Austria

Cable cars, incline railways, narrow-gauge railways, cog railways, funiculars, Zahnradbahn, Bergbahnen, Silvrettaseilbahn, Pöstlingbergbahn. Towering jagged mountains, ski resorts, rich green valleys, tiny tucked villages, gleaming lakes. Austria is an attraction unto itself. Trying to determine highlights is like trying to point out the most beautiful spot in a Monet painting. You just have to enjoy the whole thing.

I remember that my friend and I almost decided to just stay and live in Austria back in 1988. The people were so friendly, going out of their way to help two young travelers who’d been backpacking trains across Europe for nearly two months. In Salzburg, after a local walked us there so that we wouldn’t get lost, we received a warm welcome at what turned out to be our favorite Youth Hostel of the trip. Thirty-two years later, that Youth Hostel is still operating! 

We toured the city, visited Mozarts Geburtshaus, unwrapped the golden foil with the composer’s portrait on it to taste our first delicious Mozartkugel, climbed up to the grand Festung Hohensalzburg, and visited Nonnberg Abbey where Maria was a novice. We actually went up into the hills and twirled around singing “The Sound of Music” in nearby Berchtesgaden, Germany where the opening scene of the movie was filmed. While there, we visited a salt mine, donned a dark blue mining outfit, and slid down some chutes. That place is still open, too, thirty-two years later, and I highly recommend it. Everything was beautiful and everyone was friendly and willing to go out of their way to help us. That’s how we wanted our children to be.  

I wonder now what would have happened if we’d not paid attention to the rules of international travel and remained under the wire long enough to become citizens and raise children. So many things would be different. I think at heart we knew it was impossible, but we enjoyed the momentary dream.

We also visited Vienna (Wien), which I remembered felt like it was in the East, completely different from the Western feeling of Salzburg. Salzburg is an hour and a half drive from Münich: West, and Vienna is less than an hour drive from Bratislava: East. Austria is a country that moves from West to East, both geographically and culturally.

“Österreich” means “Eastern realm.” The Latinized name “Austria” first appeared in the 12^th century, around the time that the Habsburgs began their rule of the Duchy of Österreich, which developed into a succession of Holy Roman Emperors, and then the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and lasted until the aftermath of World War I in 1918. 

My great-great grandparents were Jews living somewhere in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, likely in the northeast, perhaps in Galacia, which could be as far north as today’s Poland or the Ukraine. They left for the new world, New York, before things got out of hand in the 20^th century. At that time, the Austro-Hungarian Empire stretched over such a large area that Franz Kafka and Rainer Maria Rilke are identified as Austro-Hungarian even though both were born in Prague.

In 1905, one of the human beings I most admire was born in Vienna. Viktor Frankl. A neurologist who founded logotherapy, healing through meaning, Frankl was part of Alfred Adler’s group of students. He organized youth centers to tackle the teen suicide problem and they met with success. By 1937, however, his ability to practice was strained by the Nazi take-over of Austria because of his Jewish heritage. He ended up getting deported to a concentration camp where many of his theories were tested in the extreme conditions that stretched human endurance. When he returned to Vienna, he published one of my favorite books that remains popular today, Man’s Search for Meaning. I encourage you to read it. Frankl’s epiphany was that people can endure anything if they have a sense of purpose. The ideas expressed in the book provide inspirational and useful tools. There is a museum in Viktor Frankl’s honor in Vienna.

Vienna, or Wien as the Austrians call it, is a fascinating city with a long history of innovations in thought and art. There’s a museum in honor of Sigmund Freud, who arrived in Vienna as a teenager, studied medicine, and eventually developed the field of psycholanalysis, along with Vienna born Alfred Adler. Composer Franz Schubert was born in Vienna and his birth house and museum can be visited. The Waltz King Johann Strauss was born in Vienna and there is a museum in honor of the Strauss family of composers and musicians. Artist Gustav Klimt was born just outside of Vienna. Composer Gustav Mahler came to Vienna as a teenager to study at the Vienna Conservatory along with his friend Hugo Wolf.  And did I mention that Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Mozart composed and performed in Vienna and there are museums in the places where they once lived? With that kind of history and as the home of the Vienna Philharmonic, Vienna State Opera, and the Vienna Boys Choir (Wiener Sänger Knaben), it’s not a surprise that Vienna is called the Classical Music Capital of the World. And to add to this, Vienna-born Johann Hölzel, better known as Falco, is the best-selling singer from Austria to-date for his hit “Rock Me Amadeus.” The Academy-award winning actor Christoph Waltz was born in Vienna. Quite the record of creativity. It might be a good idea to drink the water provided with your coffee at the coffee houses in Vienna. 

And that’s just Vienna. Continue your pursuit of fascinating Austrians by travelling east of Vienna to the city where Joseph Haydn was born and visit his tomb in Eisenstadt. To the north, composer Anton Bruckner was born in Ansfelden near Linz in Upper Austria and there is a museum in his birth house. In Linz, Johannes Kepler taught mathematics. To the south, Arnold Schwarzenegger was born in Thal, Austria near the city of Graz and his childhood home is now a museum covering his multi-faceted life. Head north to Salzburg to visit Mozarts Geburtshaus and unwrap a tasty little Mozart kugel. And next door, you can visit the house of Christian Andreas Doppler, who, as his name suggests, discovered the Doppler Effect. Doppler spent a good deal of time in Prague, which also appears to be a good place to drink the water.

Speaking of creativity, yodeling is quite the vocal endeavor of rapid changes in register. The Ländler dance can be accompanied by yodeling and Austrian’s call their folk dances Folkloretänze.

Playing games and having fun is so important in the culture that there is even a game for starting school called Schultütewhich involves giving each child a cone, decorated and filled with goodies and school supplies, that has some how grown out of tree with their name on it on the first day of school. And there are other traditions involving colored eggs, something people in this area of the world love, and parades with cows, and lighting fires on the hilltops on summer solstice in the shapes of symbols no less, and in December, there are Krampus and Perchten parades to drive out the bad spirits. Select Six unique traditions that Austrians love to love to find out a little more about these traditions. 

The croissant originated in Austria rather than France. It began in Vienna in 1683 as a crescent-shaped pastry called a kipfel. There is a legend that the cappuccino was also invented in Austria the same year at the opening of the first coffee house in Vienna. The story goes that coffee beans left behind by the retreating Ottoman Turks made that first rich cup. Select the word croissant to read an article from Smithsonian Magazine about its history and legends.

Given this history, it’s no surprise that Viennese Coffee Culture is a hallmark of Austria’s capital city. More about the elegant atmosphere than the drink, it’s not a Starbucks experience. UNESCO put it on their list of intangible culture heritage, stating that a Vienna Coffee House is a place “where time and space are consumed, but only the coffee is found on the bill.” The coffee is served on a silver tray accompanied by a glass of water. The coffee menu is broad. The Wiener Melange, half filled coffee topped with hot frothy milk and served with a dollop of foamed milk, is the most traditional. The Einspänner, espresso topped with whipped cream and served in a tall glass, is one of most popular. Choose the words Viennese Coffee Culture to read more. 

The delicious Sachertorte, a chocolate sponge cake with apricot-jam between layers, was invented in 1832 and is available in the coffee houses. The city of Linz has its own well-known dessert, the Linzer Torte, made with ground nut flour and a jam filling. Created in 1696, it’s one of the oldest “cake” recipes in the world.

Select the link to find out more about Austrian food.

As impossible as it is to distinguish highlights within one of the most beautiful countries of the world, the following is a walk through the nine states of Austria with links to specific locations and a bit of information. With Austria, if you love mountains, lakes, hiking, and skiing, you could arrive at the western border and go anywhere and you will find beauty and culture. Following are each of the nine states of Austria: Vorarlberg, Tyrol, Carinthia (Kärnten), Salzburg, Upper Austria, Styria (Steiermark), Lower Austria, Vienna, and Burgenland. I’ve attempted to move from West to East in each area.

VORARLBERG is the westernmost part of Austria that borders Liechtenstein and the Bodensee (Lake Constance)
Bodensee: Although parts of it are in Germany and Switzerland, the part of Bodensee (also called Lake Constance) that is in Austria is still the country’s largest lake. The Rhine River comes from Basel in the west and enters the lake. 
Bregenz, on the shore of the Bodensee (Lake Constance), has a summer music festival and a fascinating lakefront concert venue in addition to beautiful Alpine lake scenery. Select the name to find out more about Bregenz.
Feldkirch, right on the border with Liechtenstein, is a Medieval city with Schloß Schattenburg built by Count Hugo in the 15^th century.

TYROL (or TIROL) is the mountainous Alps region of Austria
Select the name to learn more about the many stunning regions of Tyrol.
Select the name to learn more about the towns of Tyrol.
Go here for The Best Attractions of Tirol
St. Anton am Arlberg, even if you don’t want to ski, this town in Western Tyrol is enchanting.
Ischgl is an equally charming Alpine town with a cable car and cable car museum. 
Serfaus, land of the Murmli (marmot), the people of Serfaus built the second smallest underground railway (1.28 kilometers) in the world to keep cars out of their beautiful village. 
Fiss has a fascinating Bochziehen ritual every four years in February. Select the name of the town and scroll down the page to view a fascinating photograph of the parade through the town. 
Imst is a little town with Baroque buildings and a Schemenlaufen carnival.
Jungholz is an enclave in the northwest was owned by centuries by Austrians and a 1844 treaty between Austria and Germany ceded it to Austria. It touches Austria at a single point at the mountain peak of Sorgschrofen. There’s a black cross boundary marker where two German districts, an Austrian district, and Jungholz all meet. 
Ehrwald and Zugspitze. Based out of Ehrwald, Austria, a cable car takes you to the highest mountain in Bavaria, Germany. Some say Zugspitze is the most beautiful thing they have ever seen and you will have to visit to decide whether or not you agree. On June 20, Summer Solistice, hundreds of people run up to the mountain tops to light fires into ancient symbols. 
Ehrwald is a half hour drive from Schloß Neuschwanstein just over the border in Germany.
Seefeld is a ski resort and great place for cross country skiing with a beautiful domed church. When the Winter Olympics was held in Innsbruck 1964 and 1976, many of the events were in Seefeld.
Neustift im Stubaital is a nestled mountain town with the Ice Grotto at Stubai Glacier nearby.
Innsbruck is an alpine city with a beautiful old town (Altstadt) and many cable car options.
Some highlights in Innsbruck:
Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof) was built in 1496 and made of 2,657 gilded copper tiles
Innsbruck Dom
Hofkirche with the tomb of Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I
Stradtturm (Town Tower) in the Altstadt (Old Town) offers beautiful views.
Schloß Ambras
Hall in Tirol is an old town right next to Innsbruck.
Achensee is a beautiful lake area just northeast of Innsbruck. 
Schloß Tratzberg is a 16^th century castle near Achensee.
Pertisau – Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I regularly visited Pertisau. Stone oil (Tiroler Steinōl) comes from this area.
Maurach is the location of the Achenseebahn, the oldest rack-and-pinion steam railway in Austria.
Alpbach is just east of the Achensee with stunning, rustic beauty.
Mayrhofen in the Zillertal Valley, an area known for its musicians.
Tux and Finkenberg with the Hintertux Glacier nearby.
Kufstein with a castle, Kufstein Fortress, a charming old town, and a glass-making factory tour. There’s a daily organ concert chiming out through the streets of the town at noon. 
Ellmau is the town in the Austrian TV series Der Bergdoktor, now in its 13^th season.

CARINTHIA, called Kärten by locals, is the southern most Austrian state that boarders Slovenia and Italy. 
Großglockner is the highest mountain in Austria and the 2^nd highest in the Alps.
Heiligenblut is a stunning base town for the Großglockner with a beautiful church.
Großglockner Hochalpenstraße is the roof of the world, twisting Alpine road seen in many movies and the views seem worth the drive.
Weissensee hosts the largest traditional curling tournament in Europe in January.
Villach is known for its thermal springs and spas and Heiligenkreuzkirche. 
Burg Landskron is a castle nearby and has a falconry display. 
Gmünd in Kärnten is an 11^th century town with 13^th century castle ruins.
Klagenfurt am Wörthersee was an important market town as far back as 1161 and you can see the town’s old moat and a dragon fountain from 1590. There is a Minimundus park with minatures of landmarks around the world.
Burg Hochosterwitz is a castle with 14 gates just northeast of Klagenfurt.
Friesach dating back to before 860 AD, the town has a Middle Ages festival in July. 
Bad Kleinkirchheim is yet another spa and cable car town.

SALZBURG
Salzburg is an intensely beautiful city on the Salzach River near the northern border with Germany. Salzburg is famous for salt as the name indicates, as the birthplace of Mozart, the real-life and filming location of The Sound of Music, and its annual Music Festival.
Christmas in Salzburg offers an array of interest and no surprise since it is the city where “Silent Night” was born. In early December, there are Krampus and Perchten parades to drive away evil spirits.
The Christkindlmarkt begins at that end of November with hot chestnuts, mulled wine, delicious cookies, and handcrafted items. 
Festung Hohensalzburg is the fortress on the hill originally built in 1077, including the Salzburg Bull, a large aerophon with more than 200 pipes.
Schloß Mirabell is a palace and gardens built in 1606. 
Mozarts Geburtshaus is where Mozart was born and now has a museum in his honor.
Getreidegaße is the picturesque shopping street. 
Hellbrunn Palace was built from 1612 to 1615 just a little south of Salzburg.

Zell am See is yet another charming mountain and lake town with a 16^th century castle, Schloß Rosenberg. 
Krimml Falls, west of Zell am See and close to Tyrol, is the highest waterfall in Austria with three stages.
Werfen is south of Salzburg and near…
Erlebnisburg Hohenwerfen is a castle. 
Eisriesenwelt is the world’s biggest ice cave with over 42 kilometers in its cave system.
Bad Gastein is a Belle Époque spa town with a waterfall in the town and a one meter wide suspension bridge, Stubnerkogel
Schafberg is in the Salzkammergut Mountains, part of the Limestone Alps, overlooks Wolfgangsee Lake. The Schafbergbahn Cog Railway from St. Wolfgang to the summit of Schafberg was featured in The Sound of Music.

UPPER AUSTRIA
Salzkammergut is a lakes region with 76 large and small lakes.
Hallstatt am Hallstättersee is a highly touristed picturebook village on the western shore of the lake with 16^th century Alpine houses and a salt mine. Hallstatt is one of the oldest still-inhabitated villages in Europe.
Gmunden am Traunsee is a summer health retreat village at the northern end of the lake. 
Mondsee is a lake not far from Salzburg with the church where the wedding between the Captain and Maria was filmed for the Sound of Music: Basilica St. Michael. The ancient little village of Mondsee has a beautiful little town square.
Linz is Austria’s third largest city and is in the Danube Valley. Linz was founded by Romans and has been around since the 1^st century AD. In the early 1600s, Johannes Kepler taught mathematics in Linz and the local university is named for him. Anton Bruckner was a local composer and organist at the Old Cathedral in Linz from 1855 until 1868. The Linzer Torte dessert is from this city. 

STYRIA, called Steiermark by locals, is on the border with Slovenia, and is considered Austria’s “green heart” with lush forests, vineyards, and pumpkin seed oil. Select the link for more about Styria.
Graz is the second largest city in Austria with a large university student population. Graz has a staircase climbing up the hill from the Schloßbergplatz to the hilltop castle with a clock tower (Uhrturm) where the Habsburgs lived in the 14^thcentury. The University of Graz was founded in 1585. 
Baroque Eggenberg Palace is on the outskirts of Graz.
Murau is a little town on the banks of the Mur River.
Erzburg the largest open pit mine in Central Europe. 
Dachstein is one of the highest mountains in the Salzkammergut.
Bad Aussee in the Styrian Salzkammergut. 
Riegersburg Castle is high up on a volcanic rock
Bad Radkersberg is a spa town in the eastern corner of Styria on the border with Slovenia.

LOWER AUSTRIA is a wine region in northeastern Austria that surrounds Vienna.
Melk Abbey on a hill over the Danube was a castle of Leopold II then given to monks in 1089.
Dürnstein is a Medieval town with a ruined castle.
Krems an der Donau is known for its wine production and has a beautiful Steiner Tor in its town. 
Schneeberg is mountainous and has a Zahradbahn, or cog railway. 
Mostviertel is the Cider Region of Lower Austria with a large area of pear orchards. “Most” is the name of a kind of cider and “viertel” means “quarter.” Select the link for more about Mostviertel.

VIENNA, known to locals as Wien, is Austria’s capital with a rich history of inventiveness and art. The tradition of Christmas Markets started in Vienna in 1298 when King Albert I of Germany gave locals permission to have a December Market. Many of Vienna’s are located on its Ringstraße. 
Schonbrunn Palace has 1,441 rooms, was built between 1696-1712 under the direction of Emperor Leopold I, and includes the oldest zoo in the world, a maze, and a labyrinth.
Hofburg Imperial Palace was the official royal residence of the Habsburgs, includes library and Spanish Riding School.
The Belvedere Museum has the world’s largest Gustav Klimt collection as well as other works from Medieval times to modern day.

BURGENLAND
Neusiedler See is shared with bordering Hungary.
Eisenstadt is where Josef Haydn lived, composed, and his tomb is in the Bergkirche. 
Schloß Esterházy is a beautiful Baroque palace owned by the Hungarian Esterházy family. There is a fascinating wine museum. Eisenstadt is an hour west of Slovakia’s capital, Bratislava.

Select The Lakes of Austria to find out more.
15 Places to Visit in Austria
World Travel Guide Austria
Austria Travel Guide
17 Top Tourist Attractions in Austria
10 Best Places to Visit in Austria
20 most beautiful places to visit in Austria
Austria’s Top Sites
For a comparison between the German of Germany and the German of Austria, select Key Vocabulary Differences.