Austria Travel Guide
Austria, or in German Österreich (literally meaning “eastern realm”), is located at the very crossroad of Europe. From Roman settlements and Bavarians towns, to the Austrian Empire. A long rivalry with the Hungarian Empire, the Austrians stopping the expansion of the Ottoman Empire across Europe, and eventually joining Hungary to create the Austro-Hungarian Empire, before coming back into a league of its own. All this phenomenal history with amazing landscapes, straddling the mighty alps. The Austrian Alps draw massive crowds both summer and winter to this amazing landscape. From the snowcapped mountains, offering some of the best skiing and hiking in the world, to the high culture of the imperial Vienna, where east meets west, Austria has something for everyone.
|
 Austria |
Top 5 Destinations in Austria |
 Vienna |
 Salzburg |
 Innsbruck |
 Burg Hochosterwitz |
 Wachau Valley |
Top 5 Nature Destinations |
 Hallstatt |
 Eisriesenwelt |
 Krimmler Wasserfälle |
 Grossglockner |
 Semmeringbahn |
Other Destinations |
Burg Hochosterwitz – Austria’s most impressive medieval castle.
Dornbirn – a small city in the very west of Austria.
Eisenstadt – the historical seat of the Eszterházy Hungarian noble family.
Eisriesenwelt – a stunning natural limestone and ice cave.
Fucking – a tiny obscure village with an interesting name.
Graz – the self proclaimed “”Capital of Delight””.
Grossglockner High Alpine Road – a beautiful 48km long alpine road.
Güssing – a small village with a hilltop castle.
Hallstatt – an incredible beautiful village on the edge of the lake Hallstätter See.
Innsbruck – the capital of Tyrol, standing at the very foot of the alps.
Klagenfurt – a scenic city on the very edge of Lake Wörthersee.
Krimmler Wasserfälle – the largest, most powerful, and most beautiful waterfall in Austria.
Lake Constance – a large lake at the foot of the alps, shared with Germany and Switzerland.
Linz – home to a vibrant music and arts scene, with a charming old town.
Salzburg – this beautiful Baroque city is the birthplace of Mozart.
Sankt Pölten – a combination of baroque with modern architecture like no other.
Vienna – the cultural, economic, and political capital of Austria.
Villach – a vibrant, easy-going city with a Mediterranean lifestyle.
Wachau Valley: Melk, Dürnstein, Krems an der Donau – a picturesque landscape on the Danube known for its rolling hills, vineyards and fortresses.
Wels – a city with a long history, dating back to Roman and prehistoric times.
Wörthersee – a popular destination in summer thanks to its clean, warm waters.
Canyoning: perhaps the best canyoning is around Tyrol, with tours departing from Innsbruck.
Hiking: there is exceptional hiking all over Austria.
Mountain Biking: there are bike tracks all over Austria.
Mountain Train: the Semmeringbahn (UNESCO) is a scenic train route running between Glognitz and Semmering. Crossing over 16 viaducts and passing through 15 tunnels, you’ll see some of Austria’s most beautiful nature.
Mountaineering: you have hundreds of mountains to choose from, the highest being Grossglockner (3798m).
Skiing/Snowboarding: there are many resorts to choose from.
White-water Rafting: most rafting setups are in Tyrol, with tours departing from Innsbruck.
National Parks |
Donau-Auen: located on the Donau (Danube) River, the last remaining major wetlands environment in Central Europe and habitat for numerous rare animal and plant species.
Gesäuse: precipitous limestone peaks, green forests, mountain pastures, and turbulent river rapids.
Hohe Tauern: the largest nature reserve in the Alps. A wild, primeval, alpine landscape with glaciers and rock faces and also mountain pasture cultivated by mountain farmers over the centuries.
Kalkalpen: the last big forest wilderness of Austria, with the longest natural stream system in the Eastern Alps. Colourful natural forests, crystal-clear mountain streams, enchanting alpine pastures, and home to a number of rare and endangered animal and plant species.
Neusiedler See–Seewinkel: vast meadows and pastures, salt ponds, reed beds and a rich variety of animal and plant species, amongst those about 340 bird-species!
Nock Mountains: woods, creeks, lakes, alps and hills, well known for numerous hiking trails and is valuable cultural and natural landscapes.
Thayatal: impressive valleys with steep cliffs and gentle meadows, natural forests and fascinating fauna.
UNESCO Sites |
Cultural (9)
City of Graz – Historic Centre and Schloss Eggenberg (1999,2010)
Fertö / Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape (2001)
Hallstatt-Dachstein / Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape (1997)
Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg (1996)
Historic Centre of Vienna (2001)
Palace and Gardens of Schönbrunn (1996)
Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps (2011)
Semmering Railway (1998)
Wachau Cultural Landscape (2000)
Natural (1)
Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe (2007,2011,2017)
Typical Costs |
Accommodation
A dorm bed in Vienna generally costs between EUR10-25, in Salzburg EUR15-30, and everywhere else typically between EUR25-30. Budget hotel rooms in Vienna and Salzburg start at EUR40, and elsewhere in Austria prices start from EUR60.
Dorm in Vienna: €10-25
Dorm in Salzburg: €15-30
Dorm elsewhere: €25-30
Budget hotel room in Vienna/Salzburg: €40+
Budget hotel room elsewhere: €60+
Hotels: EUR40+
Activity Costs
Most attractions are quite expensive in Austria. If you don’t want to spend an arm and a leg you really do need to pick and choose the attractions you’re most interested in. The Vienna City Card allows you to travel on the metro, trams, buses, the Hop On Hop Off (Big Bus Vienna) bus, and has over 210 benefits. Prices start from €13.90 for 24 hours.
Hofburg Innsbruck: €9
Hofburg Vienna: €13.90
Salzburg:
Berg Hohenwerfen: €12-16
Berg Mauterndorf: €5.50-9.50
Fortress Hohensalzburg: €9.40-15.50
Eat/Drink
Beer: EUR3.20
Coffee: EUR3.50
Sitdown Meal: EUR10-20
Tipping:
Austrian cities are well equipped with public transportation. These trains, trams, and buses, are decently prices and very reliable. Austria does not have the best intercity connections. The price of intercity trains are surprisingly expensive, on par to Switzerland. Long haul bus services are quite limited, with only a handful of departures a day. Book you’re bus ticket a day or two in advance to save yourself from having no other option but the train.
Transportation
Austrian cities have fast, efficient, fair priced public transportation. Austria does not however have the best intercity connections. The price of intercity trains are surprisingly expensive, on par to that of Switzerland. Long haul bus services are quite limited with only a handful of departures a day. Be sure to book your bus a day or two in advance to save yourself from the expensive train.
Vienna to Salzburg by train: €27-60, 2h40m
Salzburg to Innsbruck by train: €30-50, 2-3h
Salzburg to Munich by train: €20-40, 1h50m
Salzburg to Munich by Flixbus: €8-20, 2h10m
Vienna to Brno by train: €10-16, 1h30m
Vienna to Brno by bus: €4-12, 2h5m
Vienna to Bratislava by train: €9-14, 1h6m
Vienna to Bratislava by bus: €2-17, 1h30m
Vienna to Budapest by train: €20-40, 2h20m
Vienna to Budapest by bus: €7-20, 2h45m-4h
Budget
Tight: EUR40
Relaxed: EUR60
Guidebooks |
 |
 |
 |
Useful Websites |