Eleven students from City of London Freemen’s School were given the opportunity to attend a Christmas trip of a lifetime to Vienna, Austria. Not only did the trip enable those who are learning German to be immersed in the language, but also provided lessons for all on Vienna’s beautiful historical and architectural background.

The trip consisted of 4 days packed full of sightseeing, Christmas markets and plenty of wonderful food. One of the highlights of the trip was visiting the Schönbrunn Palace for an audio tour of the intricately designed state rooms. Located in Hietzing, the palace is a breathtakingly grand building situated before a wide and beautiful garden. Shrouded in snow due to the sub-zero temperatures at the time of the trip, the palace really was a stunning image. The Schönbrunn Palace was the summer residence of the Hapsburg rulers from the 1700s to the late 1900s. The audio tour led the group around over 30 state rooms “Each room in the palace was totally different but equally as grand” Jennifer Spratt, one of the students on the trip, commented. The students learnt about Maria Theresa, Franz Joseph I of Austria and most memorably, the well-loved Emperess Elisabeth of Austria, better known as Sisi.

Another incredibly memorable part of the trip was watching the ballet ‘La Fille Mal Gardée’ at the world renowned Vienna State Opera. Although beautifully designed buildings can be seen almost everywhere in Vienna, the State Opera’s grandeur was on another level. The interior was just as exquisite as the exterior and added to the excitement of being inside the famous Opera House. “Inside, the building was absolutely beautiful with incredibly detailed walls and ceilings.” Jennifer agreed. ‘La Fille Mal Gardée’ (The Wayward Daughter) is a comic ballet set on a farmyard and tells the story of a daughter who falls in love with a young farmer, however her mother is insistent on her marrying the son of the proprietor of a vineyard. Eventually, the mother agrees to her daughter marrying the young farmer, a joyful ending to the traditional ballet. The ballerinas as well as the orchestra were phenomenal and it is safe to say the ballet included many comedic moments including an opening led by dancing chickens and a clog dance!

On the last day of the trip, the students enjoyed watching the world famous Lipizzaner horses at the Vienna Spanish riding school doing their “training to music.” It was a privilege to be able to see these incredible horses performing extraordinary movements such as the passage, piaffe and tempi canter. The riders were dressed in their traditional uniform and were shown training firstly the performing stallions and secondly, the younger stallions aged 4-5 still undergoing their education. The arena itself was unbelievably grand, lit by chandeliers and almost resembling the same beauty as the opera house! The Lipizzaner horses alongside the Vienna State Opera and Schönbrunn palace are unforgettable places that the students are so grateful to have been able to visit.