Holidays in Austria

Austria is not the most popular tourist route, but this distant country has a special, mysterious charm that you can't help but feel while walking along the quiet streets of Vienna, enjoying a cup of aromatic coffee or mulled wine in numerous cozy cafes. The landscape of Austria is very diverse, most of the country's guests tend to get to one of the ski resorts, the infrastructure is well developed here, and the beauty of lakes, snow-capped mountain ranges and caves conquers at first sight, forcing them to come back here again and again.

Austria landmarks

Like most countries Europe Austria has a rich cultural and architectural heritage dating back to the Middle Ages - castles, fortresses, monasteries and palaces, which in turn attracts tourists from all over the world. There are sights, the creation of which took place in recent history, modern architectural monuments and open-air natural museums are no less interesting and deserve the attention of guests of the country.

The majestic building of the palace, and now the museum complex Belvedere was erected by order of the Austrian prince in the 17-18 centuries, this is a real historical exhibit, the pride of Vienna and one of the most popular places. The amazingly beautiful castle consists of two parts, upper and lower; on the territory there is a royal park with sculptures, cascading fountains and fancifully cut shrubs. The interior decoration of the Belvedere is no less gorgeous - the marble halls have repeatedly witnessed the victories and defeats of the state.

The Hofburg is another castle whose royal appearance does not leave indifferent any traveler. Initially, the Hofburg was built as a winter residence of the country's rulers and their entourage on the site of a medieval castle of the 15th century, from which now only a chapel remains. Each of the emperors added something of their own to the building, now it serves as the residence of the Austrian president and has about 2500 rooms, many of which have come down to us in their original form.

Hohensalzburg is one of the most beautiful and well-preserved Romanesque fortresses in Europe, which was built in 1077 and more than once saved the city from enemy invasions. For its construction, the picturesque top of Mount Festung was chosen, the ancient structure rises 120 meters above the city, during its existence Hohensalzburg was rebuilt and changed its appearance more than once. The fortress offers a beautiful view of Salzburg and its surroundings. In the year when the Swarovski company celebrated its centenary, it was decided to create a unique museum that allows at any time to admire exclusive products that are not inferior in beauty to real diamonds. It was named Swarovski Crystal Worlds. The location of the museum is very unusual - an underground cave, the entrance to the underground is guarded by a giant with shining eyes, then visitors enter a tunnel made of glass, its walls are decorated with sayings of great people, which mention anything about crystal or crystals.

The first mention of Mount Kapuzinberger dates back to 1000 BC; it is known that in ancient times a tower was built on it for defense against foreign invaders. It is from here that a picturesque panorama of the city and the Hohensalzburg fortress opens, but these are far from all the advantages of the mountain, because the medieval Capuchin monastery is located nearby, in which monks still live. Since the 17th century, the church has experienced many different events - the eviction of monks by the French, the opening of a public garden on the territory, during the Second World War there were refugees in the monastery. Only in the 80s of the last century was a large-scale reconstruction carried out; today, tourists can only visit the church.

The Volksgarten is one of the oldest parks near the Hofburg imperial residence, this magnificent green oasis was originally created for the recreation of wealthy citizens, Johann Strauss himself gave concerts here. The Volksgarten is truly a royal park with many rose bushes, fountains and the main architectural decoration, completely repeating the original in Athens, the Temple of Theseus.

Resorts of Austria

Austria is called a ski mecca, because fans of active winter holidays from all over the world come here - families, professional athletes and beginners, they are attracted not only by perfectly equipped skiing and snowboarding trails, but also by the unique atmosphere of the mountain Alps. Favorite resorts the lands of Salzburg and Tyrol are considered.

Zell am See and Kaprun are a large ski resort near Salzburg, despite the immense popularity and high quality of the slopes (there are about 130 km in total), the prices here are affordable. Zell am See and Kaprun are suitable for skiing all year round, the resort is suitable for fans of snowboarding and extreme skiing, there are no queues thanks to the lift system. The oldest natural national park is open to visitors.

The Bad Gastein resort in the Gastein Valley is famous not only for its ski slopes, but also for its thermal springs; active recreation here is perfectly combined with wellness procedures. Bad Gastein is considered a prestigious place, which is often compared to Monte Carlo due to the abundance of gambling houses, luxury hotels and a wealthy public.

Nassfeld is one of the ten best Austrian resorts although little is known in Russia, it is located at an altitude of 1500 meters in the Carinthia region. There are about 30 lifts at the service of tourists, among which there is a very fast modern funicular. For those who prefer a flat vacation, there are several types of cross-country skiing trails.

The resorts of St. Anton and Lech in the Arlberg area are considered the cradle of the Austrian ski school and the most famous sports center in Europe, it was here that the first ski lift was built in the 30s of the 20th century. There is snow in these resorts all year round, there are many heated lifts, cable cars and tracks of all difficulty levels.

Best hotels in Austria

Hotels in Austria fully meet all international standards, if you choose a 5 * hotel for your vacation, then be sure that the service will satisfy you on all counts.

If you are not ready for compromises, the luxurious Palace Hotel Coburg 5 *, located in a historic building in the center of Vienna, will suit you, since the 19th century it has not lost its chic and spirit of that era.

Bristol Hotel Vienna 5 * is also located in the center of the business and cultural life of the capital, next to the building of the Vienna Opera. The apartments in the hotel are decorated in a royal luxury, they contain many antiques, and the building itself looks more like a palace than a hotel. World celebrities, politicians and athletes often stay here.

Hotel Trofana Royal 5 * in Ischgl is suitable for ski lovers, has its own wellness center, a picturesque park and a wine cellar. The hotel's chefs prepare only exquisite dishes and offer comfortable furnished rooms in a classic Austrian style with a balcony.

Features of Austria

What's the first thing that comes to mind when you mention Austria? As a rule, these are famous ski slopes and great composers - Mozart, Schubert, Haydn and many others. Of course, the interests of the Austrians are not limited to the love of music and skiing, before heading to a foreign country, spend a little time studying its peculiarities and traditions.

Austria is a tiny country, its population is small, there are almost no immigrants here. Upon arrival, you will surely notice how unhurried the locals are, a purely German temperament allows them to keep up with everywhere and everywhere, without unnecessary fuss.

Residents of Austria and Of Germany outwardly they are no different, but there are a number of some differences, for example, the Austrians speak their own dialect, are more religious and 90% Catholic, while among the Germans there is a significant part of the adherents of the teachings of Martin Luther King.

The inhabitants of Austria are very clean, they are characterized by perfectionism, this applies both to their own country (Austria is one of the cleanest countries in the world) and to guests - no matter how many stars your hotel has, you will be surrounded by attention and care, especially since the economy of the state highly dependent on the tourism business.

How much will it cost to stay in Austria

How much you spend on a vacation in Austria depends on the season and the specific place that you have chosen for vacation, popular resorts are in demand all year round, it will not be so easy to get there.

A trip to any European country begins with a visa. Of course, you can entrust this to a travel agency (about 5-6 thousand), but it will be cheaper to do it yourself, the registration itself will cost 35 euros, the service fee will cost 26 euros.

The price of a flight from Moscow in both directions starts from 150 euros.

If you plan to travel in Austria on your own, you will have to take care of your accommodation in advance using the numerous booking sites. There are a lot of options here - from a bed in a hostel and a budget hotel to luxurious 5 * apartments. The options in the center, as usual, are more expensive, but it would be unwise to settle on the very outskirts - spend money on transport, it is better to choose the middle ground, although private traders often post very favorable offers, for example, rent a small room in the center or an entire apartment with a separate kitchen. The cheapest accommodation in a hostel will cost from 180 euros per week, a double room in a 4 * hotel costs from 450 euros.

Renting a car costs about 25 euros per day, a one-time bus ride costs 2 euros, in Austria many people use special tourist cards, this will allow you to save on getting around the country and visit many attractions or get a good discount on them.

Food in Austria is a separate item of expenses, it is difficult to save in this case, because it is impossible to pass by the famous Viennese strudel, schnitzel and casseroles. In the restaurant, for a dinner for two plus alcoholic drinks, you will pay 20-25 euros.