It’s hard to believe we are in our third week of studying in Austria! This past week, we continued with our studies in the history of brewing (for Kelley, Emma, and Grace) and modernity (for Haley) as we approach midterms for our classes, and we learned even more about Austrian culture.

Over the weekend, we stepped outside of our comfortable Salzburg bubble and took a group excursion to Vienna where we experienced big city life, contradictions, and even more Austrian culture, surrounded by more beauty and history. Check out Kelley’s blog from Friday about her first impressions of Vienna and from Monday regarding the group’s long weekend there. And stop by Haley’s post that compares Vienna and Salzburg for more details about our excursion!

Check out our last week in photographs here:

During our trip to Vienna, we went to Beaver Brewing Company, which is an American style burger & beer restaurant. The beer was wonderful and the food was delicious! Pictured here is their bacon burger with hand cut fries.

Emma here! I ventured out to find the Kunst Haus Wien, which is a museum dedicated to Friedensreich Hundertwasser who was an architect and artist who went against the “standard” which is shown throughout the museum in his artwork and his building designs . Although I could not take pictures inside the museum, the outside of the building did not disappoint!

There are numerous beautiful churches in Vienna, but my favorite was the Peterskirche or St. Peter’s Catholic Church. The baroque church was ornate in every way possible, from the altar piece to the ceiling. My jaw instantly dropped when we first visited the church, and I loved it so much that I went back the next day to just sit in prayer and take in the beauty.

Grace and Emma in front of the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna – the imperial summer home of the royal family. The gardens were massive and so beautiful!

St. Peter’s church was stunning with gold detail and marble walls. It made Grace’s mouth drop open when she entered the back doors.

Grace attended the Vienna Pride Parade with Cam. They had a wonderful time marching for love and equality.

Haley, Grace, and Dr. Patterson enjoyed the views of the Habsburg’s summer palace after a beautiful walk to the top.

On Dr.Kennedy’s last day, a group of us spent a lovely afternoon at Mirabelle Gardens and ended up paying this infamous house a visit. It was neat to see it in person!

We finished that day at Stiegl Brewery with a good meal of Schnitzel, fries, and a dessert called the “chocolate staircase;” yes, it was actually a staircase made out of chocolate!

Haley here: During our first night in Vienna, we all went to the amusement park. Even though I am not a rides person, I managed to get on my very first Ferris wheel and it was beautiful!

These are only a small portion of the gardens that are at Schonbrunn Palace. I arrived there by myself and had some time alone to wander!

On our last day in Vienna, we went up to the very top of St.Stephen’s Cathedral to say farewell to the Vienna views one last time. We weren’t disappointed!

Emma and Kelley enjoying some craft beers at the Alchemist Bar in downtown Salzburg. We were putting our newfound beer knowledge to good use to fully appreciate some amazing Belgian brews.

Kelley here: The church of St. Andrew. Even though this Salzburg church is gothic revival style architecture, the altar and windows are surprisingly modern. In my opinion, this colorful church humbly rivals the beauty of St. Stephen’s cathedral.

To commemorate Dr. Kennedy’s last day in Salzburg, a group of us went adventuring to find some hidden spots in Salzburg. This was the actual house where The Sound of Music was filmed at! Dreams do come true!!

Kelley again: The Kiss by Gustav Klimt; housed in the Belvedere in Vienna. Seeing my favorite painting of all time right in front of me, was something out of a dream! I’m still in shock!

The Habsburg’s palace showcased beautiful artistry on the inside and outside. Grace’s favorite part was the Sisi Museum, donated to the late Queen Elisabeth.

We hope you’ve been enjoying some of our favorite things! We still have so much to see and do in our last 10 days in Salzburg, including excursion to Bad Ischl, Ice Caves, the Salt Mines, and the rodelbahn! After we take our midterms, of course.

Check back next Wednesday to see some more of our favorite things and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram – @msmutravels – for more in depth looks at what we’re eating (#FoodieFriday with Emma) and drinking (#ThirstyThursday with Grace), the people we encounter (#TownieTuesday with Kelley), and everything in between (#WasIstDasWednesday with Haley)!