Tour the Jewel Cities of Central Europe: Vienna, Budapest and Prague
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 18, 2005
Kathleen McPartland
530-898-4260
Thomasin Saxe, Tour Coordinator
530-898-4642
Tour the Jewel Cities of Central Europe: Vienna, Budapest and Prague
The College of Humanities and Fine Arts, California State University, Chico has scheduled its next tour, from May 30 through June 9, 2006, to the three principle cities in the Habsburg Empire: Vienna, Budapest and Prague. These three cities were the centers of a rich cultural life that flourished for over 400 years under the Habsburg family.
The tour will include three nights in Budapest, three in Vienna, and three in Prague (with an optional three-night extension in Salzburg). The faculty-in-residence is Department of History professor Laird M. Easton, an expert in modern Central European cultural and intellectual history.
The Habsburg family ruled lands stretching from the Austrian alps to the Hungarian basin, from Polish Galicia to the mountains of Macedonia. The empire collapsed at the end of the First World War.
“Until its ultimate collapse, the Habsburg Empire, a motley collection of many different regions and ethnic groups, built as much by marriage as by war, witnessed the flourishing of a fascinating culture in its three principle cities,” said Easton. “We will tour these cities to learn about and experience some of the extraordinary contributions to the artistic, musical and literary culture of Europe.”
“These HFA tours are a great way either to be introduced to or to reacquaint yourself with a foreign city or country-they are very well organized so that all of the pesky details are taken care of and one can concentrate on looking, learning and having a good time,” said Giovanna Jackson, curator of visual resources for the Department of Art and Art History, at CSU, Chico. “The tour leaders and guides are very knowledgeable, and it’s a great way to meet interesting people! These are relaxed tours with plenty of free time for exploring on your own. Having traveled independently as well as on other study tours, I’ve found that these particular tours combine the best of both!”
The $2874 package includes round-trip airfare from San Francisco, airport fees, transfers, first-class hotels, buffet breakfast daily, and three dinners; entry fees to Parliament in Budapest, Matthias Church, Schonbrunn, St. Vitus Cathedral, and Hradcany Castle; plus local guides in Budapest, Vienna, and Prague, and the full-time services of professional tour director Patrick Long. A tax-deductible portion of the cost goes to college scholarships and programs. One to three units of credit are available from Professor Easton, for those who would like the college credit and are interested in doing supplementary reading and assignments. The last day to sign up, unless the tour fills earlier, is Feb. 28, 2006.
Contact Ms. Thomasin Saxe, group coordinator, tsaxe@csuchico.edu or 530.898-4642.
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