Social Events

• Opening Ceremony on Saturday 29th August 2009.
• Welcome Reception on Saturday 29th August 2009 at the Reed Messe Congress Centre, in the Main Foyer. Come and enjoy a drink with your colleagues and friends!

Excursions

Excursions will be confirmed if a minimum of 15 participants is met. Full refunds will be made if an activity is cancelled due to a lack of participants.
Meeting point for all tours: in front of the Excursions Desk located in the Registration area, at the Reed Messe Congress Centre.

1. Half-Day Excursion (walking tour): Historic Vienna
This tour takes you to the Old City of Vienna, where no bus is allowed to drive through. Walk through the fascinating complex of the Hofburg, which also houses the Spanish Riding School. Pass by the so-called “Loos Haus”, a famous Art Nouveau building which now houses a bank, have a look into quiet old courtyards and tiny streets and take time to visit one of Vienna's most famous sites, St. Stephen's Cathedral.

• Rate per person: E23,00
  except for accompanying persons for whom this tour is included in their fee
• Minimum participants: 15
• Maximum participants (per group): 25
• Date: Saturday 29th August 2009 at 14:00 & Monday 31st August 2009 at 09:00
• Duration: ~ 2 h

2. Half-Day Excursion (walking tour): City of Music
Get to know some stations of Mozart's time in Vienna, like the House of Mozart and St. Stephens Cathedral. Come to know Johann Strauss who is said to be the ”hero“ of the music world of the 19th century. Vienna is unimaginable without Strauss and his music - well known all over the world. A life full of sensations and incredible details will be narrated during our walk!

• Rate per person: E28,00 - including guide, entrance fee House of Mozart
• Minimum participants: 15
• Starting time: 14:00
• Date: Sunday 30th August 2009
• Duration: ~ 2 h

3. Half-Day Excursion (walking tour): Excursion - The Naschmarkt
“Marschansker, Grumpern, Karotten, Paradeiser, Karfiol, and Krauthappl” - Austrian delicacies belong to a class of its own. Surrounded by original Viennese vendors as well as by salespersons from all cultural backgrounds you will be told numerous stories about this famous market dating back to the 18th century. Here exotic sweets from eastern and southern regions were traded long ago and still compete with local specialties.

• Rate per person: E23,00 - including guide
• Minimum participants: 15
• Starting time: 14:00
• Date: Saturday 29th August 2009
• Duration: ~ 2 h

4. Half-Day Excursion (Bus): Excursion - Grand City Tour including Schönbrunn Palace
We will give an overall impression of the most significant historical sights: Starting with a tour along Ringstrasse with magnificent buildings like the State Opera House, the Museum of Fine Arts, the imperial palace “Hofburg”, the Houses of Parliament, the City Hall and the University, we continue to the former summer residence of the Habsburg Family - Schönbrunn Palace. The highlight is of course your private tour through the imperial summer apartments.

• Rate per person: E35,00 - including bus, guide, entrance fees Imperial summer apartments
• Minimum participants: 25
• Starting time: 09:00
• Date: Sunday 30th August 2009
• Duration: ~ 3 h
  

5. Full Day Excursion (bus and boat): Romantic Danube Valley “Wachau”
“Wachau“ is the name of the part of the Danube valley between Melk and Krems. It is indeed one of the most romantic and almost magic river landscapes in the world. The area is very famous for its excellent white wines. After a guided tour through the famous Melk Abbey, one of the most beautiful monasteries in Austria, the group will go by boat from Melk to Dürnstein (the most beautiful part of the Wachau valley). Dürnstein, situated on the northern banks of the Danube, is supposed to be the most beautiful and picturesque village. On a rock jutting into the river stands a chapel, which once belonged to an Augustinian monastery. The ruins of an old castle, formerly owned by famous robber knights create an unique atmosphere in the small town. The group will have typical Austrian lunch in a nice restaurant.

• Rate per person: E116,00 - including bus, boat, guide, entrance at Melk and lunch
• Minimum participants: 25
• Date: Monday 31st August 2009
• Starting time: 08.00
• Duration: ~ 8 h