Exploring Austria: Is It Worth The Hype?

Austria is a small but mighty country with a lot to offer. From its adorable towns and villages to its amazing cities, Austria is worth visiting. The country is filled with painting-like landscapes, quaint colourful villages, fascinating history, and a vibrant culture. It is easy to navigate and packed with charm.

Austria is known for its incredible cities, including Vienna, Salzburg, and Innsbruck. Beyond its cities, Austria is also home to quaint towns and villages, such as Hallstatt, Durnstein, and Alpback. The country also boasts impressive natural wonders, such as the Krimml Waterfalls in Tauern National Park, Lake Schlegeis, and the Vilsalpsee or Kaunergrat hiking trails.

Austria is also famous for its Christmas markets, which transform cities like Vienna, Salzburg, and Innsbruck into romantic winter wonderlands. The country's art and music scene are also notable, with offerings from Klimt to Mozart.

With its stunning scenery, rich history, and vibrant culture, Austria is definitely worth considering for your next trip.

Austria's natural beauty

Austria is famed for its natural beauty. The country is home to the majestic Alps and picturesque lakes, offering breathtaking scenery and plenty of outdoor activities. The Salzkammergut region, with its crystal-clear lakes and lush valleys, provides countless hiking and cycling trails. Hallstatt, a charming village on Lake Hallstatt, is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its stunning views.

Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart, also offers natural beauty with its proximity to the Alpine retreat of Berchtesgaden and its glacial lakes. The Königssee lake, surrounded by the Alps and the Berchtesgaden National Park, is especially jaw-droppingly beautiful. Obersalzberg, a mountain retreat above Berchtesgaden, offers cable car rides and hiking trails with views of the lake, the Alps, and Salzburg in the distance.

Austria's natural landscapes also include the Schlegeis Alpine Road, which winds through tunnels made of natural rocks, and the Speicher Durlassboden, an earth dam that draws water from the 31-kilometre-long Gerlosbach River. The Tyrol Province is home to the Leutaschklamm Gorge, named for its natural shape and nearby stream, offering stunning views, especially during spring.

The Zillertal Alps, accessible from the charming village of Ginzling, feature alpine flowers, pine forests, and attractive waterfalls. With ample access and exit points, it's a perfect place for hiking and brilliant walks. The artificial Lake Achensee, nestled between mountains, is another popular spot for hiking and climbing, with customised tours available.

Austrian food and drink

Austria is a country of culinary originals, with dishes like Wiener Schnitzel, Marillenknödel, and Tiroler Gröstl. The country's dining culture thrives in Gmunden and Vienna, with unique venues ranging from traditional taverns to fine dining in hangars and lakeside restaurants.

Austrian food culture is heavy on proteins and carbs, with popular meats including beef, pork, chicken, turkey, and goose. Game is also common, as Austrians are traditionally avid hunters. Many Austrian dishes use the whole animal, including offal, snouts, and trotters.

Some traditional Austrian meat dishes include sausages, cured meats, and, most famously, Wiener Schnitzel. Sausages are usually consumed as a snack or as part of a larger meal. Popular Austrian snacks include open-faced sandwiches filled with various cuts of meat.

Austria is also well-known for its sweet dishes, including cakes, pastries, and other desserts. The country has a long history of making some of the finest desserts in the world.

• Frittatensuppe: A type of Austrian pancake soup made with a strong aromatic beef broth and pieces of savory crepe-style palatschinken.
• Käsespätzle: A traditional dish from several regions, including Württemberg and Baden. It is made by grating hard cheese into hot spätzle and alternating layers of spätzle, cheese, and roasted onions.
• Tiroler Gröstl: A Tyrolean dish made in a pan with fried potatoes, strips of meat, chopped onions, and mushrooms. It is often served with a fried egg on top.
• Tiroler Knödel: Traditional bread dumplings made with cubed bread, eggs, milk, onions, parsley (or chives), nutmeg, and salt. The ingredient that makes this dumpling Tyrolean is speck (Austrian cured bacon).
• Erdäpfelsalat: Austrian potato salad made with waxy whole potatoes that are peeled and sliced after cooking. It is traditionally served with meat dishes.
• Wiener Schnitzel: The national dish of Austria, consisting of a thin, breaded, fried cutlet. It is usually served with a side of fried potatoes and sour cream and onions.
• Tafelspitz: An Austrian national dish of beef or veal boiled in broth and served with a mix of apple sauce or minced apples with horseradish.
• Apfelstrudel: The original version of this popular European dessert. It is made with rolled dough stuffed with an apple filling. Austrian apple strudel can be made from filo pastry, quark dough, yeasted dough, or potato dough.
• Kaiserschmarrn: A famous dessert in Austrian cuisine, consisting of shredded pancakes. It is served with jams, sweet sauces, fruit compotes, or caramelized dry fruits.
• Palatschinken: Viennese-style dessert crepes or pancakes traditionally filled with apricot jam.
• Powidltascherl: Dumplings made from potato dough filled with plum jam.
• Marillenknödel: Austrian dumplings made from potato, cottage cheese, or flour dumpling dough stuffed with apricot halves.
• Salzburger Nockerl: A sweet souffle from Salzburg that is filling enough to be eaten as a main course. It is made with a dough of egg yolks, flour, sugar, and vanilla sugar, and meringue.
• Sachertorte: A chocolate sponge cake with apricot jam and chocolate glaze. It was invented by Franz Sacher in 1832.
• Linzer Torte: A cake named after Linz, a town in Upper Austria. It consists of a shortcrust pastry with ground nuts, topped with a layer of red currant jam and a decorative lattice topping.
• Cremeschnitte: A dessert from the Viennese baking tradition. It consists of two layers of puff pastry, a thin layer of apricot jam, and a generous portion of vanilla-flavored pastry cream.
• Krapfen: A variety of yeasted doughnuts without holes, made with a brioche-style dough enriched with butter, eggs, and sugar.
• Vanillekipferl: Small, crescent-shaped Christmas biscuits originating from Austria. They are made with shortcrust pastry consisting of ground walnuts, flour, butter, and sugar.

Outdoor activities

Austria is an adventure travel destination worth visiting, with its beautiful Alpine landscapes and fairy-tale-like lakes. The country offers a wide range of outdoor activities, from hiking and mountain climbing to skiing, cycling, paragliding, and scuba diving.

Hiking

Austria's outdoor landscape is characterised by idyllic villages and towering mountains. The country offers an extensive network of hiking, trekking, and walking trails, varying in duration and intensity. Trails range from intense Alpine hikes to immersive forest hill walks and pleasant strolls around mountain lakes. Some trails are also accessible to wheelchair users or people with reduced mobility.

The Pinzgauer Spaziergang hike is a popular high-altitude trail near Zell am See, not far from Salzburg. The trail is roughly 17km long and takes you through green Alpine meadows and past steep mountains. For an easier option, the Liechtensteinklamm trail in Salzburg is a popular 4km route set in one of Europe's deepest gorges.

Skiing and Snowboarding

Skiing is one of the most popular outdoor activities in Austria, with numerous ski resorts catering to all levels of experience. Ski Arlberg, Austria's largest skiing area, offers well-groomed slopes and thrilling descents. SkiWelt in Tyrol provides family-friendly resorts, while Saalbach-Hinterglemm in Salzburg has something for everyone.

Cycling

Austria has cycling routes that cut through its stunning countryside and small towns, offering flat, smooth terrain as well as steep climbs. Classic cycling routes include the Glocknerstrasse Mountain Pass, the Styrian Wine Country Cycle, and the Danube Cycle Path. The Danube Cycle Path, in particular, takes you through picturesque landscapes, medieval towns, and vineyards.

Scuba Diving

Despite being landlocked, Austria has thousands of lakes that offer scuba diving opportunities. The mountain lakes sit over 1,000ft above sea level, providing a unique diving experience. Popular dive sites are centred in the Salzkammergut and Salzburg regions, with Lake Altaussee, Wolfgangsee, and Traunsee among the best-loved lakes by divers. Lake Weissensee is also a popular spot for ice diving.

Kayaking and Rafting

Austria's rivers and lakes provide the perfect conditions for both gentle paddling and whitewater rafting. Tyrol is one of the best spots for kayaking in the Alps, with the Imster Schlucht Canyon offering an exhilarating experience. The Zillertal Valley also has rapids and calm stretches suitable for all skill levels.

Paragliding

For a stunning aerial view of the Austrian landscape, paragliding is a popular choice. The most well-known spots for paragliding include Salzburg, Innsbruck, Zell am See, and Ossiacher See.

Rock Climbing

Austria has some of the best rock climbing spots in Europe, with routes suitable for both pros and beginners. The main climbing areas are around Salzburg and Innsbruck, where you'll find mountain peaks, Alpine meadows, and forested valleys.

History and architecture

Austria is a country steeped in history and culture, with a rich musical heritage and stunning architecture. The nation's capital, Vienna, was once the centre of classical music innovation in Europe, with famous composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, and Johann Strauss spending significant time in the city. The country is also the birthplace of Mozart and Klimt.

Austria's architectural wonders include the Schönbrunn Palace, St. Stephen's Cathedral, and the Belvedere Museum in Vienna. The country is also home to Baroque buildings, medieval castles, and quaint villages. The city of Salzburg is famous for being the filming location for The Sound of Music.

The country's history is closely tied to the Habsburg dynasty, which ruled for centuries until the Austro-Hungarian Empire's defeat in World War I. After establishing itself as a republic, Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938. Following World War II, Austria regained its independence and pledged neutrality in the Cold War era.

Austria's landscape is characterised by mountains and forests, with the majestic Austrian Alps forming the country's physical backbone. The country is dotted with picturesque lakes, including Lake Constance and Neusiedler Lake. The Alpine landscape offers a complex geologic pattern, with the highest elevation being the Grossglockner, rising to 12,460 feet.

Transport and location

Austria is a landlocked country in south-central Europe, sharing its borders with eight other countries: the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland. Its location in the heart of Europe makes it a convenient travel hub, with easy access to various European destinations by train or plane.

The country is characterised by its mountainous landscape, with the Austrian Alps forming the physical backbone. The western Austrian states of Vorarlberg, Tirol, and Salzburg are particularly known for their majestic mountains and breathtaking scenery. The Austrian Alps also extend to the western part of Kärnten (Carinthia), the Salzkammergut region, and the state of Steiermark (Styria).

The Danube River, one of Europe's most important waterways, flows through Austria, providing a vital trade route connecting east and west. The river winds its way between the eastern edge of the Alps and the hills of Bohemia and Moravia before emerging into the drier plains near Vienna.

Austria's public transport system is efficient and well-developed. Within cities, buses, trams, and metros provide extensive coverage. For travel between cities, the ÖBB Railjet offers a high-speed option, reaching speeds of up to 143 miles per hour. The railway system also connects Austria with its neighbouring countries, making international travel convenient and efficient.

The country's central location and efficient transport system make it an ideal base for exploring the rest of Europe. A quick train ride can take you to Germany, Switzerland, or any of the other neighbouring countries. For example, it only takes an hour to get from Vienna to Bratislava, Slovakia, or 15 minutes from Bregenz to Lindau, Germany.

Austria's location, nestled in the Alps, also makes it a prime destination for outdoor activities. The country offers a wide range of activities, including hiking, mountain climbing, skiing, and swimming in its many lakes. The summer months are ideal for enjoying the lakes and alpine scenery, while winter transforms the country into a winter wonderland, with world-class ski resorts and Christmas markets.

Frequently asked questions