| Saturday/Sunday, 18/19 August 2018 | Bodensee Region | Entire Day(s) |
| Personal Enrichment and Networking | Special Pricing for Members of the ETH Alumni Association, the MIT Club of Switzerland and the SLSEAA, and their partners and guests |
 |
 |
 |
Saturday |
|
 |
 |
| We are taking a Field Trip to Great Art, Culture and Nature. Get to know alumnae and alumni of the LSE, MIT and ETH, and their partners, experience the fascinating Bregenz Festival from the best seats and enjoy in good company a sumptuous 4-course Dinner, preluded by ... | |
 |
 |
|
for alumnae and alumni, and their guests, traveling from Switzerland, a guided tour of the world famous Abbey Library of St. Gall. |
for alumnae and alumni, and their guests, traveling from Germany, a guided tour of the impressive Zeppelin hangar and museum in Friedrichshafen and a scenic cruise on the Bodensee to Bregenz. |
Sunday |
|
 |
|
| LSE, MIT and ETH alumnae and alumni will depart for the mountains, enjoying together a nature walk with expert commentary on the fauna and flora of the Schwägalp, Appenzell, and ascending the magnificent Säntis. | |
| Select and Book your Choices Swiss Route |
German Route |
All the detailed information
Saturday
The Bregenz Festival is the world's splashiest opera. Every summer, the Festival lures huge crowds from around Europe to its floating stage on the Bodensee. It is a stunning evening spectacle, a total musical work of art and an enchanting world created through a convincing performance of Bizet's Carmen. You will be entertained at the highest professional level, with phenomenal sound and unbelievable three-dimensional stage designs. Tick it finally off your bucket list by joining us in 2018. We have secured the best seats.
Itinerary: Coach and mini bus transfers from the Castle Restaurant Gebhardsberg to Festival Opera House 19:45 - 20:15, Carmen opera on the Lake 21:00 - 23:00; coach transfers back to St. Gallen and Friedrichshafen 23:30 - 0:30
There can be nothing more pleasing than combining the theatrical with the culinary art, or a fine dinner before an opera performance. We will be sampling local specialities rounded off with a selection of regional wines in the Montfort Hall of the Castle Restaurant Gebhardsberg high above Bregenz. The Castle's construction began in the 11th century after Bregenz was sacked by the army of the Abbot of Saint Gall. During the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) it surrendered without opposition to the invading Swedes. Preserved on the order of the Empress Maria Theresa (1717-1780), a restaurant was eventually added and the Montfort Hall, where we'll enjoy our dinner, received its current gothic ceiling from historical inventory.
Itinerary: Dinner in the Montfort Hall of the Castle Restaurant Gebhardsberg 17:30 - 19:30 (Meet at 17:30 in the Montfort Hall)
Swiss Route |
Saint Gall (Hotel Check-in, Brunch and Abbey Tour) - along the Sea Shore by Motor Coach - Bregenz (Dinner and Opera) - Return by Motor Coach to Saint Gall Feeder flights from Vienna (Austria) to Altenrhein (Switzerland, near Saint Gall) and feeder flights from all regions of Europe to Zurich (Switzerland, 1 hour by train to Saint Gall) |
The Abbey Library of Saint Gall can look back on fourteen centuries of history. It is one of earliest and most important monastic libraries in the world. It holds 2'100 manuscripts dating back to the 8th through the 15th centuries, 1'650 incunabula (printed before 1500) and old printed books. The manuscript B of the Nibelungenlied is kept in the Library as is a Gospel of John (ca. 800 AD). Changing exhibitions show handwritten and illuminated texts, including Bibles, liturgical works, prayer books and biographies of saints. The elaborate, rococo library was constructed between 1758-67 and is worth admiration in its own right, with its magnificent burnished woodwork, undulating balconies and ceiling frescoes.
Itinerary: Guided tour of the Abbey Library 14:30 - 15:30 (Meet at 14:15 outside of the main entrance of the Klosterschulhaus)
The Bodensee is Europe's third largest freshwater lake, covering approximately 571 km2. The lake was formed by the Rhine Glacier during the current ice age. The main tributary is the Rhine, whose waters interestingly intermix little with the waters of the lake, flowing through the Bodensee along a course that hardly changes. The lake has greatly influenced the history of the region and its peoples from the Middle Stone Age to the present.
Itinerary: Coach transfer Saint Gall (Switzerland) to Bregenz (Austria) 16:30 - 17:30 (Meet at 16:00 by the Gallusbrunnen on the Gallusplatz)
The foundation of Saint Gall is attributed to the Irish missionary monk Gallus who founded a hermitage by the river Steinach around 612. From 747, the monastery was already following the Benedictine Rule, which required the contemplative study of books and accordingly also stipulated the presence of a library. In the Middle Ages, the town developed into an important hub of culture and education in Europe. Later, local embroideries attracted international recognition and brought prosperity to the town.
German Route |
Friedrichshafen (Hotel Check-in, Brunch and Zeppelin Tours) - Bodensee Cruise - Bregenz (Dinner and Opera) - Return by Motor Coach to Friedrichshafen Feeder flights within Germany (Berlin, Frankfurt and Hamburg) and from UK (London Gatwick), France (Toulouse), Turkey (Antalya, Istanbul and Kayseri), Southeast Europe (Belgrad, Heraklion, Kos, Rhodes, Skopje, Tuzla and Varna) to Friedrichshafen |
With its 4'000 square meter exhibition space, the Zeppelin Museum presents the world’s largest collection of airship aviation material as a living history of brave people, technical innovation and superior performance. A highlight of the museum is the partial reconstruction of the Hindenburg. You can climb a boarding ladder onto the LZ 129 passenger ship, rebuilt according to its original dimensions and closely approximating the experience of what it would feel like to be a passenger on this innovative, luxury airliner. Before the Museum, we will have a special guided tour of the huge hangar for the newest Zeppelin airship. You’ll be amazed.
Itinerary: Guided tour of the Zeppelin Hangar 9:00 - 10:00; bus transfer to the Zeppelin Museum 10:19 - 10:50; light brunch on the terrace of the Zeppelin Museum restaurant overlooking Friedrichshafen Harbor 11:00 - 12:00; guided tour of the Zeppelin Museum 12:00 - 13:30
A short break on-board. A light breeze that strokes your face. The unmistakable smell of the fresh Bodensee air. Look out across the great expanse of the lake: a cruise with the White Fleet from Friedrichshafen to Bregenz means taking a timeout.
Itinerary: Cruise on the Bodensee from Friedrichshafen (Germany) to Bregenz (Austria) 14:35 - 16:27; mini bus transfer to the Castle Restaurant Gebhardsberg 16:40 - 17:00
Friedrichshafen is an ideal place to relax during your Field Trip. Its magnificent location on the northerly banks of the Bodensee opens the door to virtually unlimited opportunities for pre- and post-Festival activities. Friedrichshafen was established in 1811 as part of the new Kingdom of Wuerttemberg, an ally of France during the Napoleonic Wars. It was named after King Frederick I of Wuerttemberg, who privileged it as a free port and gateway for trade with the Swiss Confederation.
Sunday
Appenzell is the only canton entirely surrounded by another, St. Gall. It is also the only canton not to be served by the federal railways. The railway service is run by the Appenzeller Bahnen, much of it narrow gauge, which operates very distinctive red trains. The yellow postal buses are also unmistakable. Their colour makes them special, as does the sound of the traditional post horn, a motif from Rossini's "William Tell" Overture. The origin of the yellow postal buses dates back to 1849 with the creation of a mail network using horses, the last representative of which is the legendary Gotthard horse-drawn mail coach still operating on the Gotthard pass route.
Itinerary: Assemble at 9:20 in the lobby of the Radisson Blu Hotel, SBB Train S81 St. Gall to Herisau 10:12 - 10:22, Appenzeller Bahn S23 Herisau to Urnäsch 10:28 - 10:43 and Postauto 791 Urnäsch to Schwägalp 10:47 - 11:10
The Säntis is an impressive landmark. At 2'502 metres above sea level, it towers magnificently above one of the most beautiful natural landscapes in Europe. Much of the lands at the foot of the mountain have been included in the inventory of landscapes and moors of national importance. More than 100 years ago, a hunting banishment area was set up and, in recent years, a wild rest area and a forest reserve have been segregated. As a result, habitats for a great variety of plants and animals have been preserved.
Itinerary: Nature walk through the Schwägalp 11:30 - 13:30, Cablecar up to the Säntis 14:00 - 14:20, Appenzeller Brunch 14:30 - 16:00, Explore the Peak 16:00 - 17:00, Cablecar back down to the Schwägalp 17:30 - 17:50, Postauto 792 Schwägalp to Nesslau-Neu St. Johann 18:33 - 18:54 and SBB Train S8 Nesslau-Neu St. Johann to St. Gall 19:13 - 20:04