Austria

Austria is two countries in one: the Habsburg imperial world of Vienna, Salzburg and Baroque abbeys, and the alpine one of glaciers, lakes and mountain huts. Nearly two-thirds of the land sits in the Alps, and the Danube threads the flatter east through vineyards and monastery towns. Distances are short and the trains are excellent.

Capital

Vienna

Population

9.1M

Area

83,879 km²

Currency

Euro (EUR)

Language

German

Time zone

CET (UTC+1) / CEST (UTC+2)

• 
  01

  Burgenland

  Flat, rural, wine, lakes

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  02

  Carinthia

  Alpine, lakes, Italian influence

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  03

  Lower Austria

  Rolling hills, wine, Danube

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  04

  Upper Austria

  Lakes, mountains, industrial heritage

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  05

  Salzburg

  Alpine, Mozart, Sound of Music

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  06

  Styria

  Green heart, mountains, wine

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  07

  Tyrol

  Alps, skiing, hiking, stunning nature

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  08

  Vorarlberg

  Modern architecture, Lake Constance, mountains

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  09

  Vienna

  Imperial, cultural, elegant, grand

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  Castle

  Esterházy Palace, Eisenstadt

  Schloss Esterházy is a palace in Eisenstadt, Austria, the capital of the Burgenland state. It was constructed in the late 13th century, and came under ownership of the Hungarian Esterházy family in 1622.

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  Castle

  Forchtenstein Castle

  Forchtenstein Castle is a castle built in the Late Middle Ages near the municipality of Forchtenstein in northern Burgenland, Austria. Forchtenstein Castle is 511 metres (1,677 ft) above sea level.

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  Lake

  Lake Neusiedl

  Lake Neusiedl or Lake Fertő, is the largest endorheic lake in Central Europe, straddling Austria and Hungary. The lake is saline and covers 315 km2 (122 sq mi), of which 240 km2 (93 sq mi) is on the Austrian side and 75 km2 (29 sq mi) on the Hungarian side.

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  Nature Park

  Neusiedler See-Seewinkel National Park

  Neusiedler See-Seewinkel National Park is a national park in eastern Austria. The park extends over an area of 97 square kilometres of the province of Burgenland and protects parts of an endoheric and westernmost lake of the Eurasian Steppe.

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  Lake

  Faaker See

  Faaker See is a turquoise alpine lake south of Villach, framed by the Karawanks and Mittagskogel.

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  Cultural

  Grossglockner High Alpine Road

  The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is the highest surfaced mountain pass road in Austria. It connects Bruck in the state of Salzburg with Heiligenblut in Carinthia via the Fuscher Törl at 2,428 m (7,966 ft) and the Hochtor Pass at 2,504 m (8,215 ft).

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  City

  Heiligenblut & Pasterze Glacier

  Heiligenblut is the historic gateway to the Pasterze Glacier and Austria's highest mountain, the Großglockner.

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  Castle

  Hochosterwitz Castle

  Hochosterwitz Castle is a castle in Austria, considered one of Austria's most impressive medieval castles. It is on a 172-metre-high (564 ft) dolomite rock near Sankt Georgen am Längsee, east of the town of Sankt Veit an der Glan in Carinthia.

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  Church

  Maria Saal Pilgrimage Church

  Maria Saal is a market town in the district of Klagenfurt-Land in the Austrian state of Carinthia. It is located in the east of the historic Zollfeld plain (Gosposvetsko polje), the wide valley of the Glan River.

• Vienna

  Imperial palaces, coffee houses and the world's densest concert calendar.

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• Salzburg

  Baroque old town under Hohensalzburg fortress, Mozart's birthplace.

• Innsbruck

  Alpine capital of Tyrol with cable cars from the city centre.

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• Graz

  Renaissance-arcaded UNESCO old town with a student pulse.

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• Hallstatt

  Lakeside village wedged between cliff and water.

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• Linz

  Danube city turned media-art hub.

• Hohe Tauern

  Austria's largest park — Grossglockner, glaciers and the Krimml falls.

• Neusiedler See–Seewinkel

  Steppe lake and salt pans on the Hungarian border.

• Gesäuse

  Limestone gorges of the Enns river, a whitewater and climbing park.

• Kalkalpen

  Beech wilderness and karst springs in Upper Austria.

• Donau-Auen

  One of Europe's last free-flowing Danube floodplain forests.

• Thayatal

  Small river-valley park shared with Czechia's Podyjí.

• Grossglockner

  Austria's highest peak, 3,798 m, with its famous high alpine road.

• Dachstein

  Glaciered massif above the Salzkammergut lakes.

• Zillertal Alps

  Tyrolean valley of high huts and year-round glacier skiing.

• Wilder Kaiser

  Jagged limestone wall beloved by climbers.

• Semmering

  Gentle pass crossed by the world's first mountain railway.

• Wiener Schnitzel

  Veal escalope, breaded and fried, served with potato salad.

• Tafelspitz

  Boiled beef in broth with apple-horseradish — the emperor's dish.

• Kaiserschmarrn

  Shredded, caramelised pancake with plum compote.

• Sachertorte

  Dense chocolate cake with apricot jam, Viennese by birth.

• Käsespätzle

  Alpine egg noodles baked with mountain cheese and onions.

• Grüner Veltliner

  Austria's peppery signature white wine.

• 01

  The ÖBB Sparschiene fares are far cheaper booked a few weeks ahead.

• 02

  Most museums and shops close early on Saturday and stay shut on Sunday.

• 03

  A Vignette sticker is mandatory on motorways if you drive.

• 04

  Cable cars often run a summer season too — check the Bergbahn timetable.

• 05

  Tap water is alpine spring water; refill anywhere.