Global Art Classroom students spent several days in Vienna, Austria, during their European tour. Vienna offered the group a concentrated dose of what the program does best – art experienced in person, a food culture worth exploring, and the freedom to wander and see where one ends up. In this week's post, Maddie '26 walks us through a full day in Vienna, from a morning walking tour through the city center to a late-afternoon visit to the Belvedere Palace and Gustav Klimt's The Kiss, and all of the moments in between.
A Day in Vienna - Maddie ’26
As our alarm beeps at 7:30 am, the strong and loud “beeeep, beeeep, beeeeeeeeeep” fills the room and disturbs our ears. With big stretches and groans, my roommates and I roll out of bed, fueled and excited by the Vienna light creeping in through the window behind the curtain. As the clock ticks to 8:00, we are ready to go downstairs for breakfast at the hotel. Croissants, yogurts, eggs, and cappuccinos call our stomachs names. As breakfast wraps up, our bellies feel full, satisfied, and happy, and we are all prepared for the day ahead.
Our tour guide meets us in front of the hotel with a smile and some headsets. We begin our historical walking tour of Vienna at 10:00 am, heading towards the city center and listening to our tour guide as she provides information about Vienna's history. Between the special coffee and freshwater Vienna prides itself on, the safe and clean environment they have established over the years, and the history of Vienna's government, we soak up all the information we can get on this tour. I personally love exploring, so these walking tours are right up my alley. Thank yous and goodbyes are exchanged as we disperse from our tour for lunch.
We come across an authentic Austrian food place. We each got a soup, a cappuccino with whipped cream (a Vienna must), and a pastry. This was one of the best meals I have had this entire trip. It was so unique and different from what we had been eating, and I really enjoyed my goulash with the softest bread I have ever eaten. Afterwards, Amena and I came across a cheese shop and were pleasantly surprised when we saw that every single cheese on sale had sample bowls for us to try. We tried every single cheese in the shop. That was a highlight of my day.
We continued wandering around the city of Vienna when we found Lukas, Nicola, and Aaron. A few moments later, we found ourselves in one of Vienna's libraries. This was not just any kind of library; it was a library with the most beautiful architecture, arches, and glasswork, complemented by shelves full of books. We were mind-blown by this beauty.
Afterwards, at around 2:30 pm, Bratwursts and public transit to the Belvedere Palace were on the agenda. We entered the doors of the stunning palace at 3:30 pm, admired, and appreciated the palace and all it had to offer – including seeing Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss – until about 5:30 pm. We then went to a delicious dinner and headed back to the hotel for our evening meeting to wrap up the day. As our eyes closed back into our beds, we set our alarms and prepared to do it all again tomorrow. I really enjoyed my first day in Vienna!
Read More Global Art Classroom Student Reflections
- Global Art Classroom
- Off-Campus Program