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School Trips to Vienna

Whether your focus is music, psychology or history (or all three!), Vienna ignites a passion for learning that will stay with your students far beyond the duration of their trip.

One of the oldest major cities in Central Europe, Vienna has a storied and tragic history that covers so much ground – from its position at the heart of a thriving empire, to its role as part of the Nazi ‘Anschluss’ later in the 20th century. 

This makes the city a fascinating case study from a social and psychological perspective. Of course, it is also the birthplace of the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, who developed his remarkably original theories at the University of Vienna. 

For keen musical students, few other cities have played such a tremendous part in the development of the Classical era. Vienna’s range of beautiful concert venues make it a perfect choice for music school tours of all abilities.

If you’re looking for more information on designing your ideal school trip to Vienna, get in touch with one of our dedicated educational travel advisors today – or take a look at some of our most popular options below.

Browse our curriculum-linked trips to Vienna 

History - 20th Century History

History - 20th Century History

Vienna is a city steeped in a rich historical and vibrant history. A history school trip to Vienna will help to bring learning to life for your pupils.

Learn more about our history trips to Vienna here

Music 

Music

The City of Vienna has a historic musical tradition and always provides our music groups with an enthusiastic reception.

Learn more about our music tours to Vienna here

Psychology & Sociology

Psychology & Sociology

Vienna’s social history, coupled with it being the birthplace of Sigmund Freud, makes it a fascinating psychology trip for students.

Learn more about our Psychology & Sociology trips to Vienna here


Vienna highlights - our groups love...

Narrenturm (Fool’s Tower)

Narrenturm (Fool’s Tower)

Built in 1784, Narrenturm is Europe’s oldest building for the accommodation of mental patients. Its construction pointed to a new attitude towards the mentally ill – who began to be distinguished from the rest of society.

Enjoy a fascinating one-hour guided tour covering the history of the Narrenturm, now home to the Federal Pathologic-Anatomical Museum. The guided tour consists of information about the building’s time as a mental hospital and a walk through the fascinating pathological exhibits.

Sigmund Freud Museum

Sigmund Freud Museum

Take a guided tour of Sigmund Freud’s former apartment and office, where you will see an exhibition documenting the life and work of the founder of psychoanalysis, as well as original furnishings, articles of daily use and antiquities from Freud’s collection. You will enter the rooms where new science was created and where Freud and his family spent 47 years from 1891 until 1938, when on 4th June, he was forced by the National Socialists to flee with his family into exile in England.

Original furnishings, including the waiting room, a selection from Freud’s collection of antiquities, and signed copies and first editions of his works provide a glimpse into Freud's biography, his cultural environment and the development of psychoanalysis. Unique film material showing the Freud family in the 1930s, is shown in a video room with a commentary by his daughter, Anna Freud.

Judenplatz Museum & Synagogue Jewish Museum 

Judenplatz Museum & Synagogue Jewish Museum 

The Judenplatz Museum provides visitors with an insight into Jewish life in medieval Vienna. Contained within the museum are the remains of a synagogue destroyed by fire in the 15th century, plus other exhibits relating to the Jewish religious and cultural life of the period. 
 

Mauthausen Concentration Camp

Mauthausen Concentration Camp

Travelling by coach, groups can make the two-hour journey to visit this camp that was established August 1938 and where 100,000 people lost their lives. It was built by the SS to establish a concentration camp for men, in preparation for the impending war. The camp fulfilled two functions: to restrain opponents of Nazism by interning, torturing and killing them and also to exploit their labour to the utmost. Mauthausen was the only category III concentration camp in Austria, the classification with the most brutal detention conditions.

 

Riesenrad 'Prater Park'

Riesenrad 'Prater Park'

An ideal way to end a day! The ‘Prater Park’ is home to many rides, including the Reisenrad, which was once the largest Ferris wheel in the world. The park is open for visitors and all the rides and attractions are individually priced. A ride on the Reisenrad is highly recommended for unique views of Vienna.

St Stephen’s Cathedral 

St Stephen’s Cathedral - ideal for music groups 

This impressive cathedral, with its multi-coloured tiled roof is one of the city’s most recognisable symbols. Groups can perform at midday or morning mass, followed by a short recital.

Votivkirche 

Votivkirche - ideal for music groups 

One of Vienna’s most prestigious churches and a fabulous example of neo-gothic architecture. Performances at mass or concerts can be arranged.

St Peter’s Church

St Peter’s Church - ideal for music groups 

Choirs and small instrumental groups can perform a concert or sing during a mass service in this beautiful Baroque church located in the heart of the city.

Schönbrunn Palace 

Schönbrunn Palace - ideal for music groups 

Groups can give a 45-minute performance on the steps of the main entrance to this famous palace as part of ‘Voices of the World’ festival.

Mozarthaus Vienna

Mozarthaus Vienna

Take either an English audio tour or a tailored guided tour of the ‘genius’ Mozart’s apartment in Vienna and four exhibition floors. Student groups are provided with comprehensive information on Mozart’s years in Vienna, which marked the high point in his creativity. Visitors can find out about the times in which Mozart lived and his most important works. Inside the apartment they may get an impression of how the Mozart family spent their lives.

Vienna school trip experts

Hundreds of students travel with NST to Vienna every year, and members of our team regularly visit the area to really get to know the ins-and-outs of the area, from logistics and visits to our range of student-friendly accommodation.

Your dedicated Tour Co-ordinator will use their knowledge of Vienna to create an itinerary that’s tailor-made, perfectly timed and meets your exact school travel needs. They’ll be able to share their first-hand experience, suggest options you might not have considered and give you insight into the feedback other teachers have given us too.

On-tour support for music groups 

For music groups we can offer support from a Tour Manager who will assist you throughout the duration of your tour in Vienna including at your concerts where they will be on-hand to provide extra support. 

Planning your first school trip?

If you're planning your first school trip, our essential guide will take you through each step of the process.

 

  • Choosing your destination
  • Gaining approval from your Local Authority and/or your Head
  • Promoting your tour in school
  • Confirming your booking
  • Tailor-make your tour
  • Completing your risk assessments (including a sample risk assessment)
  • Quick reference timeline
  • Pre-tour checklist

Additional support, resources & information:

Tour planning service

Tour planning service

With NST, you’ll get your own dedicated, knowledgeable Tour Co-ordinator who’ll work with you from start to finish. You’ll benefit from their unrivalled destination knowledge, and their experience gained from working with many other groups too. They’ll tailor-make your itinerary from scratch and take care of everything for you:

  • Pulling together an itinerary that runs smoothly
  • Planning the right balance of visits every day with realistic timings
  • Pre-arranging and pre-booking your visits, entrance tickets, passes and meals


You’ll receive your final itinerary a full 4-weeks before you travel too.

FREE school trip promotion pack

FREE school trip promotion pack

We’ll support you and provide everything you need to advertise your school trip around school and to parents. Our free school trip promotion pack consists of:

  • Parents’ letter & permission slip template for you to complete
  • A3 posters to promote your trip around school
  • PowerPoint presentation templates which you can tailor to your own needs
  • Parents’ leaflets covering how NST manage safety, financial protection and details of our travel insurance
  • Online parents’ video which showcases the benefits of taking a school trip


For selected destinations, we’ll provide a trip launch web page using video footage and imagery. This web page is provided by a weblink and can be shared with pupils and parents in many ways.

Risk assessment support including preview visits

Risk assessment support including preview visits

Risk assessment plays a vitally important part in the planning and organisation on any school tour.

Our risk assessment guide aims to help you understand more about your obligations and how you can more effectively manage group safety on your next educational visit and provide you with risk assessments for your trip.

Planning first school trip

Planning first school trip

Organising your first school trip can appear to be a daunting process.  If you're planning your first school trip, our guide will help to take you through each step of the planning process, answering frequently asked questions and providing tips and support along the way.  Our helpful guide covers the following: 

  • Choosing your destination 
  • Gaining approval from your Local Authority and/or your Head 
  • Promoting your tour in school 
  • Confirming your booking
  • Tailor-make your tour
  • Completing your risk assessments (including a sample risk assessment) 
  • Quick reference timeline 
  • Pre-tour checklist 


View our essential guide to a successful school trip here

Get live updates on your group's tour location

Get live updates on your group's tour location

Locate My Trip uses GPS technology and is the easy, convenient way for your school to follow your location whilst on tour. Specifically designed to provide reassurance to both parents and teachers, NST will know where your group are 24/7. If your schedule needs to change, we’ll put plans in place to keep your tour on track. 

With Locate My Trip your group can also share photos and videos with the school and parents, via a secure link, to keep them updated on your experience whilst you’re away.

Watch our short Locate My Trip video here.

Your online school trip organiser - My Tour Manager

Your online school trip organiser - My Tour Manager

Save time and stay on track with your school trip admin with our online orgnaniser - designed to help busy teachers like you. 

With My Tour Manager, you'll be able to download FREE resources and access trip paperwork online and in one place. Your personalised checklist details what you need to do and by when, plus you'll receive fortnightly reminders too. 

What's more, you can take all your trip documents on the go whilst on your tour with our app, My Tour Manager-On-the-Go. 

Find out more and watch out short My Tour Manager video here

Free classroom resources

Free classroom resources

We've created a range of free resources and educational posters to brighten up your classroom! 

Take a look at our downloadable posters here

Brexit & your school trip 

Brexit & your school trip 

How will Brexit affect my school trip?

Following the end of the transition period there are several changes that will affect groups travelling with us to the EU.

For more information on these changes, visit our dedicated Brexit page here.

If you're travelling with NST and have any specific questions. please contact your Educational Travel Advisor.

Why choose NST...

Here's why thousands of teachers choose NST each year...

  • Unrivalled knowledge

Your dedicated Tour Co-ordinator will use their unrivalled local knowledge and expertise of Vienna to create a tailor-made, curriculum-linked itinerary to meet your group’s exact needs.

  • Making it easier for you

With our online school trip organiser, travel app, free classroom posters and trip launch resources to support your in-school promotion.

  • Free group leader inspection visits

We offer a free inspection visit to your chosen destination to support your risk assessment planning. 

  • Value for money

We’re committed to bringing you the best possible value trips to help make every penny count.

  • More than 50 years’ experience

With over 50 years’ experience, with NST you can rest assured that your group is in safe hands.

  • Risk assessment guidance

Our risk assessment guidance will help you to manage group safety on your next educational trip.

  • Peace of mind

Your group’s location can be followed with our trip tracking device - Locate My Trip - plus you’ll have 24/7 support from us whilst you’re away.

  • Offsetting carbon emissions

For every trip taken, we'll plant a Maya nut tree in Peru to support reforestation, local communities & biodiversity. Plus, we'll offset an additional tonne of CO2 to guarantee carbon emission reductions. 

 

Looking for protection on your next school trip? 

Booking with a school travel company is the best way for you to protect parents’ money and give yourself peace of mind.  

 

Don’t forget – if your school arranges transport, accommodation and other services directly, you’ll be liable under the Package Travel Regulations – meaning you’ll have all the responsibilities of a travel company, both legal and financial. 

 

Financial protection from the moment you book

NST are fully bonded:

  • ABTA
  • ATOL
  • IATA

Managing safety on school trips

For your protection, NST's independently audited Safety Management System covers:

  • 24-hour emergency cover
  • Audited accommodation & transport
  • Excursions & school visit assessment
  • Group leader preview visits to assist with risk assessment planning

We're LOtC Council’s Quality Badge assured

The Department for Education advises schools to always look for the LOtC Quality Badge when choosing a school travel provider.