Travel across Austria with the Experts!

Ashley Matthews

Ashley Matthews

Where to go for new impressions and emotions? - To Italy! Mountains, sea, lakes, architecture, food, shopping, entertainment - those are what you will find in this country. Travel is transformation, travel is the best thing you can do for yourself, travel is life! Don't wait - travel now!

A Few Words about Austria

Austria is an Alpine country in the very heart of Europe. Here, you will discover diverse landscapes and fascinating flora and fauna to the accompaniment of Mozart’s classical music.

Austria takes pride in its history, and the eventful cultural life attracts tourists from all over the globe.

Enjoy the mountain vacations and the European mentality; our experts will help.

Best Places to Visit

Natural Landmarks and Lakes

Natural Landmarks and Lakes

Neusiedlersee-Seewinkel National Park

Neusiedlersee-Seewinkel National Park

What to see in Austria? Naturally, the Neusiedlersee-Seewinkel National Park! The Austrian sights were enriched in 1932 when this park was built on the shallow lake of Neusiedlersee. This is a protected nature reserve, a breeding ground for many bird species. Tourists are mainly attracted by its varied landscapes.

Eisriesenwelt, the Cave of Ice Giants (Werfen)

Eisriesenwelt, the Cave of Ice Giants (Werfen)

The cave consists of numerous mysterious passages naturally carved by a river. Limestone has been washed out by the water during several millennia. The ice built up on the walls and vaults as a result of the natural thawing of Alpine snow. While the snow descended in avalanches and got compressed inside the cave, the water did its part.

The Federal State of Carinthia

The Federal State of Carinthia

The resort zone of Carinthia with its genial climate and pristine nature attracts those who have not yet decided what to see in Austria. This is about skiing lovers. The region is full of gorgeous, shining snow valleys and mirror lakes. The tiny resort towns lurking along lake shores and picturesque mountain slopes, are famous for their distinguished hospitality services.

Tauern (Tyrol, Carinthia and Salzburg)

Tauern (Tyrol, Carinthia and Salzburg)

Tauern is considered Europe's largest nature reserve. The conservation area exceeds 180,000 hectares. Notwithstanding its relatively short history, the nature reserve has turned into one of the most popular vacation spots in Europe. The area's main treasure lies in the primeval beauty of the mountains. Here, the snowy mountain peaks enrapture with their iridescence. This is why the national park is rightfully reputed to be the most picturesque part of Austria.

Sights

Sights

The Hohensalzburg Fortress (Salzburg)

The Hohensalzburg Fortress (Salzburg)

The Hohensalzburg Fortress holds a place of honor among Europe's old castles not only due to the maximal preservation of the building but also thanks to its overwhelming dimensions. This is why medieval history lovers are so fond of visiting these walls. This castle is the heart of Old Salzburg; its history dates back 9 centuries. The building, however, has managed to maintain its original exterior.

The Hofburg Palace (Vienna)

The Hofburg Palace (Vienna)

What could possibly attract tourists more than an imperial family home? In Vienna, people take care of the Hofburg, the winter residence of the Habsburg dynasty. This is a medieval castle with many centuries' worth of history. The residence was first cited in 1279.

Hohenwerfen (40km from Salzburg)

Hohenwerfen (40km from Salzburg)

The Hohenwerfen Castle is one of the most beautiful fortifications of the country – not so much due to the architecture but due to the head-spinning, magical views of the surrounding area. It is situated on a 155m rise surrounded by mountains overgrown with dense forests. The castle towers over the Salzach River valley.

Melk Abbey (Melk)

Melk Abbey (Melk)

The provincial town of Melk is the western gate of the Wahau Valley included into the list of World Heritage sites. The town is famous for the abbey founded here in 1089. This Benedictine monastery is the hallmark of the place. It is known for its marble hall with frescoes and its library with one hundred thousand books.

Cities

Cities

Finkenberg

Finkenberg

Finkenberg is a traditional Tyrol town: from all sides, it is surrounded by the snowy peaks of Zillertal Valley and the wide margin of Austrian fir trees, shining green in summer and covered with snow caps in winter. The mighty Hintertux Glacier seems to watch over the local nature; today, this is one of the most popular ski resorts.

Hallstatt

Hallstatt

Naturally, any list of beautiful Austrian towns would always include Hallstatt. This charming town has spread along the winding shore of the lake of the same name deep in the Salzkammergut mountains east of Salzburg. Here, travelers admire the cobblestone streets, wooden chalets and balconies wrapped up in ivy and poppy flowers.

Alpbach

Alpbach

Even if you are not going to Alpbach to ski, rest assured: any traveler will find what to amuse themselves with in this medieval village with wooden Alpine houses and paved streets. In winter, these slopes are covered with a layer of shining white snow while in summer, photographers from all over Europe head to Alpbach for the lush florescence of rosebay and bougainvillea.

Sankt Wolfgang im Salzkammergut

Sankt Wolfgang im Salzkammergut

Sankt Wolfgang im Salzkammergut is a true pilgrimage site both for operetta lovers and for Christian followers of Saint Wolfgang who used to live near this charming Austrian town in the Salzkammergut Mountains. This place became well-known in 1052 when the Church canonized Saint Wolfgang, the town's namesake, founder, and patron saint.

Children's Entertainment

Children's Entertainment

The Hallein Salt Mine

The Hallein Salt Mine

The tour itself has a very interesting arrangement. At the entrance, you will be offered mining apparel to fit perfectly into the atmosphere. Then, you will take your seats in minecarts and head off to the center of the Earth. Are you ready to experience enraptured horror or horrible rapture? The descent into the very heart of the salt mines will leave you with a wide range of impressions from fright to unbelievable fun: the minecarts run fast, and the low ceilings affect the psyche of untrained people in their own way.

The Zoom Children's Museum, Vienna

The Zoom Children's Museum, Vienna

Every young citizen of Vienna knows this museum with the short, self-explanatory name "Zoom". And it's no wonder: the huge children's amusement center of 1,600 square kilometers regularly swaps its most interesting expositions. You can find the Zoom Children's Museum near the very center of the Austrian capital, in the famous Museumsplatz.

Alpenbad Leutasch

Alpenbad Leutasch

Spacious indoor and open-air heated pools with underwater massage will help you relax while the large water slide for children and adults will boost your mood. After swimming, you can settle down on a comfortable chaise-longue and enjoy the massage.

"Ellmi's Magic World" Family Amusement Center

Fairies, goblins, ghosts, and Ellmi the Magic Frog will gladly welcome your whole family in the magical country of Elmau. "The Magic Express" will transport you to Hartkaiser Mountain full of mystery and riddles, within 7 minutes.

Museums

Museums

"Haus der Natur" Museum

The "Haus der Natur" Museum situated in Museumsplatz, Salzburg, is a special source of pride for the local citizens. It has been recognized as one of Europe's most interesting museums for natural science. "Haus der Natur" has a rich history and is notable for its considerable age: Eduard Tratz, a famous zoologist, founded the museum back in 1924.

Mittersill National Park Museum

Mittersill National Park Museum

Before starting on the Mittersill National Park Museum, we should mention the town where it is located. Mittersill is a small settlement near the town of Zell am See, populated by a bit less than 5.5 thousand people. The settlement is situated on the very edge of The Hohe Tauern National Park, the largest national park in Austria and one of the largest in Europe.

Mittersill National Park

Mittersill National Park

Mittersill is a small settlement near the town of Zell am See, populated by a bit less than 5.5 thousand people. The settlement is situated on the very edge of The Hohe Tauern National Park, the largest national park in Austria and one of the largest in Europe. Its territory spans three Austrian provinces: Tyrol, Salzburg, and Carinthia.

"Haus der Musik"

If in the musical capital of Europe you feel drawn to the sublime and the beautiful (which makes perfect sense), we recommend going straight for "Haus der Musik". The museum was opened in a restored building which had once belonged to Archduke Charles himself. Today, the museum is always full of excited visitors. And the majority of them are children.

Advice from the Expert

Ashley Matthews

Free Parking Lots

In Austria, there are limited-time free parking lots (the time is specified on the road sign). If you are occupying such a parking space, you need to attach a special parking meter to the windshield to show the time (it comes with the rental car). Otherwise, you will be given a ticket; it is better to pay the fine to avoid problems with the police.

Ashley Matthews

Traveling across Austria by Train Is the Easiest Option

Local railways are incredibly convenient: they reach even the farthest parts of the country, tickets may be purchased online, and the train cars themselves are rather comfortable. Even though Austria is a relatively small country, mountain landscapes slow down the traveling. This pertains even to rather short distances.

Ashley Matthews

Shops’ Working Hours

Virtually all shops in Austria are open from 6 am till 7.30 pm from Monday to Friday and till 5 pm on Saturdays.

Ashley Matthews

Do Not Forget to Punch the Tickets

The fare evasion fine is one of the most frequent problems happening to tourists in Austria. You can take the subway, a tram, or a bus simply by boarding them; there are no ticket barriers. However, it is not enough to just purchase a ticket in the Vienna public transport; you have to punch it with a special validator.

Airports in the Country

Vienna-Schwechat Airport

Vienna-Schwechat Airport

Being Austria's busiest airport and at the same time, the best airport of Central and Eastern Europe in 2008, Vienna-Schwechat serves about 19 million passengers a year. This is the base of Austrian Airlines, the national air carrier, and Niki, a low-cost airline. The airport is divided into three terminals to balance the passenger traffic.

Salzburg Airport – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Salzburg Airport – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Austria's second airport in terms of passenger traffic is located only 4km from the center of Old Salzburg and 2km from the German border. This is why it may also be used by tourists vacationing in Germany, particularly in Bavaria. Mozart Airport is the most important transport node on the way to ski resorts in Salzburg.

Innsbruck-Kranebitten Airport

Innsbruck-Kranebitten Airport

Being the main air transport node in Tyrol, the western region of Austria, Kranebitten Airport is located only 4km from the center of Innsbruck, the most beautiful city. Most of the passengers here are tourists heading for the Tyrol ski resorts.

Graz-Thalerhof Airport

Graz-Thalerhof Airport

The airport of Graz, the capital of Styria, is a rather small transport node; its passenger traffic does not exceed 1 million people a year. It primarily serves seasonal charter flights as well as domestic flights of Austrian Airlines, the national air carrier, and regional flights of Lufthansa.

Best Hotels

Schafbergspitze Hotel, Mount Schafberg

Ried 23, 5360 St. Wolfgang im Salzkammergut
Ashley Matthews

Ashley Matthews

The unique Schafbergspitze Hotel is perched on the top of the steep Schafberg Mountain. However, those planning to stay here may forget about taxis. Don't fret: you won't have to drag the heavy luggage up the mountain and struggle all the way up; there is a miniature railway! The car of Austria's steepest railway climbs the mountain within 35 minutes. "The rooms are clean and comfortable.

Rogner Bad Blumau Hotel, Styria

Bad Blumau 100, 8283 Bad Blumau
Ashley Matthews

Ashley Matthews

The architecture presents another idea by Hundertwasser, the famous architect who spent a lot of time selecting a construction site with clean air and healing water. And at last, he found it. Near the hotel, one can find one of Europe's oldest oaks; moreover, people have drilled a very deep (3 km) well here, and the mineral water comes boiling from the very bottom. To sum up, this vacation is fit for a king! "I recommend the hotel to everyone!

IKUNA Hotel, Natternbach

Naturpfad 1, 4723 Natternbach
Ashley Matthews

Ashley Matthews

The rooms filled me with indescribable delight since these are comfortable wigwams equipped with a minibar, a TV set, and bathrooms." Here, you can feel even more like an Indian when sitting by a fire in the evening or shooting a bow. At that point, you may still enjoy all the modern amenities.

Aqua Dome, Langenfeld

Oberlängenfeld 140, 6444 Längenfeld
Ashley Matthews

Ashley Matthews

The location is pure bliss! You can relax in a thermal pool and let all your worries dissipate. This hotel is well-known for its thermal baths, which are open all year. There are two indoor pools filled with thermal spring water and several open-air pools in the territory of the spa complex overlooking the mountains. We were unwilling to leave the hotel during our entire vacation. "We liked it a lot.

An Approximate Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival at Vienna Airport

Car rental (for 5 days: approximately €340)

Ride to Carinthia

Check-in at the hotel, overnight stay Hotel Schönruh
1 night, 1 adult €177
Taxes included
Breakfast included

Day 2

10:00

Breakfast at the hotel

11:00

Beach recreation on Lake Faaker See

13:00

Lunch at Caramé (average check: €40-50)

14:00

Ride to Hochosterwitz Castle

15:00

Arrival. Tour

16:30

Ride to Klagenfurt City, Minimundus Museum

18:00

Dinner at 7. Himmel (average check: €60-70)

19:00

Check-in at the hotel, overnight stay Seepark Wörthersee Resort
1 night, 1 adult €182
Taxes included
Breakfast included

Day 3

10:00

Breakfast at the hotel

11:00

Ride to Lake Wörthersee

12:00

Arrival

13:00

Lunch at Zum heiligen Josef (average check: €40-50)

14:00

Ride along the Villach Alpine Road to Landskron Castle (fare: €16)

15:00

Arrival at Landskron Castle

16:00

Pyramidenkogel Observation Tower

17:00

Ride to Lake Ossiacher See

18:30

Dinner at Maria Loretto Restaurant (average check: €60-70)

19:30

Return to the hotel, overnight stay Seepark Wörthersee Resort
1 night, 1 adult €182
Taxes included
Breakfast included

Day 4

10:00

Breakfast at the hotel

11:00

Ride to Annenheim City, to Lake Ossiacher See

13:00

Arrival, lunch at Panorama Restaurant (average check: €60-70)

14:00

Ride to Lake Ossiacher See

17:00

Return to Annenheim

17:15

Tandem Air paraglider ride

19:15

Dinner at Auszeit (average check: €40-50)

20:15

Check-in at the hotel, overnight stay eduCARE Hotel
1 night, 1 adult €105
Taxes included
Breakfast included

Day 5

10:00

Breakfast at the hotel

11:00

Ride to Vienna

14:50

Arrival

15:00

Lunch at Twenty Two Restaurant (average check: €60-70)

16:00

Visit to the Kunsthistorisches Museum (price: €5-10)

17:00

Ride to the Belvedere palace complex

19:00

Dinner at Ganesha Indisches Restaurant (average check: €40-50)

20:00

Check-in at the hotel, overnight stay Hotel Ambassador
1 night, 1 adult €157
Taxes included
Breakfast included

Day 6

Breakfast at the hotel

Return of the rental car

Departure

The Country's 5 Jewels

Ashley Matthews

Ashley Matthews

Lake Faaker See (Carinthia)

Lake Faaker See (Carinthia)

On the way from Vienna to Venice through the Austrian state of Carinthia, one can find a beautiful turquoise lake. The waters of the lake have a fascinating color thanks to the limestone particles creating the blue "glow". Beauty lies not only in the lake itself but also in the adjacent territories: picturesque Alpine meadows, fields, primeval forests and the peaks of the Karawanks range.

The Krimml Waterfalls (the Krimmler Ache River)

The Krimml Waterfalls (the Krimmler Ache River)

Serene mountain lakes, crystal-clear waterfalls, pristine nature reserves, untouched mountain landscapes, striking snow valleys – Austria gathered all these treasures within its lands. Natural landmarks are this country's large and important legacy. These treasures comprise the Krimml Waterfalls in the territory of the Hohe Tauern National Park.

The Alps

The Alps

There are many reasons to visit Austria. The country has a lot of sights and natural landmarks. Tourists, however, mainly come here for the Alps, the 500km-long mountain range. This is a true paradise for ski enthusiasts. They can enjoy camping and hotels with top-class service.

The Dachstein Massif (the Alps)

The Dachstein Massif (the Alps)

The Dachstein Massif occupies an area of 600 square kilometers. This is the second highest mountain range in the Alps. This tourist route is known across the whole world as the "three-state mountain" since the massif spans three Austrian states: Upper Austria, Styria, and Salzburg. You can climb it by cable railway and see the wild beauty of the mountains untouched by man, from above. The peaks seem to thrust into the very sky.

Cuisine

Apple Strudel

Apple Strudel

The simplest traditional dessert. The classical strudel is made from apples. However, strudels are also cooked from sausage, potatoes, milk and cream, sugar, lettuce. At new-fashioned Viennese cafes, strudel is filled with cherries or apricots and served with a scoop of ice cream. Still, in such places as Demel or Cafe Central, the menu only features apple strudel.

Wiener Schnitzel

Wiener Schnitzel

Schnitzel needs no introduction: this dish became a generic term in many countries. It is seen in the menus of restaurants and diners as frequently as pizza, pasta and hamburgers. One more reason to order schnitzel in Austria; you will find out how people cook it in its homeland and what is so special about the authentic Wiener schnitzel compared to its numerous counterparts. Ultimately, a schnitzel is a classic tenderized steak.

Motto am Fluss

Motto am Fluss

The romantic Motto am Fluss on the Donaukanal occupies a special place among the restaurants in the center of Vienna. The architectural shape of this impressive building resembles an elegant cruise liner with its "deck" providing a charming view of the city. The interior of the restaurant is characterized by Venetian motives, laconic nature and temperance.

Restaurant auf dem Donauturm

Restaurant auf dem Donauturm

Of course, not all the unusual restaurants of Vienna can boast a high and extraordinary location like Restaurant auf dem Donauturm. The Donauturm, or the Danube Tower, is one of the main symbols of the Austrian capital.

FAQs

01

What is the climate in Austria?

02

Is there a dress code for the Vienna State Opera?

03

Where can I swim in Vienna?

04

What can I see in the Vienna Woods? How do I reach these?

Emergency telephones

Police: 133

Fire Service: 122

Consulate: (+43-1) 31 339 7535

What we propose

Ashley Matthews

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