Austria, a European country surrounded by land and mountains, is a house of amazing dissimilarities. Surrounded by the Alps on its west and the Danube Basin on its east, its neighbors are Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, and Italy. It holds the only River Danube that flows 360 km through the country from the Black Forest in southern Germany to the Black Sea.
A hilly nation whose 50 percent land is occupied by dense forests, its diverse landscapes are split into five groups stating from the major to minor land holders – the Eastern Alps, the Alpine and Carpathian Foothills, the Pannonian Lowlands, the Vienna Basin, and the Granite and Gneiss Highlands or Bohemian Massif. Fir dominates the lower regions, the Alpine foothills hold grassland, and the Pannonian region portrays shrubs and highland.
Austria is a conservatory of eye-catching modern structural designs and is also ahead in engineering and innovation. Its splendid architectural treasures take us back in history of the commanding Hapsburgs well-known for ruling central Europe for seven centuries. Vienna, the country’s capital, captivates you with its elaborate Opera House and the royal Hofburg. Other attractions in the country offer you its past delight and sports adventures that include Mozart’s birthplace; historical structures, Salzburg holding baroque churches and snow-covered peaks; world’s leading skiing areas, and superb museums.
Renowned for its timeless status for music, literature, and arts, this is a place for you if you love these three combinations. Espousing its rich history, the nations celebrate events such as the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth and Haydn’s 200th anniversary in 2009. In addition, it also encourages its modern social view.
Its formal language being German, you will also find its vernacular speech and German variations. In addition, minorities also speak Croatian and Slovene languages in Burgenland and southern Carinthia correspondingly.
History
Being well known for its cultural facts, in the 17th and 18th centuries, Austria especially, Vienna formed the hub of cultural reawakening. Holding Mozart’s heritage in its each corner, Austria has given some jewels to the world in the form of Klimt and Schiele as artists, Freud and Rank as psychologists, and Husserl and Wittgenstein as philosophers. The country has witnessed many political ups and downs.
- 2000
Jorg Haider’s Freedom Party (FPO) took the political charge when the political condition was bad. However, this faced many enraged reactions followed by an internal disputer affecting the administration badly. - 2003
The People’s Party got united with the Freedom Party to govern the nation, which later was dispersed, as Haider took up the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZO). - 2006
The People’s Party faced the defeat in the general elections given by the social democrats. - 2007
The two parties entered into an alliance after much backbiting and the government came into effect in January. - 2008
Conservative People’s Party been collapsed, general elections gave rise to a new alliance government comprising of the centre-left Social Democrats (SPO) and the conservative People’s Party.
Currently, nine Federal Provinces make up a political unit.
Etiquettes
78 percent of the population being Roman Catholic while the remaining being Protestants, Muslims, and other cults; people follow common social conventions. People here are reasonably formal in their social and business meetings.
They use first names only after the first meeting with others. The gesture of handshaking indicates ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’ here. If you entering a restaurant or shop, do not forget to say Guten Tag or Gruss Gott, as this is considered being polite. In the same way, when you leave, say Auf Wiedersehen or else it can lead to offence. Good remarks or little chatting is welcomed here. Always go with a bouquet of flowers if you are invited out for a dinner.
Tourists’ Attractions
Vienna
The capital offers ornate grace remarkably in the First District (the Innerstadt). Look for Hofburg, which once was the home of the Hapsburgs. Also spend time to visit its royal chambers that host the Crown Jewels. Other attractions here are the royal summer palace, Schloss Schonbrunn, which competes with Versailles of Paris and the oldest zoo of the world held by a landscaped park. In addition, you can marvel at the efforts of Hieronymous Bosch and in Akademie der bildenden Kunste, which is world wide famous spot of wonders. Adding to the list of surprises, the city offers over 50 museums and galleries, among which the famous ones are the Natural History Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Museumsquartier. Other worth visiting places include the St Stephen’s Cathedral, the Chapel of the Hofburg, the Parliament, the Votive Church, and the commemorative locations for Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Strauss, and Freud.
Giant Ferris Wheel
This is in the Prater amusement park shown in the popular film, The Third Man.
Graz
Visit this place on foot and include a journey to the Landesmuseum Johanneum that exhibits Alte Galerie’s gothic paintings, Neue Galerie of the Herbenstrein Palace, the Cathedral, Mausoleum of Emperor Ferdinand II, old quarter, the Schlossberg (castle hill) with its Uhrtrum (clock tower), and the Glockenturm (bell tower).
Lipizzaner Stallions
Look at superb maneuvers performing at the Viennese classical music in Hofburg of Vienna and visit the stud farm in Piber.
Grossglockner
This is the tallest mountain in Austria at an altitude of 3,798 m (12,457 feet) in Carinthia.
Hohe Tauern National Park
This is considered to be among the huge peaceful mountain surroundings in Europe.
Donau-Auen National Park
This is the home of the last guarded section of the European rainforest. It is a floodplain region housing the wilds that fosters different types of plants and animals.
Award-winning Lakes
Do not miss the views and waters of some of the Austria’s translucent lakes that include Worthersee, Wolfgangsee, Traunsee, Hallstattersee, and Mondsee. Mondsee is among the most humid lakes in the Salzkammergut; while lakes in Carinthia hike up to the temperatures of nearly 28°C and have won awards for quality of water. Also, take the most astonishing view of the glaciers of the Silvretta mountain ranges falling spectacularly towards the Lake Constance along with its green plant life.
Vorarlbergs
This is the place of watching Austrian peculiarity through language spoken similar to the Swiss German. Made independent in 1918, they had requested for a union with Switzerland that was not paid attention to by the Allied Powers.
Retz
This city is a part of the nation’s history well potted even today. Attractions here include cavernous wine basements, medieval walls, windmills, and a Dominican church.
Salzburg
This is city that offers baroque marvels.
Altstadt
This is an old city that offers the Hohensalzburg citadel, which is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage site. Other attractions are Peterskirche holding St. Peter’s Abbey with cemetery and mausoleum, Domkirche built to compete with St Peter’s in Rome, and the Alter Markt that is an old market square. In addition, you can visit the birthplace of the Salzburg’s most popular hero, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Mozart Geburtshaus) in the Getreidegasse. Also, do visit the key shopping street and the family abode of Mozart Wohnhaus on the market square, which are converted into museums.
Eisriesenwelt in Werfen
This offers you magnificent ice caves adorned with splendid ice carvings. These caves are made deep below the mountain divider that is edging the valley to the south of Salzburg.
Tirol
This region is mostly hilly covered with forests, meadows, valleys, mountain lakes, alpine settlements, churches, and fortresses. Its capital is Innsbruck that offers several historical structures with a 12th century fort. If you are in a mood of sightseeing, go to Hungerburg from where you can take a cable car to Hafelekar that is at an altitude of 2,334 m (5,928 feet).
Alps
This is a prominent region for winter sports and its associated facilities – skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing, curling, sleigh rides, and skating.
Steam Train
This is the 19th century train whose voyage fills you with joy of looking at some breathtaking scenery. The most marvelous among the scenes is the popular parish of St. Wolfgang in Salzkammergut.
Trekking and Strolling
This is adventurous through the peaks of Alps’ offering diverse scenes of forests, lush slopes, glaciers, and rocks along with hang gliding after the snow has dissolved. Other places include Vorarlberg’s alpine meadows and the Hohe Tauern National Park that has appealing trekking.
Opera
This is offered by many cities and towns in Austria with the performance at its best. However, the unique style is offered by the city of Bregenz and the Upper City with its St Martinstrum (St Martin’s Tower) for summer Opera – the largest floating stage in the world.
Kaffeehaus (Coffee Shop)
Here, you can taste the delicious and famous items such as cakes and puddings such as 60 varities of Torte along with hot or cold coffee.
Annual Johann Strauss Ball
This is the traditional ball of night dance taking place in a magnificent ballroom at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna.
Annual Lederhosen Festival
This is the occasion in Windischgarsten where can wear the traditional Austrian previously stated attire, but has to giggle in the election of Miss Lederhose.
Salzburg Festival
This is the event of paying attention to the classical music in the Salzburg city of Mozart. The program list includes various performances ranging from singers, actors, orchestras, and opera adorned with a breathtaking ornate background.
Linz
This holds the cultural events that continue throughout the year making it the European capital of Culture (since 2009). Presently, the whole area is getting transformed into hotel rooms. Due to this, you can even find a room in areas of industrial houses, shops, and residences.
Golf
Growing quickly as the golf destination, Austria offers approximately 150 golf courses including the lands of past fortresses and alpine valleys and terraces.
Shopping
Austria is famous of shopping high-quality products that include handbags, glassware, chinaware, and winter sports equipments. The timings of the shopping stores are Monday to Friday – 0800-1800 and Saturdays from 1200-1700. However, big stores and shops at visitors’ spots are open until 2100 in weekdays and until 1800 on the weekends.
National Drink
A quite strong and flavored drink, this is known as Obstler that is made by extracting different fruits.
Food Specialties
The national dish here is called Tafelspitz that consists mainly of simmering beef. Austria is famous for its cakes and puddings. Apfelstrudel, a classic pudding, and Mehlspeisen, a national word representing cakes and puddings are worth tasting.
Passport and Visa
A valid passport for a minimum of three months that should extend the stay limit is a must for all nationals. For British citizens, the passport must be valid until the intended time of stay. Further, the EU nationals must carry their valid national ID card, as they are required to have a proof of their EU nationality and identity for their entry in any EU member state. A valid national passport or national identity card is an instance of this proof, either of which is hold valid. Except for the British and other EU nationals, a return ticket is mandatory for Australian, Canadian, and USA nationals.
No visa is required by the British, Australian, Canadian, USA, and other EU nationals for the listed below time of visit:
- Nationals of EU countries for infinite time if there is a proper passport
- Nationals of Australia, Canada, and USA for maximum three months of stays with the intention of business or tourism. If the time length is longer or extends beyond three months, an additional six months valid entry permit must be requested.
- British people are excluded from having a visa if they are holding a few kinds of British passports namely, British subject (no right of residence in the UK), British Dependent Territories, British Overseas Citizens, and British Protected Persons
Reaching Austria
By Air
Provided by the Austrian Airlines Group, the country has two airlines namely, Austrian Airlines (OS) and Austrian Arrows (VO). If you are catching a flight From London, consider the following stops – Innsbruck in 2 hours, Salzburg in 1 hour 45 minutes, Vienna in 2 hours 10 minutes. If you are coming from New York to Vienna, it will take 9 hours. Listed below are the main airports.
- Vienna (VIE) (Wien-Schwechat)
This is at a distance of 18 km (11 miles) located in the southeast direction of Vienna. There are airport buses that can take you to/from the South Train and West Train Stations in just 30 minutes. These stations provide regular train services where local rail (S-Bahn) services take you to the city centre in just 25 minutes. There is also the facility of the City Airport Train that runs fast from the City Airport Terminal at Vienna Mitte. Besides trains, you can also opt for a taxi that can make you reach the city from the north of the Arrivals Hall. You can also take a car service from here for you to drive personally to the city. - Innsbruck (INN) (Kranebitten)
This is located at a distance of 5.5 km (3.5 miles) in the west direction of the city. The airport provides regular bus services after every 10 minutes to/from the city centre that takes your time of 15 minutes. Besides buses, good taxis can also accommodate you in reaching the city. - Salzburg (SZG) (Maxglan)
This is situated at a distance of 4 km (2.5 miles) in the west direction of Salzburg. The airport offers regular buses to/from the airport where the Bus line 77 takes you to the Hauptbahnhof station (main railway stop) in the city within just 20 minutes. You can even opt to go by train that will take barely less time of yours’ – 15 to 20 minutes). Again, like other airports, this too has the facility of the taxis from the façade of the main building whose journey time is 15 minutes). - Klagenfurt (KLU) (Worther See)
This is located at a distance of 4 km (2.5 miles) from the city. Even from here, you can choose to go by either bus or taxi. - Linz (LNZ)
This is at 10 km (6 miles) with buses and taxis to/from the airport. - Graz (GRZ)
This is also at 10 km (6 miles) offering taxi and bus services along with hourly trains.
By Water
- DDSG-Blue Danube Schiffahrt
This provides with a passenger service from Germany (Passau) to reach Vienna on the River Danube. To travel in Danube river boats, it would suffice just to have an international rail ticket. It also offers a hydrofoil service in Vienna from the Praterlande hydrofoil dock until Hungary taking the time of 6 hours. - The German operator Wurm und Kock
This provides passenger services and cruises for reaching Linz with special evening and music cruises in summer. - Brandner
This provides services between Melk and Krems. In addition, a hydrofoil service from Vienna to the Slovak Republic is offered daily in the summer that takes 1 hour 30 minutes. - Through the English Channel
Offering regular ferry services, the fastest option to reach Vienna from London is Dover-Calais ferry that takes 1 hour 30 minutes. By road, you will have to cover a distance of 1,600 km (1,000 miles), which is not convenient.
You can more information on connections to Serbia (Belgrade), Turkey (Istanbul), and Ukraine (Yalta) from the Austrian National Tourist Office.
By Rail
- Osterreichische Bundesbahnen (OBB) (Austrian Federal Railways)
Offers you good and huge tracks in and out of Austria. From Vienna, you can catch trains to Germany (Berlin), the Russian Federation (Moscow, via Warsaw/Kiev and Minsk), Romania (Bucharest via Budapest), Greece (Athens), Turkey (Istanbul via Belgrade), and Italy (Venice, Milan, or Rome). - Eurostar
Provides high-speed trains from London (St Pancras International) to Paris (Gare du Nord) in just 2 hours 15 minutes and Brussels (Midi/Zuid) in just 1 hour 51 minutes. Then, from Brussels, you can reach Vienna by either catching a morning or night train that takes 13 hours. From Paris (Gare de l’Est), you can opt for either of the two trains to Vienna that takes 14 hours 45 minutes.
Rail Passes
- InterRail
With this, you can travel unlimitedly in first or second class travel in 30 European countries. Providing two pass options, the Global Pass is for 22 days, one month, five days in 10 days, or 10 days in 22 days; while the One-Country Pass is for three, four, six, or eight days in one month except Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Montenegro. However, you cannot travel in the passenger’s country of residence. Visitors below 26 years are entitled to some discount, while children are offered 50% off. With this pass, you can even get some percentage off on Eurostar and a few ferry routes. - Eurailpass
Available from the Eurail Group, with this, you can travel unrestrictedly in first class in 17 European countries. Different validity range is available from 15 days, 21 days, one month, two months, or three months. - Eurailpass Saver Ticket
If you have somebody along with you, you are entitled to good discounts with this one. - Eurailpass Youth Ticket
For those below 26 years, this provides unlimited second-class travel. - Eurailpass Flexi
This pass offers 10 or 15 days within two months. - The Eurail Select Pass
This offers 5, 6, 8, or 10 days of travel or 15 for five countries within 2 months. It is valid in three, four, or five bordering countries. - Eurail Regional Pass
This offers for 4 to 10 days in 2 months in one region with 50% off for children. - Remember, you cannot sell the passes to the residents of Europe, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, or the Russian Federation.
By Road
- Coach
This is a regular service to many European regions. Eurolines provides frequent coach services to Austria from the U.K. - The Channel Tunnel
Running through this tunnel, shuttle trains for cars, bicycles, motorcycles, coaches, minibuses, caravans, campervans and other vehicles are operated by Eurotunnel.
