Imperial Vienna, Alpine valleys and cake at every coffee house.
Austria pairs grand imperial cities with some of the finest Alpine scenery in Europe. Vienna has the Hofburg, Schönbrunn Palace and world-class museums, while Salzburg's baroque old town sits beneath its fortress. Beyond the cities are the lakeside village of Hallstatt, the vineyards of the Wachau Valley along the Danube, and the peaks of Tyrol around Innsbruck.
Life moves at a civilised pace: long mornings in coffee houses over Sachertorte, evenings at the opera or in a wine tavern (Heuriger). Trains are punctual and scenic, and ski resorts are easy to reach. Summer from June to September is best for hiking and lakes, winter brings skiing and Christmas markets, and March, April and November are the quietest months.
Best time to visit Austria
June, July, August, September.
Places to visit in Austria
Vienna: Austria's grand imperial capital of palaces, coffee houses, great art collections and classical music.
Salzburg: A baroque city of domes and church spires below a hilltop fortress, the birthplace of Mozart.
Hallstatt: A tiny village squeezed between a lake and steep mountains, with an ancient salt mine and a famous view.
Innsbruck: The capital of Tyrol, a historic city ringed by high mountains, with skiing and hiking minutes from the centre.
Wachau Valley: A stretch of the Danube lined with vineyards, castle ruins and wine villages, crowned by the baroque Melk Abbey.
Grossglockner High Alpine Road: A spectacular mountain road with dozens of hairpin bends to the foot of Austria's highest mountain and its glacier.
Graz: Austria's second city, a relaxed university town with a Renaissance centre and bold modern architecture.
Essentials
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Language: German; English widely spoken
Plugs: Type C / F, 230 V
Driving: Right side
Time zone: UTC+1
Tipping: Round up or add 5–10%; say the total when paying