Find out about Salzburg, a city that loves music, Vienna, which is a great place to live, the beautiful Lake District, and the clean Alpine resorts of Austria. Traditional valley towns have a history that goes from the ancient Romans to the royal Habsburgs, while lake regions surrounded by the glacier waters of the snow-capped summits and the great Alps. Further, visit for high-adrenaline activities in a nation that is mostly rural, or hop cities from the most livable capital in the world (Vienna, we’re looking at you) to musical and mountainside metropolises.
Current entrance criteria and travel restrictions
Additionally, it is no longer necessary for visitors visiting Austria to show “3-G” proof (Getestet, Geimpft, Genesen, Tested, Vaccinated, Recovered). With the exception of Vienna, where the use of FFP-2 masks is still required on public transportation and in pharmacies, all nine federal provinces of Austria have their own regulations. FFP-2 masks no longer required while entering stores or using public transportation.
The Best Time to go to Austria
By mid-November, Christmas markets are open, with Vienna and Salzburg having the largest and most crowded ones. From November to April, skiers can enjoy the Alpine slopes, though the Hintertux Glacier in Tyrol allows year-round skiing.
In the summer, people leave cities to go to lakes and higher, cooler places, leaving them empty. Spring (May/June) and autumn (September/October) are great travel times for Austria’s cultural calendar and offer a temperate climate for wine hikes and Alpine adventures. Further, festival weeks focusing on gastronomy and the arts often take place during these times.
Top cities and regions
Vienna
In addition to their Habsburg history, the Hofburg Palace, the Spanish Riding School, Stephandom, and Schloss Schonbrunn are all popular places to visit. The city is also green, with 13 hiking trails through nearby vineyards and woods, a fairground in the “green lung” of Prater Park, and beach bars along the Donaukanal (Danube Canal). These things, moreover, add to the historic beauty of the city and the fact that it has over a hundred museums. Explore Vienna’s bohemian 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th districts, which are centered around the city’s historic center, where independent and boutique enterprises, as well as a thriving food scene, are bringing new life to less-visited areas of the city.
Vienna’s top hotels
The Wachau Valley
Explore a part of the Danube River that has been named a World Heritage Site by biking, hiking, and trying different wines. By train, it takes an hour to get from Vienna to Krems. From Krems, you can take a beautiful trip to Melk, which considered for its high monastery. Follow a walk that runs along the stream as you pass by stone-walled vineyards, charming towns, medieval fortifications, and hilltop ruins, stopping along the way to sample the current year’s Grüner Veltliner and Riesling crop.
Salzkammergut and Salzburg
Salzburg is a city that understands and loves music. It is the birthplace of Mozart, the location of the Sound of Music movie, the setting for the Christmas song Silent Night, and the venue for the renowned Salzburg Festival. Further, take some time to explore the baroque center and stroll the elevated route that circles the Mönchsberg mountain. Take the Sound of Music Panorama Bus tour as you pass by the city’s top attractions, such as the Mirabell Gardens, and then travel outside of Hallstatt to some of the Salzkammergut’s alpine lake panoramas to determine whether the hills are actually alive.
An easily accessible entryway to the Austrian lake region, Zell am See is 90 minutes by train south of Salzburg. The Grossglockner High Alpine Road, which links the states of Salzburg and Carinthia and winds through Austria’s first national park, the Hohe Tauern National Park, is a popular destination for boating and swimming in the calm waters. Moreover, it is also a great place to see panoramic views from the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier.
With the Tyrolean Alps, Innsbruck
The city of Innsbruck, which is the capital of Tyrol, has a unique setting at the foot of the Nordkette mountains. It is surrounded by mountain walls and has pastel-colored buildings. Before exploring the candy-house-lined Inn River below, keep an eye out for the futurist Zaha Hadid-designed cable car stations as you climb Nordkette Mountain for the best panoramic view. Furthermore, the summits are alluring. From Innsbruck, it’s easy to get to the Kitzbühel Alps to the east, St. Anton (the skiing capital of the world), and the Tztal James Bond movie set to the west.
Best off-the-beaten-path locations
Vorarlberg
Vorarlberg is the westernmost state of Austria. It doesn’t get as much attention as its neighbor, Tyrol, which is in the Alps, but it should. Lech-Zürs’ lofty peaks and immaculate runs combine with St Anton am Arlberg in Tyrol to form Austria’s largest ski area. Adrenaline junkies are drawn to deep canyons and high mountain lakes, while paragliders take to the skies. Follow one of the 12 trails through Bregenzerwald’s 13 settlements to find out how new buildings and village bus stops have made to fit in with nature.
Graz
You might question whether you are still in Austria when you visit Graz, where Mediterranean influences mix with Renaissance, Gothic, and Baroque buildings and the outdoor dining tradition. The “Friendly Alien” art museum, the Murinsel glass island on the river, and a thriving arts community are just some of the reasons why the city was named a Unesco City of Design. Are you seeking adventure? Start at the 170-meter fall from the city’s highest point, the Schlossberg (castle hill), where the clocktower is located.
Carinthia
Despite receiving 100 hours more sunshine annually than the northern Alps, the southern part of the Austrian Alps considered the sunny side, and yet international tourists still tend to avoid this state. In Carinthia, on the Gerlitzen Alpe, you can ski near the borders of Slovenia, Italy, and Austria. Further, the Alpe-Adria Trail, which connects the three countries, is ideal for those looking for more leisurely, non-Alpine hiking. Further, summer is the best time to visit, when the stylish crowd congregates around warmer bathing lakes like Weissensee, Millstätter See, and, most notably, Wörthersee.
A Travel Guide TO Austria, Your Way To Success
Best activities
Nature’s adventure
Even city dwellers in Austria enjoy spending time in nature. Every location boasts a network of hiking and biking routes, with mountainous regions stepping it up with adrenaline-pumping mountain racing, river canyoning, and Via Ferrata rock scrambling circuits. Walk on Highline 179, the 140-meter-long and 114-meter-high suspension bridge that hangs between a castle and a fort, to test your level of anxiety.
Markets for Christmas
With dozens of Christmas markets filled with handicrafts, hot Punsch (punch), trinkets, and delectable delicacies, cities and towns ramp up the festive appeal beginning in November. People like to visit the beautiful Schonbrunn Palace and Vienna’s Viennese Dream Christmas Market at the Rathaus (City Hall). At the base of the Hohensalzburg fortification, which also holds a market in its courtyard, Salzburg’s version of the city center glitters. During the holiday season, the city squares of Graz, Linz, and Innsbruck are also lit up with beautiful booths.
Cultural events in the summer
From July to August, Austrian cities play host to a number of prestigious cultural events. The 90-year-old Salzburger Festspiele (Salzburg Festival) presents opera, dance, theater, and concerts of classical music on stages all across the city. Further, the Bregenzer Festspiele in Vorarlberg, which considered for the designs on their stage that floats on Lake Constance and holds orchestras, performances, and musical theater, and the Vienna Music Film Festival both turn Vienna’s City Hall Square into an outdoor movie theater. A little early, usually in June, find a seat on the hillside and take in the free Summer Night Concert of the Vienna Philharmonic at Schönbrunn Palace.
The BB and WestBahn rail lines in Austria connect cities to important lake towns and mountain valleys. The quickest trains only take 4 to 5 hours to travel from Vienna to Innsbruck. In addition, most places, especially the smaller Alpine communities, have local bus services.
Getting there
Taking a low-cost flight to Innsbruck in the west or Vienna in the east is the quickest and cheapest way to get to Austria. Further, taking the Eurostar to Paris and then boarding a BB Nightjet train overnight to arrive in Salzburg at 7.30 am or Vienna at around 10 am is a longer but more environmentally friendly option. According to nightjet.com, trains run on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. You might also take one of the long-distance European buses that travel to Vienna; for more information, visit Flixbus.co.uk.
Saving advice
It’s always a good idea to double-check, but many regions offer a tourist card for about €25 that’s frequently included when you stay at a local hotel or another type of lodging for at least two nights. It often lets you ride cable cars and public transportation for free and saves you money on things like activities, tours, and museum admission.
It’s All About Austria
- How is the weather today?
Austria has all four seasons, however, they occur at different times of the year due to regional differences in climate. Vienna and eastern Austria are nice places to live in the spring, but people leave during the hot months of July and August. Winters, moreover, are longer and drier as you approach the western alpine regions with greater altitudes, making them ideal for snowsports.
- In which time zone is it?
Austria observes GMT+1, Central European Time.
- What kind of money do I need?
Euros.