15 Best Places to Visit in Austria in 2024

Sitting proper in the center of central Europe, Austria delights vacationers with its Alpine mountains and grand imperial heritage. Although it’s fairly a small nation, it presents quite a lot of locations to go to and issues to do. You can spend your journey to Austria exploring beautiful cities filled with tradition, swimming in crystal-clear lakes, or snowboarding down epic mountain slopes.

Narrowing down what to do in Austria could be a actual problem, so we’ve determined to assist you out by itemizing all one of the best locations to go to in Austria in one place. These are all of the locations you want to find out about when planning a go to to this lovely nation.

Vienna

A pure place to begin once you go to Austria is the capital metropolis, Vienna. Once the center of the Habsburg Empire, this grand metropolis certain appears the half, with its conventional structure and complicated coffeehouses. 

Vienna is dwelling to among the best-known vacationer points of interest in Austria, together with many elegant royal residences, resembling Schönbrunn Palace and the Belvedere. Some different putting landmarks in town middle are Vienna City Hall, the Vienna State Opera, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and the Karlskirche. 

As a metropolis of tradition, Vienna can be dwelling to many museums, the Albertina artwork museum and the Museum of Art History being two of the best. On the lighter facet, you’ll discover quirky buildings just like the Hundertwasser House and the pleasant Prater amusement park.

For an entire information to town, check out our detailed Vienna itinerary.

Salzburg

Famous for its connection to The Sound of Music, town of Salzburg is well among the best issues to do in Austria for vacationers. The Mirabell Palace Gardens is the place you’ll go to see a filming location for The Sound of Music, however there are lots of different charming locations to see in the Old Town, particularly Getreidegasse with its attribute structure and vintage signage.

Salzburg can be well-known for being the birthplace of famend composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. You can go to the home the place he was born in Getreidegasse, now the Mozart’s Birthplace museum, and the home the place the household lived, the Mozart Residence museum. A big statue of the composer stands in Mozartplatz. 

The metropolis’s sense of tradition extends past music, with an important choice of museums over in the DomQuartier beside an impressive cathedral. Watching over all of it is Hohensalzburg Fortress, a mighty fortress filled with historical past that defines town’s skyline.

Heading to Salzburg in your journey to Austria? Don’t neglect to test our Salzburg itinerary for ideas on what to see, the place to keep, and a lot extra.

Innsbruck

Another main metropolis in Austria that you simply received’t need to miss is Innsbruck, out in the west of the nation. Surrounded by the Alps, this vacation spot combines winter sports activities with distinguished imperial structure. 

Down in town’s Old Town is a choice of positive historic landmarks tied to the outdated Habsburg dynasty. The most iconic of those is the flowery Golden Roof, boasting over 2,000 gilded tiles. Innsbruck’s Old Town can be dwelling to its very personal Hofburg Palace, a former imperial residence, and the gorgeously Gothic Hofkirche. 

You can roam the medieval Old Town and admire the surroundings of those historic buildings, which sit alongside the Inn River with the snow-covered Alps coming out over the rooftops. In the mountains above Innsbruck is the Nordkette Ski Resort, which you’ll be able to attain from town middle by way of funicular in simply 20 minutes.

Hallstatt

Few locations are as well-known in Austria because the fairy-tale village of Hallstatt. Sitting amongst lakes and mountains in the Salzkammergut area, Hallstatt is adored for its enchanting surroundings. As you stroll by means of the village, you’ll see swans swimming round a pristine lake on one facet and quaint Alpine homes on the opposite.

But there’s really rather more than fairly surroundings right here, beginning with the Bone House, a small ossuary inside St. Michael’s Chapel. You may also delve deep into the Hallstatt Salt Mine, the oldest salt mine in the world. 

On the hillside above city, you’ll discover the Hallstatt Skywalk, an statement deck that gives unbelievable views of the Hallstätter See and the close by Dachstein Mountains. After exploring the city and discovering its iconic viewpoint, you’ll agree that Hallstatt is likely one of the finest issues to see in Austria.

Graz

Although it’s the second-largest metropolis in Austria, Graz is a vacation spot that many vacationers underestimate. But there’s a lot to see in this historic cultural hub in the nation’s southeast. Its most iconic landmark is the symbolic Graz Clock Tower, which watches over town from Schlossberg, a tree-covered hill the place you’ll discover excellent views. 

Down in the center of town is the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with Renaissance and Baroque structure centering on Hauptplatz. Other fascinating points of interest in city embody Graz Castle and its well-known double-spiral staircase, the world’s largest historic armor assortment in the Styrian Armoury, and the Mausoleum of Emperor Ferdinand II subsequent to Graz Cathedral. Then there’s the fashionable facet of Graz, whose landmarks embody the man-made island of Murinsel and the weird Graz Art Museum, nicknamed “The Friendly Alien.”

For extra data on Graz, check out our complete Graz itinerary.

Grossglockner High Alpine Road

If it’s a scenic drive you’re after, put the Grossglockner High Alpine Road in your itinerary. Grossglockner, the tallest peak in the nation, is likely one of the must-sees in Austria, and also you’ll take pleasure in a implausible view of it on this drive. In truth, you’ll be surrounded by unbelievable Alpine surroundings on this windy drive that takes you over the very best paved mountain move in Austria. 

The Grossglockner High Alpine Road begins in Bruck and follows the Fusch Valley up to the village of Heiligenblut, heading again down into Carinthia and Tyrol. You’ll make your method by means of 36 bends and attain altitudes of over 2,500 meters – which is why this route is well-liked with motorcyclists. If you’re searching for one of the vital lovely move roads in Europe, that is the drive for you.

Zell am See

With its pretty lakeside surroundings and ski slopes, Zell am See is a well-liked year-round vacation spot and among the best cities in Austria for out of doors actions. Here you’ve each the lake and mountains at your disposal. The finest method to begin your go to, although, is to discover the city and stroll alongside the attractive Zell am See Esplanade. 

The different issues to do in Zell am See rely upon once you’re there. In the winter, you possibly can ice-skate on Lake Zell and take lifts up to the Schmittenhöhe ski slopes. Come summer season, you possibly can go swimming or boating out on the lake, or comply with one of many many mountaineering trails up into the mountains above city.

Bad Gastein

In a hidden valley among the many High Tauern mountains lies the spa city of Bad Gastein. The recent mountain air, thermal springs, and sounds of the close by waterfall make this an ideal place to calm down. Throughout Bad Gastein, you’ll see elegant Belle Époque buildings and villas that replicate its historical past as a well-liked spa retreat from the nineteenth century. 

While you possibly can spend your time right here soaking in the native sizzling springs, whose waters are wealthy in minerals and radon, Bad Gastein can be a base for varied out of doors sports activities, together with mountaineering and biking in summer season and snowboarding in winter. Don’t neglect the mighty Bad Gastein Waterfall, which you’ll be able to go to by following the Wasserfallweg (Waterfall Trail). It’s mentioned that the mist from this waterfall even provides the city’s air a therapeutic high quality.

Wolfgangsee

You actually have your decide of lakes when vacationing in Austria, however a tough one to beat is Wolfgangsee (Lake Wolfgang) in Salzkammergut close to Salzburg. This serene lake makes for an ideal getaway, thanks to its beautiful turquoise waters, surrounding mountainscape, and close by cities. 

When you go to Wolfgangsee, you’ve your decide of cities – together with St. Gilgen, St. Wolfgang im Salzkammergut, and Strobl – each dwelling to charming conventional buildings. You even have loads of methods to benefit from the lake, whether or not you need to cycle alongside its banks, swim in its crystal-clear waters, or lease a ship for the day. 

Also not to be missed is the towering mountain of Schafberg overlooking the lake. Whether you hike up or take the particular rack railway to the highest, you’ll be amazed on the 360-degree views of the area’s many different lakes and mountains.

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Wachau Danube Valley

The Danube River flows proper throughout Austria, and its arguably most charming stretch is the Wachau Valley. This part of the Danube River, which flows between the cities of Melk and Krems, is filled with points of interest of all types, making it a serious participant for tourism in Austria. 

Starting up one finish with Melk, you must discover the colossal and lavish Melk Abbey, which dominates the city. From there, comply with the river by boat, bike, or automobile to cease in at historic websites like Schönbühel Castle and the ruins of Aggstein Castle. 

Soon sufficient, you’ll attain the picturesque city of Dürnstein, which lies below the ruins of the fortress the place Richard the Lionheart was held prisoner. Dürnstein can be an important place to pattern the valley’s produce, together with apricot liqueur and saffron. At the far finish of this area lie Krems and Göttweig Abbey, which each make fairly the impression.

Hoher Dachstein

While there are many mountains to climb in Austria’s Alps, Hoher Dachstein is one of the best one to go to if you would like to see glaciers. It’s really dwelling to a number of, together with the Hallstätter Glacier, Gosau Glacier, and Dachstein Glacier. This mountain in the Northern Limestone Alps sits on the border of Upper Austria and Styria; at 2,700 meters, it’s the very best mountain in both state. 

Upon reaching the highest of Hoher Dachstein, you’ll discover a good number of methods to benefit from the mountain views. You’ll want to be courageous to get probably the most out of your go to, experiencing the thrills of the Dachstein Suspension Bridge, the precarious Skywalk statement deck, and the glass-bottomed Stairway to Nothingness. Luckily for these uneasy about heights, there’s additionally the Dachstein Ice Palace, filled with intricate ice carvings that anybody can take pleasure in.

Bad Ischl

At first look, Bad Ischl would possibly appear like simply one other Austrian spa city. But thanks to its location and shut ties with the royal Habsburg household, Bad Ischl is rather more than that. This spa city sits neatly among the many many lakes that lie across the Salzkammergut area, making it an excellent gateway to locations like Hallstatt and Wolfgangsee. 

While Bad Ischl was already a well-liked spa resort, it turned much more well-known when Emperor Franz Joseph l selected to have his summer season residence there. Among the city’s varied parks and spas, you possibly can nonetheless discover the Kaiservilla, which turned the royal summer season dwelling in 1854. Interestingly, it was from the Kaiservilla that Franz Joseph signed the declaration that started World War I in 1914.

Krimml Waterfalls

If you intend to see among the nation’s lovely waterfalls when touring to Austria, the Krimml Waterfalls ought to be in your listing. These waterfalls in Hohe Tauern National Park are the very best in the nation, measuring a complete of 380 meters and crossing three tiers in their plummet towards the village of Krimml.

To see every stage of the falls, you possibly can take the 4-kilometer path that leads between the tiers, having fun with views from the statement platforms alongside the best way. The Waterfall Trail additionally takes you into the serene surrounding forest, offering a pleasant time out in nature.

St Anton am Arlberg

Skiing and Austria go hand in hand, and lots of say that St. Anton am Arlberg is the best ski resort in Austria. In truth, this village in the Tyrolean Alps is usually credited with inventing the game.

You can study concerning the historical past of snowboarding on the Museum St. Anton am Arlberg, housed inside a conventional Alpine chalet – however you’re most likely most excited to get out on the slopes. You’ll discover 305 kilometers of pistes and one other 200 kilometers of off-piste itineraries across the village, providing you with loads of decisions. 

Whether you’re in snowboarding, snowboarding, winter climbing, or mountaineering, St. Anton am Arlberg is certain to ship. No matter the way you spend the day, the village’s vigorous apres-ski scene is a enjoyable method to finish it.

Hohe Tauern National Park

Of Austria’s six nationwide parks, Hohe Tauern is the oldest and largest, making it one other place you shouldn’t miss. What’s so nice about this park is the sheer range on show, which incorporates its wildlife. It’s dwelling to animals from roughly half the species in Austria, resembling golden eagles, chamois, and marmots. 

There’s additionally loads of unbelievable surroundings among the many park’s many valleys and Alpine ranges, two standouts being the Pasterze Glacier and the aforementioned Krimml Falls. Hiking trails and bike tracks all through the park make it an important vacation spot for followers of the outside.

That nearly sums up one of the best locations Austria has to supply guests. You’ll have a tough time becoming all these locations into one journey, so why not plan two?