Travel in Europe: Austria

An intriguing mix of classic and contemporary culture awaits you in Austria. The country known for composers like Schubert and Mozart has also given us modern notables like the musician Falco and Arnold Schwarzenegger. So whatever your interests, the capital city of Vienna -- Wien to the locals -- will make an outstanding three-day holiday.

Gemütlichkeit is a term you should know right at the outset. It's best defined as the spirit and converging of all things good: food, drink, people, and atmosphere. It's the vibe Austrians live by, and they'll be more than happy to include the respectful traveler. So as a respectful traveler, remember Austria is proudly independent of Germany, its neighbor to the north.

To put it in perspective, think of the Canadian/U.S. relationship: neighbors, but independent. And unlike North America, history here is measured on a slightly larger scale. After all, Vienna was first settled by the Celts around the year 500 B.C.

Austria is a country full of rich history with a unique culture. There are many wonderful activities to do on your vacation, whether you are traveling alone, or with your family.

One of the most common reasons for visiting Austria is to ski in the beautiful Alps. The skiing season runs from November through April, of course depending on the weather conditions. The best slopes are said to be in Tyrol, Land Salzburg, and Vorarlberg; regions all found in western Austria.

Another traveler’s favorite is the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. You can watch the performances of the magnificent stallions and their decorated riders as they demonstrate the art of dressage. Dressage, a classical art, is defined as the exact movements performed by the horses with discreet cues from their riders. It is found within the Hofburg Palace Complex and the seating tends to fill up rather quickly. Therefore, it is recommended to reserve tickets for the shows six to eight weeks in advance.

Do you love the musical The Sound of Music starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer? If you answered yes, a visit to Salzburg is a must! There you can take The Sound of Music tour. You will visit the Nonnberg Abbey, the famous gazebo where Rolf and Liesl danced, and finally stop at the Felsenreitenschule.

If music is your passion, Austria is filled with historical sites for you. In Vienna, you can visit the house of Joseph Haydn where he lived from 1797 to his death in 1809. There is also the Pasqualati House where Beethoven is said to have lived from 1804 to 1814. The Figarohuas (Figaro House) is a 17th-century house in Vienna and a must see. It is here, that Mozart is said to have composed his famous opera The Marriage of Figaro.

Throughout the year, and throughout the country, Austrians hold many festivals to honor the great classical composers and other musicians from their past. For example, in July, the city of Innsbruck hosts the Festival of Early Music. This is a celebration of music ranging from plain song to elaborate operas. However, as with most festivals, the dates can change, so it is best to check in advance what festivals you can catch on your visit. This information can be found in most travel books, or by contacting your travel agent.

While Austria may be known for its great culture, there is also much to explore in its natural environment. Vienna alone has almost 200 miles of well-kept paths that pass through many of Europe’s most stunning parks. You can take a day cruise along the Danube, the main river of Vienna. However, if you prefer a more peaceful, relaxed atmosphere, you can rent a canoe or kayak and make your way down the Alte Donau. This is a smaller stream that bisects residential neighborhoods to the north of the Danube River. Or, if you prefer air to water, you should visit Voralberg in westen Austria, where you can go hot air ballooning over the country’s great landscapes.

A must see for any nature lover is the Wienerwald (Vienna Woods). This bountiful area stretches from city limits of Vienna all the way to the foothills of the Alps. There are many scenic, well-marked paths for the hiker. However, you can also see the picturesque area by taking a leisurely drive. A great thing about a tour by car is that you can visit some of the smaller country towns along the way. There you will find appetizing local cuisine and be able to partake in some wine sampling at the wineries. The best time of the year for this is September and October when the grapes are harvested. It is also advised to visit during the week, in order to avoid some of the crowds.

Of course, as in most European countries, there are also many splendid castles and palaces to visit. The Hapsburg family, a very powerful family that ruled much of Europe, owned two elaborate homes in Vienna. Their summer home, Schonbrunn Palace, has a total of 1,441 rooms. This palace is also a place of great history. It was here that on November 11th, 1918 Karl I signed his Act of Abdication that brought the family’s rule to an end.

The Hofburg was their winter home. The amazing thing about this palace is that it seems to represent the entire span of the family’s history from 1279 until 1918. It is almost a city within a city, and in fact, within these walls is where you will find the Spanish Riding School.

Another tremendously historical and still operational site is the Baden bei Wien in Lower Austria. This is one of the most recognized bathhouses of the region. The Romans constructed the original buildings around 100 A.D. They were attracted to the 15 thermal springs that rose to a temperature of 95 degrees. Today, there are many bath establishments, as well four outdoor thermal springs. This is truly a place of relaxation and would make a wonderful end to your visit in Austria. However, no matter what your interests or favorite activities are, you are sure to find something to do in Austria.

Vienna is – as I am confident you have found out already – the capital of Austria, but also the biggest city of the nation (with a population of almost 2 millions) and due to its past as a capital of a vast empire, it is packed with attractions, things to do and places to go to. All that makes Vienna a “European grade A capital” that I would rank among the top 6 with Rome, London, Prague, Paris and Budapest in terms of beauty and appeal.

So what is there to see? The historic "Erster Bezirk" (first district) is neatly framed by the Ringstraße Road. That is because this road runs where the city walls were until their destruction in the 19th century. Here you will also find the Houses of Parliament (in “interesting” neo-Classical style), the Heldenplatz (Square of Heroes), the City Hall, the University, the Academy of Fine Arts, the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Naturhistorisches Museum, the Votivkirche Church, the Hofburg Palace, the Burgtheater and the Staatsoper (National Opera).

Salzburg is a fairly recent “acquisition” of Austria: until 1816, it was an independent principality ruled by powerful Prince Archbishops. The first of them, St. Rupert, had founded Salzburg on the ruins of the lost Roman city Iuvavum. Originally under the control of Bavarian rulers, Salzburg gained independence in the Middle Ages and gradually increased its wealth and power, peaking in the Baroque days of the 17th century.

Today it attracts enormous amounts of tourists, especially in the summer the historic city centre can be crowded like an anthill. This “Altstadt” is the biggest UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site – essentially the entire old town is part of it. It gained this status because of its homogenous baroque appearance – three Prince Archbishops in particular, Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau, Markus Sittkus and Paris Lodron had caught the building bug.

They transformed the Medieval city into a gem of Baroque architecture. You will not find a similar place anywhere in Europe: Marvel at the elaborate cathedral (Salzburger Dom), the castle Hohensalzburg (supposedly the biggest in Central Europe, but I always find this claim a bit dodgy), and the scenic hills on the northern edge of the Alps.

The Burgenland is Austria’s most Eastern province and joined the Republic only in 1921. Before that, the Burgenland was under Hungarian administration and called “Western Hungary” or “Vierburgenland” (meaning “four castle land”). The name refers to the high number of defence buildings that were erected against Magyar and Turkish threats. Three of the four name-giving castles are actually still part of Hungary, but nevertheless there are several others left to see.

“In Linz beginnt’s” (Everything starts in Linz) is the slogan of this refreshingly modern city. The Upper Austrian’s came up with this slogan in order to get rid of the line “In Linz, da stinkt’s” (It stinks in Linz) – for decades, this referred to the city’s industrial heritage and the concerned pollution. Wool, iron and wood industries, later oil, steel and transportation (Linz is a railway hub) caused a not-so-nice reputation and it was only through the economic rise of the past one or two decades that tourists discover Upper Austria’s capital.

The few “old” sightseeing highlights (Pestsäule, Schlossberg, the protestant Landhaus and the obligatory baroque palazzos and monasteries) would not be sufficient to attract tourists. Many come, though – for the sake of the modern face of Austria that is visible in Linz. The ARS Electronica centre is a “museum” and festival dedicated to information, technology and art and the “Linzer Klangwolke” attracts ten thousands of people.

All these are just a small piece of what you can do and visit in Austria. My advice? Visit Austria because it is worth it. It smells like “old”, but when I say that I mean it smells like history.