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Czech Republic/Poland/Hungary/Austria

The Best of Central Europe: Krakow, Budapest, Vienna, Prague

Program No. 12259RJ

Immerse yourself in the exquisite artistry of four of Europe’s great cities, gaining a comprehensive understanding of historical monuments, cultural treasures and world-class art.

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Art History & Museums Small Group

Program

At a Glance

Duration

18 days

Program Begins

Krakow

Program Concludes

Prague

Group Type

Small Group

Meals

39 ( 16B, 11L, 12D )

Activity Level

From the elegance of a Chopin polonaise in Krakow to the grandeur of the Habsburg’s summer palace in Vienna, embark on an exquisite journey to learn about Central Europe’s most artistically rich cities and the great thinkers and creative geniuses who called them home. Private concerts, viewings of world-class art collections and in-depth discussion of some of Europe’s leading intellectuals create a detailed portrait of these royal capital cities.

Best of all, you'll...

Enjoy a private concert at the Strahov Monastery and explore the library.
Admire the illuminated city of Budapest on an evening river voyage along the Danube River, passing such important sights as parliament, Chain Bridge and Castle Hill.
Explore Schönbrunn Palace, the former imperial summer residence and one of the most important cultural monuments in Austria.

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Petra Bidlasová

Since 1997, Petra Bidlasová has been sharing her knowledge of Prague with lifelong learners from around the world. With an education in art history, she is currently working on her thesis on contemporary African art and post-colonial theory. For more than 10 years, she has been a lecturer of the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art at the National Gallery in Prague. In 2013, she became a professor of Modern Czech Art at CIEE Study Center for American students.

Please Note:

This expert may not be available for every date of the program

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Dagmar Balounova

Dagmar Balounova was born in 1959 in Bratislava, Slovakia. As a licensed educational excursion leader, she enjoys sharing her love for the region with lifelong learners from around the world. She often works for different government and privately run institutions and companies during visits of foreign delegations.

Anna Karteczka-Kusiak

Anna has spent time living around the world to hone her language skills. After graduating with a degree in Customer Service, Anna embarked on a career as a traveling educator that took her to a wide variety of countries including Great Britain, Belgium, Italy, France, Ukraine and Baltic and Balkan countries. She is an instructor in Krakow and greater Europe, leading groups in English, French and Polish. “I’m extremely glad to link my work with my personal interests: history, travelling, culture and meeting new people.”

Dita Hradecká

Dita studied piano and musicology and began her career in the musical journalism field, first at the magazine “Harmonie” and then at a classical music radio station. She was a music critic for the daily newspaper Lidove noviny and has taught courses at NYU Prague. She is currently the PR and Marketing Manager for the Prague Philharmonic. “I believe music is one of the most wonderful things in life and a deeper knowledge of it can only increase our pleasure of listening,” says Dita.

Monika Pazera

Monika Pazera was born in Nowa Huta, a district of Krakow. While growing up, she witnessed the degeneration and final years of the communist system in Poland. She studied journalism and Russian studies at Jagiellonian University, the oldest university in Poland. A passionate traveler, she’s especially drawn to Eastern Europe and countries like Russia, Georgia and Armenia.

Klara Pogatsa

Klara Pogatsa is a passionate traveler who has led Road Scholar groups in Hungary and through the Balkans. She earned degrees in economics and international communication, and she currently teaches English to adults.

Monika Murzyn-Kupisz

Monika Murzyn-Kupisz holds a doctorate in economic sciences and a master’s in European leisure studies. She is assistant professor at the Krakow University of Economics, and a member of the International Council on Monuments and Sites, Polish National Committee. Monika’s research interests include contemporary attitudes, cultural policy and management of historic cities.

Robert Siuta-Romanowski

Robert Siuta-Romanowski was born in Krakow, the cultural capital of Poland. Surrounded by art and history at a young age, he decided to study art, theology and public relations at Jagiellonian University in Krakow. Robert is now finishing his Ph.D. in medieval symbolism and his research interests focus on the connections between science, faith, and art.

Jana Pivonkova

Jana Pivonková was born in Tábor in Southern Bohemia, Czech Republic. After studying at a hotel school in Prague, she worked at a travel agency in Cedok for 14 years and also organized sporting events for soccer, tennis, and ice hockey. Jana has been leading English- and German-speaking groups around Prague and abroad for over 30 years, and has worked with Road Scholar for over 20 years. She loves history, gardening, dancing and the accordion, and her travels include Cuba, Egypt, Tunisia and Japan.

Ourania Menelaou

Pianist and musicologist Ourania Menelaou was born in Nicosia, Cyprus. She graduated from the Prague Conservatory in 1996, and continued her studies at the Charles University of Prague, receiving her master’s degree in musicology. Menelaou has been invited to participate in music festivals in the United States and performed in recitals around the world. As a musicologist, Ourania has been researching and studying piano music of the 19th and 20th centuries. Currently, she is working in a research program on solo piano music.

Karl Husa

Dr. Karl Husa studied at the University of Vienna and graduated in 1983 with a PhD on internal migration, residential mobility and suburbanization processes in the Vienna Region. Since 1996 he has been a professor for human geography at the Department of Geography and Regional Research of the University of Vienna. His research interests are the intersections of tourism and migration; population geography; spatial patterns of internal and international migration; and development studies, with a regional focus on Europe, Southeast Asia and the developing world.

Lisa Zeiler

Born in 1966 in Vienna, Lisa Zeiler studied English and Art History at the University of Vienna and the University of Toronto, Canada. Since 2001 she has worked as a qualified Group Leader in Vienna, specializing in art and museum visits. She also organizes and teaches in Austria's most extensive guide training course. In addition, she works part time for an institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. Lisa sees herself as an ambassador of Austrian culture, history and character.

Felix Bergmeister

Felix studied geography and economic education combined with English and American studies at the University of Vienna, where he also received his Ph.D. in human geography. He is a full-time researcher and lecturer at the university's Department of Geography and Regional Research. His research interests include Southeast Asia, cultural studies, tourism studies and critical development studies. An avid traveler, Felix spent two years on an around-the-world motorcycle trip, and is known for his penchant for remote destinations like Madagascar, La Mayotte and St. Helena.

Michaela Janecková

Michaela studied architecture at the Czech Technical University in Prague and theory and history of architecture, arts and design at the University of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague. She now teaches Czech architecture and design at Charles University to U.S. students as well as a contemporary architecture course at the Architectural Institute in Prague, a school for international students. Michaela plans to finish her PhD theses at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague in 2020, focusing on Czech postwar architecture.

Dagmar Mikolášková

Dagmar Mikolaskova studied in the travel industry, and has been leading groups since 1988 in English, German and French. She also speaks Russian, Spanish and Chinese. Her other experiences include interpreting and hospitality work.

Evy Pranter

Evy Pranter grew up in Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. After finishing school, she settled in Vienna to study French and art history at Vienna University. She immediately fell in love with the city, with its rich heritage of history, arts, architecture, and music. After working in various tourism jobs and raising her children, Evy started her career as a local expert, which has continued for over two decades. Her specialty is the period around 1900 when the city exploded with new ideas in architecture, arts, medicine, music, and more.

Matthias Hink

Matthias Hink studied music at university, and currently plays viola as a member of the State Opera Orchestra. He also plays often with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.

Activity Level

Keep the Pace

Please note that although the activity level of this program is Keep the Pace, it is a long program, traveling to four different countries over the span of 18 days. Walking up to 5 miles or up to 5 hours per day with periods of standing, often in crowded areas. Terrain includes cobblestones, city streets and uneven ground; short uphill walks; standing at museums; many unavoidable stairs; use of public transportation.

Small Group (13 to 24)

Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.