Austria

Austria is a central European country made up of 9 federal provinces. Of course, each province has its own natural and cultural treasures, which will be discussed here on the blog. The most popular destinations include the capital Vienna and the various small mountain lakes and hiking destinations in the Alps.

Austria is a well-developed country where visitors experience prosperity, security and order.

Austrian gastronomy is broadly similar to that of neighbouring countries. Their most popular dishes are goulash, Wiener Schnitzel, Knödel (a side dish) with everything on the side, Kaiserschmarrn, Grillteller and Tiroler Gröstl. Their famous drink is the Almdudler, an herbal soft drink. Very common alongside these are dishes from Italian and Asian cuisines. The quality of the food in Austrian restaurants is of a high standard, it is worth trying them out.

The shops have a very good selection of products and the quality is also very good. You can find a shop in almost every small village. And in the larger towns there are huge shopping centres where you can enjoy a great shopping experience.

The weather in Austria is continental, which means warm summers and cold winters. Make the most of the summers and explore the beautiful mountain scenery of the Austrian Alps. In summer, all mountain roads are open, so you can go anywhere. In winter, only the ski resorts in the mountains are open. Skiing is a very popular sport in Austria, so the ski season is also the peak tourist season. The ski season runs roughly from December to March, and the hiking season from May to October. For sightseeing, we think the best months are May and September, but in fact you can find the beauty of Austrian cities in any month, e.g. in winter the colours of the Christmas markets are stunning. The most famous cities are Vienna, Graz, Salzburg, Innsbruck and the small town of Hallstatt.

The road network is quite extensive, although traffic jams are more frequent than elsewhere due to an unusually high level of road reconstruction. For this reason, always plan extra time for your car journeys. The special thing about Austria’s motorways is that you have to pay in two ways: you need a motorway sticker and at certain tollgates (if you drive through them), you have to pay extra to get through the gate. Apart from that, the infrastructure is very good in Austria.

Austria, it may be said, even if not officially, is home of mountain lakes. There are so many breathtaking mountain lakes and so many hiking trails that it would take more than a lifetime to visit them all. Who doesn’t enjoy a walk in the magical Hallstatt on the shores of the lake, admiring the surrounding mountains? Or who wouldn’t like to sit on the banks of the Seebensee after a pleasant mountain hike, just to admire the delightful beauty of Tyrol? We believe that this is Austria’s real strength: Austria’s special natural and architectural features, including the Austrian Alps.

We have many personal ties to Austria. We have lived and currently work in Austria and visit several times a week. Perhaps we see it not as a tourist destination but as a second home. We know all its states, all its major cities and have driven all its highways. Admittedly, even after all this time, there is still little bad to say about it. We think that if you visit Central Europe, Austria is a must.

As we visit Austria several times a week and have lived in Austria before, we think we can give you a good introduction to this special country. You can find more detailed information about the most interesting mountain hiking destinations, city sights and natural or cultural treasures in the articles. We hope you will enjoy them.