Austria travel guide : explore Vienna, Salzburg and the Alps

What you need to know before visiting Austria

• Official name: Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich)
• Capital: Vienna
• Population: About 9 million people
• Official language: German
• Currency: Euro (€)
• Area: 83,879 square kilometres

How Austrian history shaped European culture

Austria's historical journey reflects a remarkable evolution from powerful empire to democratic republic:

Ancient Austria: from Celtic tribes to Roman empire

The territory of modern Austria was originally settled by Celtic tribes before becoming part of the Roman Empire around 15 BCE. The Romans established important settlements, including Vindobona (modern Vienna), a military camp covering 20 hectares. After Rome's fall, various Germanic tribes ruled the region until Charlemagne conquered it in the late 8th century, incorporating it into the Holy Roman Empire.

The Habsburg dynasty: Europe's most powerful family

In 1282, the Habsburg dynasty began their nearly 650-year rule of Austria, gradually expanding their territories through strategic marriages rather than warfare—following their famous motto "Bella gerant alii, tu felix Austria nube" (Let others wage war, you, happy Austria, marry). By the 16th century, the Habsburgs controlled an empire spanning 4 million square kilometres across Europe, making them one of history's most powerful ruling houses. Under Empress Maria Theresa's 40-year reign (1740-1780), Austria experienced significant modernization, including mandatory education and administrative reforms.

The Austro-Hungarian empire: golden age and fall

The 19th century brought dramatic changes, from the Congress of Vienna in 1815, which redrew Europe's map after Napoleon, to the 1867 compromise that created the Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy. This period saw Vienna's transformation into a magnificent imperial capital, with the construction of the 5.3-kilometre-long Ringstrasse boulevard lined with monumental buildings. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914 triggered World War I, which ended with the empire's collapse and Austria's reduction to a small republic of just 83,879 square kilometres.

Modern Austria: from world wars to European Union

After the troubled interwar period and annexation by Nazi Germany (1938-1945), Austria regained independence but remained occupied by Allied forces until 1955, when it declared permanent neutrality. Since then, the country has developed into a prosperous social democracy with high living standards and political stability. Austria joined the European Union in 1995 and has become an active participant in European integration while maintaining its distinct identity and traditions. Today's Austria skillfully balances its imperial heritage with forward-looking policies, particularly in areas of environmental sustainability and renewable energy, which now provides 75% of the country's electricity.

Austrian culture: language, music and traditions

The Austrian Variation of German

While German is Austria's official language, Austrian German features distinct vocabulary, pronunciation, and expressions. Around 8.5 million people speak this variant, characterized by softer consonants and vocabulary often derived from the country's historical connections to its neighbors. For instance, Austrians order a "Semmel" rather than "Brötchen" (roll) and greet each other with "Servus" or "Grüß Gott" instead of "Hallo." Traditional Austrian dialects vary significantly between regions, from the Viennese dialect to the Tyrolean variants spoken closer to the 558-kilometre border with Italy.

Classical music in Austria: Mozart to Vienna Philharmonic

Austria's contribution to classical music is unparalleled, with Vienna serving as home to more renowned composers than any other city. Mozart, born in Salzburg, composed over 600 works despite his short 35-year life. Haydn's 104 symphonies and Schubert's more than 600 lieder (art songs) helped define classical and romantic music. Johann Strauss II composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, and quadrilles, including "The Blue Danube," Austria's unofficial anthem. The Vienna Philharmonic, founded in 1842, remains one of the world's premier orchestras, while the 7,000-capacity Vienna State Opera stages nearly 350 performances annually. This musical legacy continues with the Salzburg Festival, which attracts over 250,000 visitors each summer to its 200+ events.

Austrian cuisine: what to eat and drink during your visit

Austrian cuisine blends influences from throughout the former empire to create distinctive flavors:

• Wiener Schnitzel (thinly pounded veal cutlet breaded and fried to a golden-brown, typically 30 centimetres in diameter)
• Sachertorte (chocolate cake with apricot jam, created in 1832 with the original recipe producing about 360,000 cakes annually)
• Apfelstrudel (layered pastry with apple filling, using dough rolled so thin—less than 2 millimetres—that a newspaper can be read through it)
• Tafelspitz (boiled beef served with horseradish and applesauce, simmered for 3 hours with vegetables and spices)
• Kaiserschmarrn (shredded pancake named after Emperor Franz Joseph, who particularly enjoyed this 1-centimetre-thick caramelized pancake)

Coffee house culture forms an essential part of Austrian life, with Vienna's historic cafés serving as extended living rooms for locals. The city's approximately 2,400 coffee houses serve an estimated 280 million cups of coffee annually, typically accompanied by a glass of water and often a slice of cake, with patrons welcome to linger for hours over a single cup. Austrian wine, produced across 46,000 hectares of vineyards, especially excels in white varieties like Grüner Veltliner from the Wachau Valley's steep 43° terraced slopes.

Vienna's intellectual legacy: arts and innovation

Vienna around 1900 fostered revolutionary ideas in multiple fields. Sigmund Freud developed psychoanalysis from his practice at Berggasse 19 (a 120-square-metre apartment now housing a museum). Gustav Klimt founded the Vienna Secession artistic movement, creating masterpieces like "The Kiss," a 180×180-centimetre gold-leaf canvas. Architects like Otto Wagner pioneered modernism, while Ludwig Wittgenstein revolutionized philosophy. This intellectual ferment reflected the unique atmosphere of fin-de-siècle Vienna, where a Jewish population of 175,000 made crucial contributions to science, medicine, music, and the arts before the catastrophe of Nazi annexation.

Where to go in Austria: top cities and attractions

Vienna: essential sights in Austria's historic capital

Austria's magnificent capital offers unparalleled historical richness:

• Schönbrunn Palace: The former summer residence of the Habsburg emperors features 1,441 rooms across 160,000 square metres of floor space.
• St. Stephen's Cathedral: The Gothic masterpiece stands 136 metres tall with a 22,300-kilogram bell and a roof covered in 230,000 glazed tiles.
• Hofburg Palace: The former imperial winter residence expanded over centuries to cover 240,000 square metres.
• Vienna State Opera: One of the world's leading opera houses with a 1,709-seat auditorium and 1,100 employees.
• Naschmarkt: A 1.5-kilometre-long market dating from the 16th century, housing 120 market stands and restaurants.

Salzburg: exploring Mozart's birthplace and musical heritage

Mozart's birthplace nestles between the 1,853-metre Untersberg mountain and the Salzach River. Its UNESCO-protected Old Town covers 236 hectares with baroque architecture and narrow streets. Hohensalzburg Fortress, perched 120 metres above the city on a 542-metre-long rock plateau, stands as Central Europe's largest fully preserved castle from the 11th century.

Innsbruck: alpine adventures in Tyrol's capital

The capital of Tyrol is surrounded by mountains rising above 2,000 metres, creating a spectacular backdrop for this city of 130,000 people. The Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof), covered with 2,657 fire-gilded copper tiles, represents a pinnacle of late Gothic architecture, while the city's history as two-time Winter Olympics host in 1964 and 1976 established its reputation as a premier winter sports destination.

Hallstatt: visiting Austria's most picturesque village

This village of just 780 inhabitants became so famous for its picture-perfect setting between mountain and lake that China built a full-scale replica. The original occupies a narrow 60-hectare stretch between the 1,890-metre Dachstein massif and Hallstätter See lake, with houses climbing the steep slope. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it gave its name to the Iron Age Hallstatt culture (800-400 BCE).

Graz: discovering Austria's second city and cultural hub

Austria's second-largest city blends Renaissance and medieval architecture with bold contemporary design. The futuristic Kunsthaus (built in 2003), nicknamed the "Friendly Alien," features a 900-square-metre exhibition space covered in 1,288 acrylic panels. The Schlossberg hill at the city center rises 123 metres, offering panoramic views from its 16th-century clock tower with 3-metre-long hands.

Best natural destinations in Austria: mountains to lakes

• Austrian Alps: Covering 62% of the country with peaks like the Grossglockner (3,798 metres), Austria's highest mountain.
• Danube Valley: The mighty river flows 350 kilometres through Austria, including the picturesque 33-kilometre Wachau Valley wine region.
• Salzkammergut: A lake district comprising 76 lakes across 1,000 square kilometres, with water clarity allowing visibility up to 25 metres deep.
• Hohe Tauern National Park: Austria's oldest national park covering 1,856 square kilometres of Alpine landscape, including 266 peaks above 3,000 metres and 342 glaciers.
• Neusiedler See: A steppe lake on the Hungarian border covering 315 square kilometres with an average depth of just 1.8 metres, creating a unique ecosystem.

Interesting facts about Austria you might not know

Austria uses renewable sources for approximately 75% of its electricity, with 60% coming from hydropower generated by plants on the country's 35,000 kilometres of rivers.

Vienna has consistently ranked as the world's most livable city, with over 50% of the city's 414 square kilometres dedicated to green spaces.

The world's oldest zoo still in operation, Tiergarten Schönbrunn in Vienna, was established in 1752 and houses 8,500 animals across 17 hectares.

The sewing machine was invented by Austrian tailor Josef Madersperger in 1814, revolutionizing the garment industry.

Austria is the only EU country where alpine farming remains a significant economic and cultural practice, with farmers moving livestock up to Alpine pastures (1,500-2,500 metres) each summer.

Austrian contributions to science and culture

• The slow movement of symphonies (Joseph Haydn introduced this musical innovation)
• Psychoanalysis (Sigmund Freud's techniques revolutionized understanding of the human mind)
• The Snow Globe (invented by Erwin Perzy in Vienna in 1900)
• The Defibrillator (created by electrical engineer Claude Beck in 1947)
• Quantum physics (Erwin Schrödinger's wave equation transformed our understanding of atomic structure)