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Austria
A symphony of baroque romance, open-air art and giddying mountains, Austria strikes a chord with its grand cultural sights and Alpine heights.
From the old-world grandeur of Vienna’s cafés to Tirol’s glass-walled spas, discover the country behind the lederhosen.
Popular places in Austria
Cityscape
Fall for Vienna’s whirl of Imperial palaces, opulent Jugendstil cafés and the Museum Quarter’s cultural riches. Mozart runs through Salzburg’s baroque veins. Peer above erd-tiled rooftops and gables in Graz’s Old Town, up to pointy alpine peaks from Innsbruck’s maze of narrow streets and seek out Roman-rooted Linz on the Danube’s banks.
Landscape
Explore the Danube Valley’s steep vineyards and Dachstein’s warren of sub-zero caves. Hike Hohe Tauern National Park to spot alpine ibex, ice-blue glaciers and thundering waterfalls in the shadow of Grossglockner Mountain. Swim in Lake Wörthersee’s turquoise waters, cross the Leutasch Gorge’s swirling whirlpools and ski the Big Three in Sölden, Tirol’s trio of 3,000-metre-high peaks.
Take Home
Foodies sniff out Vorarlberg’s flavoursome Bergkäse cheese, Styria’s fruity Weissburgunder wines and pumpkin-seed oil, and Armschlag’s poppy liqueur. Pop into Vienna’s Grand Cacao for arty praline sand pistachio-filled Mozartkugeln. Shop for glittering crystals in Swarovski’s flagship store, Innsbruck, or blue-and-white porcelain in Gmunden.
Eat & Drink
Warm up with hearty Austrian fare like tafelspitz (braised beef) and spicy goulash in the Kitzbühel Alps. Salzburg serves up Wiener Schnitzel (bread-crumbed veal escalope) with lashings of potato salad, washed down with gold-hued Stiegl beer. Save room for flaky apfelstrudel in Vienna’s 1950s-style Café Prückel, or chocolatey Sachertorte in Innsbruck’s Café Sacher.
New Perspective
Spa is the word on Tirol’s lips. Head for Längenfeld’s Aqua Dome to sweat it out in the 70°C hay-barn sauna or alpine steam dome. Brave Austria’s first cold chamber in Bad Häring for therapeutic freezing in teeth-chattering sub-zero temperatures.
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9 Popular places in Austria
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Herz-Jesu Church and panoramic views of Bregenz.
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Eisenstadt
At the foot of the Leithagebirge hills, Austrian town Eisenstadt brims with fanciful Baroque houses and palaces. Visit the elaborate Esterházy Palace where 18th-century composer Haydn was musical director, then pay your respects at the Haydn Museum and Mausoleum.
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Graz rooftops.
View of Nordkette mountains, Innsbruck.
Innsbruck
A picture-perfect Austrian city with Alpine appeal, Innsbruck blends lavish baroque palaces and designer boutiques with old-world taverns and glass-fronted bars. Glittering with crystals and shining slopes, it’s steeped in tradition but by no means traditional – as Bögen’s all-night parties confirm.
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Sunlight through railings, Klagenfurt.
Klagenfurt
Klagenfurt’s handsome Italianate Renaissance buildings are guarded by the old town’s 16th-century Lindwurm dragon statue. Known locally as the Rose of Lake Wörthersee, Klagenfurt is also a good jumping-off spot for fun both in and on the water, or adventures up in the Austrian Alps.
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