Austria

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TRAVEL GUIDE

Vienna

One of the great European capitals, Vienna was for centuries the stomping ground for the Habsburg rulers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The

Salzburg

Art lovers call Salzburg the Golden City of High Baroque; historians refer to it as the Florence of the North or the German Rome; and music

Innsbruck

The capital of Tyrol is one of the most beautiful towns of its size anywhere in the world, owing much of its charm and fame to its unique location

The Altstadt

Intent on becoming a patron of the arts, the prince-archbishop Wolf-Dietrich lavished much of his wealth on rebuilding Salzburg into a beautiful

The Inner City Center: Baroque Gems and Vienna's Shopwindows

The compact area bounded roughly by the back side of the Hofburg palace complex and Staatsoper, the Kohlmarkt, the Graben, and Kärntnerstrasse

The Eastern City Center: Stephansdom and Medieval Vienna

For more than eight centuries, the commanding Stephansdom cathedral has remained the nucleus around which the city has grown. Vienna of the

Linz

The capital of Upper Austria—set where the Traun River flows into the Danube—has a fascinating Old City core and an active cultural life. Once

South of the Ringstrasse: the MuseumsQuartier

Late in 1857 Emperor Franz Josef issued a decree announcing the most ambitious piece of urban redevelopment Vienna had ever seen. The inner

Graz

Austria's second-largest city, Graz is graceful, welcoming, and far from the usual tourist routes. Instead of visitors, it's the large university

Bregenz

Lying along the southeastern shore of the Bodensee (Lake Constance) with the majestic Pfänder as its backdrop, Bregenz is where Vorarlbergers

North of the River Salzach

Across the River Salzach in the Neustadt (New Town) area of historic Salzburg, Mirabell Palace and Gardens, the Landestheater, the Mozart Residence

Klagenfurt

Klagenfurt became the provincial capital in 1518, so most of the delightful sites here date from the 16th century or later. However, a group

The Western City Center: Burgtheater and Beyond

Hailed as one of the most prestigious stages in the German-speaking world, the Burgtheater is home to a highly venerated ensemble of 80 actors

Zell am See

This lovely lakeside town got its name from the monks' cells of a monastery founded here in about 790. It has excellent skiing and is busy throughout

East of the Ringstrasse: Stadtpark and Karlsplatz

Next to Stephansplatz, Karlsplatz is the inner city's busiest hub. It sprawls across the Ringstrasse to encompass the magnificent Baroque Karlskirche

Kitzbuhel

Kitzbühel is indisputably one of Austria's most fashionable winter resorts, although the town boasts a busy summer season as well. "Kitz" offers

Across the Danube: the Second District

Walk across the Danube Canal on Schwedenbrücke or Marienbrücke and you'll reach the 2nd District, the home of Vienna’s famous Prater amusement park.

West of the Ringstrasse: Parlament and City Hall

From her pedestal in front of Austria's National Parliament, Athena, the gold-helmeted Greek goddess of wisdom, looks sternly over the Ringstrasse

The Hofburg: An Imperial City

A walk through the Imperial Palace, called the Hofburg, brings you back to the days when Vienna was the capital of a mighty empire. You can

Hallstatt

As if rising from Swan Lake itself, the town of Hallstatt is the subject of thousands of travel posters. "The world's prettiest lakeside village

Krems

Krems marks the beginning (when traveling upstream) of the Wachau section of the Danube. The town is closely tied to Austrian history; here

Bad Gastein

Though it traces its roots all the way back to the 15th century, this resort, one of Europe's leading spas, gained renown only in the 19th century

Eisenstadt

Burgenland's provincial capital, Eisenstadt, is a really small town. Nevertheless, it has an illustrious history and enough sights to keep you

Solden

Sölden's newest addition to its already massive lift network is the "Black Blade," which carries eight at a time more than 2,987 meters (9,800

Lech

Just down (literally) the road from Zürs, Lech is a full-fledged community—and one of the most fashionable in the Alps. But there are more hotels

Ischgl and Galtur

Ischgl, the best-known resort in the Paznaun Valley, has become as renowned for its party scene as for its excellent skiing—it links with the

Baden

The Weinstrasse brings you to the serenely elegant spa town of Baden. Since antiquity, Baden's sulfuric thermal baths have attracted the ailing

Bad Ischl

Many travelers used to think of Bad Ischl primarily as the town where Zauner's pastry shop is located, to which connoisseurs drove miles for

Schonbrunn Palace, Park, and the Zoo

The glories of imperial Austria are nowhere brought together more convincingly than in the Schönbrunn Palace (Schloss Schönbrunn) complex. Imperial

Rust

Picturesque Rust, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, is easily the most popular village on the lake for the colorful pastel facades of its

Heiligenblut

One of the most photographed places in the country, Heiligenblut remains one of Austria's most picturesque Alpine villages. With the majestic

St. Wolfgang

The town has everything: swimming and hiking in summer, cross-country skiing in winter, and natural feasts for the eye at every turn. Here you

Carnuntum and Hainburg an der Donau

Until a few years ago, the village of Carnuntum was a yawning backwater on the Austrian plain and, along with its bigger neighbor, Hainburg

St. Anton am Arlberg

St. Anton is a particularly lovely town in summer, which has also become a fashionable season, but it really swarms with visitors at the height

Landeck

Landeck is a popular place to pause while traveling from Tyrol into Switzerland and Italy.

Friesach

The oldest settlement in Carinthia, romantic Friesach is great for wandering. Friesach has many medieval marvels: be sure to stop in at the

Hall in Tyrol

A few minutes by road east of Innsbruck is what many assert to be the most beautiful town in Tyrol—ancient Hall, wonderfully preserved and with

Durnstein

If a beauty contest were held among the towns along the Wachau Danube, chances are Dürnstein would be the winner—as you'll see when you arrive

St. Johann im Pongau

St. Johann has developed into a full-fledged year-round resort, with its own small local ski area and a more extensive ski network starting

Werfen

The small size of Werfen, adorned with 16th-century buildings and a lovely Baroque church, belies its importance, for it's the base for exploring

Zell am Ziller

Zell is the main town of the Zillertal, one of the many beautiful Alpine valleys of the Tyrol, and a real working community rather than just

Neusiedl am See

At the north end of the lake for which it is named, is a pleasant resort town with good facilities. Direct hourly commuter trains from Vienna

Melk

One of the most impressive sights in all of Austria, the abbey of Melk is best approached in mid- to late afternoon, when the setting sun ignites

Around Fortress Hohensalzburg

According to a popular saying in Salzburg, "If you can see the fortress, it's just about to rain; if you can't see it, it's already raining

Heiligenkreuz

Filzmoos

One of the most romantic villages in Austria, Filzmoos is still something of a well-kept secret. Though skiing in the nearby Dachstein mountains

Schruns-Tschagguns

Author Ernest Hemingway spent many winters at the Schruns–Tschagguns skiing area in the Montafon Valley. Today neither of the towns—across the

Gosau am Dachstein

Lovers of scenic beauty should not leave the Hallstatt region without taking in Gosau am Dachstein, considered the most beautiful spot in Austria

Klosterneuburg

This moderate-size town, with forest mixed in between the houses, seems much farther from the big city than just a few miles. In antiquity the

Zurs

The chosen resort of the rich and fashionable on this side of the Arlberg, Zürs is little more than a collection of large and seriously plush

Fuschlsee

Nothing powered by more than a trolling motor is allowed on the crystalline waters of the peaceful alpine Lake Fuschl, and the emperor's Schloss

Steyr

Barnbach

Marchegg

This tiny corner of the lower Weinviertel is known as the Marchfeld, for the fields stretching east to the March River that form the border

Gurk

Gurk is located in central Carinthia in the Gurk Valley, surrounded by high mountain meadows and magnificent forests. The actual center of the

Stuben

Traveling from Feldkirch to the Arlberg Pass you'll come to the village of Stuben, poised right above the 14-km (8.6-mile) -long Arlberg Tunnel

St. Florian

Hochosterwitz

Stubing bei Graz

Mayerling

Scenic Route 210 takes you through the quiet Helenental valley west of Baden to Mayerling—the scene of a tragedy that is still passionately

Korneuburg

Aside from Burg Kreuzenstein, a castle a short distance outside the town, Korneuburg has a few attractions, including sections of a town wall

Vienna

One of the great European capitals, Vienna was for centuries the stomping ground for the Habsburg rulers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The

Salzburg

Art lovers call Salzburg the Golden City of High Baroque; historians refer to it as the Florence of the North or the German Rome; and music

Innsbruck

The capital of Tyrol is one of the most beautiful towns of its size anywhere in the world, owing much of its charm and fame to its unique location

Linz

The capital of Upper Austria—set where the Traun River flows into the Danube—has a fascinating Old City core and an active cultural life. Once

Graz

Austria's second-largest city, Graz is graceful, welcoming, and far from the usual tourist routes. Instead of visitors, it's the large university

Bregenz

Lying along the southeastern shore of the Bodensee (Lake Constance) with the majestic Pfänder as its backdrop, Bregenz is where Vorarlbergers

Klagenfurt

Klagenfurt became the provincial capital in 1518, so most of the delightful sites here date from the 16th century or later. However, a group

Kitzbuhel

Kitzbühel is indisputably one of Austria's most fashionable winter resorts, although the town boasts a busy summer season as well. "Kitz" offers

Zell am See

This lovely lakeside town got its name from the monks' cells of a monastery founded here in about 790. It has excellent skiing and is busy throughout

Hallstatt

As if rising from Swan Lake itself, the town of Hallstatt is the subject of thousands of travel posters. "The world's prettiest lakeside village

Krems

Krems marks the beginning (when traveling upstream) of the Wachau section of the Danube. The town is closely tied to Austrian history; here

Bad Gastein

Though it traces its roots all the way back to the 15th century, this resort, one of Europe's leading spas, gained renown only in the 19th century

Baden

The Weinstrasse brings you to the serenely elegant spa town of Baden. Since antiquity, Baden's sulfuric thermal baths have attracted the ailing

Solden

Sölden's newest addition to its already massive lift network is the "Black Blade," which carries eight at a time more than 2,987 meters (9,800

Eisenstadt

Burgenland's provincial capital, Eisenstadt, is a really small town. Nevertheless, it has an illustrious history and enough sights to keep you

Ischgl and Galtur

Ischgl, the best-known resort in the Paznaun Valley, has become as renowned for its party scene as for its excellent skiing—it links with the

Bad Ischl

Many travelers used to think of Bad Ischl primarily as the town where Zauner's pastry shop is located, to which connoisseurs drove miles for

Lech

Just down (literally) the road from Zürs, Lech is a full-fledged community—and one of the most fashionable in the Alps. But there are more hotels

Rust

Picturesque Rust, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, is easily the most popular village on the lake for the colorful pastel facades of its

Heiligenblut

One of the most photographed places in the country, Heiligenblut remains one of Austria's most picturesque Alpine villages. With the majestic

Carnuntum and Hainburg an der Donau

Until a few years ago, the village of Carnuntum was a yawning backwater on the Austrian plain and, along with its bigger neighbor, Hainburg

St. Anton am Arlberg

St. Anton is a particularly lovely town in summer, which has also become a fashionable season, but it really swarms with visitors at the height

St. Wolfgang

The town has everything: swimming and hiking in summer, cross-country skiing in winter, and natural feasts for the eye at every turn. Here you

Friesach

The oldest settlement in Carinthia, romantic Friesach is great for wandering. Friesach has many medieval marvels: be sure to stop in at the

Landeck

Landeck is a popular place to pause while traveling from Tyrol into Switzerland and Italy.

Hall in Tyrol

A few minutes by road east of Innsbruck is what many assert to be the most beautiful town in Tyrol—ancient Hall, wonderfully preserved and with

Durnstein

If a beauty contest were held among the towns along the Wachau Danube, chances are Dürnstein would be the winner—as you'll see when you arrive

St. Johann im Pongau

St. Johann has developed into a full-fledged year-round resort, with its own small local ski area and a more extensive ski network starting

Werfen

The small size of Werfen, adorned with 16th-century buildings and a lovely Baroque church, belies its importance, for it's the base for exploring

Melk

One of the most impressive sights in all of Austria, the abbey of Melk is best approached in mid- to late afternoon, when the setting sun ignites

Neusiedl am See

At the north end of the lake for which it is named, is a pleasant resort town with good facilities. Direct hourly commuter trains from Vienna

Zell am Ziller

Zell is the main town of the Zillertal, one of the many beautiful Alpine valleys of the Tyrol, and a real working community rather than just

Heiligenkreuz

Klosterneuburg

This moderate-size town, with forest mixed in between the houses, seems much farther from the big city than just a few miles. In antiquity the

Filzmoos

One of the most romantic villages in Austria, Filzmoos is still something of a well-kept secret. Though skiing in the nearby Dachstein mountains

Schruns-Tschagguns

Author Ernest Hemingway spent many winters at the Schruns–Tschagguns skiing area in the Montafon Valley. Today neither of the towns—across the

Zurs

The chosen resort of the rich and fashionable on this side of the Arlberg, Zürs is little more than a collection of large and seriously plush

Gosau am Dachstein

Lovers of scenic beauty should not leave the Hallstatt region without taking in Gosau am Dachstein, considered the most beautiful spot in Austria

Fuschlsee

Nothing powered by more than a trolling motor is allowed on the crystalline waters of the peaceful alpine Lake Fuschl, and the emperor's Schloss

Steyr

Barnbach

Marchegg

This tiny corner of the lower Weinviertel is known as the Marchfeld, for the fields stretching east to the March River that form the border

Gurk

Gurk is located in central Carinthia in the Gurk Valley, surrounded by high mountain meadows and magnificent forests. The actual center of the

Stuben

Traveling from Feldkirch to the Arlberg Pass you'll come to the village of Stuben, poised right above the 14-km (8.6-mile) -long Arlberg Tunnel

St. Florian

Hochosterwitz

Stubing bei Graz

Mayerling

Scenic Route 210 takes you through the quiet Helenental valley west of Baden to Mayerling—the scene of a tragedy that is still passionately

Korneuburg

Aside from Burg Kreuzenstein, a castle a short distance outside the town, Korneuburg has a few attractions, including sections of a town wall

Innsbruck, Tirol, and Vorarlberg

The provinces of Tyrol and Vorarlberg make up the western tip of Austria with Innsbruck, the capital of Tyrol, the natural, historic, and economic

Vienna Woods, Lake Neusiedler, and the Danube River

A trip along the Austrian Danube unfolds like a treasured picture book. Roman ruins (some dating to Emperor Claudius), remains of medieval castles

Carinthia and Graz

While lesser-known than the mountainous terrain of Tyrol or the culture-rich cities of Vienna and Salzburg, the southern provinces of Carinthia

Eastern Alps

The whole Eastern Alps region is dramatic countryside, with breathtaking scenery and great winter sports opportunities. Here majestic peaks

Salzkammergut

Remember the exquisite opening scenes of The Sound of Music ? Castles reflected in water, mountains veiled by a scattering of downy clouds

Grossglockner Highway

One of the best-known roads in the Alps, the Hochalpenstrasse—rising to more than 2,438 meters (8,000 feet) and negotiating 36 hairpin bends