Leslie Massey
Austria is a popular destination for international tourists, ranking 16th in the world and 2nd in Western Europe for tourist numbers relative to its population. In 2022, the country generated around $19.18 billion from tourism, which accounted for about 3.7% of its gross domestic product. Tourism in Austria is driven by its impressive nature, rich culture, delicious cuisine, and famous ski resorts. The country offers majestic mountains, clean rivers, charming cities, and historic sites. Vienna, the country's capital, is a major tourist draw, attracting nearly six million visitors in 2023, while other popular destinations include Salzburg, Innsbruck, and Styria.
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What You'll Learn
Vienna's palaces and coffeehouses and food markets
Vienna, Austria's capital, is a city steeped in history and culture, offering tourists a plethora of palaces, coffeehouses, and food markets to explore. Here is a guide to help you navigate through some of the best that Vienna has to offer.
Palaces
With Vienna's rich historical background, it is no surprise that the city boasts an array of stunning palaces. Here are some of the must-visits:
- Hofburg Palace: This is the grand Imperial Palace of Vienna, where Austrian royalty resided for over 600 years. The complex spans nearly 800,000 square feet, with 18 wings, 19 courtyards, and 2,600 rooms. Each section showcases a different architectural style, with the oldest part dating back to the 13th century.
- Schönbrunn Palace: This sunny yellow palace served as the summer residence for the royalty. It is renowned for its beautiful Hall of Mirrors, where Mozart played for Maria Theresa, the only female ruler of the Habsburg Dynasty.
- Belvedere Palace: While built for Prince Eugene of Savoy, this palace boasts impressive beauty and houses some of Austria's most important artworks, including Gustav Klimt's famous piece, "The Kiss."
Coffeehouses
Coffeehouses have played a pivotal role in shaping Vienna's culture, with the city's first cup brewed in 1683. These establishments have long been meeting places for intellectuals, artists, and writers. Here are some notable coffeehouses:
- Café Central: Established in 1876, this coffeehouse has hosted the likes of Trotsky, Freud, and numerous renowned writers and poets. It offers a broad selection of classic Viennese dishes, traditional coffee specialties, and pastries.
- Café Residenz: Located in the outbuildings of Schönbrunn Palace, it offers a classic coffee house style with an imperial touch.
- Café Landtmann: A popular choice, known for its cakes, such as the traditional Sachertorte, a chocolate and apricot concoction.
Food Markets
Vienna also boasts vibrant food markets, offering a glimpse into local life and culinary delights:
- Naschmarkt: This is one of Europe's best open-air markets, stretching for a mile and featuring over 120 food stalls, small eateries, and pubs. Here, you can find a diverse array of fruits, vegetables, cheeses, breads, and specialty items.
- Brunnenmarkt: A trendy market located in the 16th district, known for its cafes and creative atmosphere.
- ViktorAdlerMarkt: A lively, traditional working-class market offering a range of food options and a local experience.
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Graz and the Styria wine region
Graz, the second-largest city in Austria, is a great place to start your journey to wineries in Styria. Named the European Capital of Culture in 2003, Graz attracts many visitors each year. The city is considered one of the best-preserved cities in Europe and is known for its cultural attractions, architecture, art, and design. One of its highlights is the modern art gallery, a building with an alien-like structure. Another iconic landmark is the Island of Mer, a floating platform in the shape of a seashell. Graz is also the birthplace of Arnold Schwarzenegger, and tourists can visit a museum dedicated to the star.
The Styria wine region is the smallest wine-growing area in Austria, located in the southeast of the country, bordering Slovenia. Its landscape is characterised by magnificent mountain ranges, lush forests, rolling alpine pastures, glaciers, and hot springs. The region is divided into three main parts: Südsteiermark, Vulkanland Steiermark, and Weststeiermark. The main grape variety under vine in Styria is Welschriesling, which produces wines with the flavour of green apples. Other grape varieties cultivated in the region include Sauvignon Blanc, Morillon, Grauburgunder, Riesling, and Gelber Muskateller. The best wineries in Styria to visit include Weingut Trapl, Weingut Neumeister, Hirschmugl – Domaene Am Seggauberg, and Erzherzog Johann Weine.
The town of Mariazell, located in Styria, is a well-known pilgrimage site. All pilgrimages to Mariazell include a visit to the Mariazell Basilica, a church recognisable for its spires and gothic tower. Mariazell also offers a range of activities such as cycling, hiking, and spending time on the beach. The town is home to the Burgeralpe mountain, which can be accessed by a gondola lift from the town centre.
The natural environment of Styria provides plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking and cycling. Kesselfallklamm, also known as Kesselfall Gorge, is located near Graz and is a popular hiking destination. The trail through the gorge is 2.5 km long and includes 2800 steps and 52 bridges. The traditional Guesthouse Sandwirt, which overlooks the gorge, offers accommodation for those who want to spend more time in the area.
The best time to visit the wineries in Styria is during the spring season, from March to May, when the weather is cool but comfortable for sightseeing. Wineries in Styria are easily accessible by different means of transportation, and many of them provide facilities such as bus parking, kids' activities, and pet-friendly policies.
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Tyrol's ski resorts and Witches' Water
Tourism is a significant part of the Austrian economy, contributing around 7-9% to the GDP in the years preceding the pandemic. The country's majestic Alps, beautiful rivers and lakes, charming cities, rich history, culture, and central location in Europe are among the many reasons why Austria has become one of the world's leading tourism destinations.
Austria's Tyrol region is particularly popular for its ski resorts. Tyrol offers a greater choice of ski resorts than anywhere else in the Alps, catering to all levels of skiers and snowboarders. From small family-friendly areas to vast winter sports arenas, Tyrol's ski resorts are easily accessible by public transport. The region also offers ski schools with motivated instructors and a range of pistes to suit different skill levels. St. Anton am Arlberg, one of the largest ski resorts, is known for its fun slopes and ski pass networks.
In addition to its renowned ski resorts, Tyrol also boasts Witches' Water (Hexenwasser), a unique theme park located in Söll. This park revolves around the themes of nature, water, and witches, with a central water park featuring ponds and rivulets where children can play water games. Witches' Water extends over 500 meters and includes alpine restaurants, playgrounds, and a petting zoo. The surrounding area offers themed trails, such as a witches' trail that explores local legends, a panoramic trail showcasing the Tyrolean limestone Alps, and a barefoot hiking trail with sensory experiences. Visitors can also explore local industries, including a dairy, a distillery, and apiculture.
Witches' Water is located at 1,150 meters in Hochsöll, at the foot of Hohe Salve. The site is steeped in legend, centred around two sisters who lived on the mountain and were known as witches due to their expertise in herbalism. Their traces can still be found throughout the park, and the Witches' Water team is on hand to share stories about these enigmatic sisters.
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Alpine towns and landscapes
Tourism is an important industry for the Austrian economy, contributing 7.5% to the GDP in 2019. The country's majestic Alpine towns and landscapes are a significant draw for tourists. The Austrian Alps dominate the western and southern regions, making the country a popular destination for skiing, hiking, and mountaineering. The Alps cover nearly two-thirds of Austria's surface, with 695 mountain peaks higher than 3,000 meters, 6 national parks, and 48 nature parks. The Ski Arlberg, stretching over Vorarlberg and Tyrol, is the largest connected ski area in Austria and one of the five largest in the world.
Salzkammergut, a picturesque resort area near Salzburg, offers the quintessential Austrian experience. It boasts 76 shimmering blue lakes, stunning alpine ranges, charming villages, and luxurious spa towns. Mondsee Lake is a popular spot for water sports such as water-skiing, sailing, and windsurfing, while Wolfgangsee offers hiking trails and nearby towns and villages to explore. Salzkammergut also has shooting clubs, Cave World in Obertraun, museums, and Lake Gosau.
The Tyrolean Alps, with their snow-white peaks, are another popular destination. The region is known for its castles, family-friendly recreation areas such as the Witches' Water in Tyrol, and lakes such as Wolfgangsee and Wörthersee in Carinthia. The town of Graz in southern Austria is a great base for exploring the Styria region, known for its wine roads, rolling hills, meadows, forests, and vineyards.
Austria's efficient public transport system makes it convenient for tourists to explore the country. Train travel is affordable, with tickets between major cities ranging from €20 to €60 depending on distance and booking time. The summer and winter seasons attract similar numbers of tourists, with peaks in February and July/August.
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Austria's lakes and castles
Tourism is a very important industry for the economy of Austria, contributing 7.5% to its GDP in 2019. The majestic Alps, the Danube, beautiful rivers, lakes with drinking water, lovely cities, Austria's rich history, and its culture are some of the reasons why people visit the country.
Austria has one of the best collections of medieval and fairy-tale castles in the world. The Anif Water Palace, a few miles south of Salzburg, is one of the most amazing homes in Austria. The mini-castle is private property and cannot be toured, but you can see it reflecting over its small lake from the road. Ort Castle, sitting on an island in the middle of Lake Traunsee, is one of the jewels of Austria's Salzkammergut district. The castle complex is one of the oldest in Central Europe, dating back to the 900s. Burg Forchtenstein, with one of the largest medieval military weapons collections, is another castle worth visiting.
The Salzkammergut region, an area of lakes, mountains, history, and stunning villages just south of Salzburg, is a picturesque resort area that offers the quintessential Austrian experience. It has 76 lakes in total, with shimmering blue waters, stunning alpine ranges, charming villages, and luxurious spa towns. Mondsee Lake is where you can enjoy water sports like water-skiing, sailing, and windsurfing. Wolfgangsee is another lake in the region, which also offers hiking trails and access to nearby towns and villages.
St. Gilgen, located near Lake Wolfgangsee and close to other lakes like Hallstattersee and Gosausee, is a beautiful town and a perfect base for exploring the region. It offers easy access to bus lines and a cable car that takes you to the top of Zwölferhorn.
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Frequently asked questions
Tourism is an important part of the Austrian economy, contributing 7.5% to the GDP in 2019. In 2022, Austria generated around $19.18 billion in the tourism sector, which corresponds to about 4% of all international tourism receipts in Western Europe. Austria is known for its impressive nature, rich culture, delicious cuisine, and winter sports.
Austria offers a multitude of impressive sights and activities for tourists. From cultural highlights in cities like Vienna, Salzburg, and Graz to breathtaking nature experiences in the Alps, there is something for everyone. Tourists can enjoy hiking and mountaineering, river swimming, boat cruises, and visiting castles.
Austria is a year-round destination. Spring and autumn offer mild temperatures perfect for exploring cities and nature. Winter is cold but beautiful, with Christmas markets and popular ski resorts. Summer is ideal for water sports activities such as surfing.
While Vienna is the most popular city in Austria for international travelers, other destinations are also worth visiting. These include Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart, and Innsbruck, popular for skiing and hiking. Graz, known for its Renaissance courtyards and baroque palaces, is a great base for exploring the wine region of Styria.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted tourism in Austria, with tourist receipts plummeting in 2020. However, the industry showed signs of recovery in 2023, with over 30 million international tourists and 14 million domestic travelers visiting the country.
