplement applies

Deposit per person

$500

Countries Visited

Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland

Activity Level

Medium
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