Austria travel information

Austria is known as 'the heart of Europe' and renowned for its spectacular mountains, lusciously green valleys and crystal-clear lakes. Austria’s cities boast majestic architecture and the snowy peaks provide perfect conditions for excellent winter sports. See here for more travel information and ski holidays Austria…

Holidays in Austria

Austria, officially the Republic of Austria is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. The capital is the city of Vienna on the Danube River.

Sights and places to see in Austria

Austria is meant to be discovered on foot and its landscape offers a stunning natural playground of alpine peaks, rolling valleys, crystal-clear lakes and lush green woodlands, with hundreds of kilometres of well-marked trails weaving throughout the country.

As the capital city, Vienna lays claim to many of Austria's main attractions including the Belvedere Palaces, the Albertina Art Gallery, the Sigmund Freud Museum and St. Stephen's Cathedral. Romantic city steeped in history, Vienna is a treat with medieval alleyways leading to awe-inspiring architecture, museums housing priceless art and concerts by the Wiener Philharmoniker Orchestra, widely regarding as one of the worlds finest.

Skiing has been deeply rooted in Austrian culture since the early developments of the sport. Every winter, thousands of ski enthusiasts travel so Salzburg to explore picturesque valleys with excellent slopes. The skiing season varies slightly from year to year and among different areas, but generally it peaks between late December and early March. Some areas in the south of Salzburg have hot springs, adding a great bonus to the slopes.

Salzburg has an abundance of beautiful churches and charming old streets and is also the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.  Salzburg's "Old Town" with its world famous baroque architecture is one of the best-preserved city centers north of the Alps, and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The city is noted for its Alpine setting and the setting for parts of the musical and film The Sound of Music, which features famous landmarks in Austria, but focuses mainly on Salzburg.

The Austrian Tyrol is a picture-book region of outstanding beauty, where jagged, snow-capped peaks tower above fast-flowing rivers, green meadows and beautiful churches. It is a paradise for anyone who enjoys the great outdoors, offering excellent downhill and cross-country skiing in winter, and wonderful walking in summer.

Tyrol or Tirol, is known for some of the finest skiing in Europe, but also provides mountain, winter and water sports. The fantastic mountain air and scenic vista promote a sense of healthy well-being, supported by some great treatment facilities.

Weather, flight and travel information in and around Austria

Visiting Austria at any time of year is a great experience, but the season will influence what you can do. Summer is the time for hiking, mountain biking and lake swimming, but ski conditions also make Austria a fantastic place for winter breaks. Festivals take place year-round, but the majority of music festivals are held between May and October.

For warm weather, aim for the months between April and October, although these two months can be changeable. The highest season is between July and August. Winter sports are in full swing from mid-December to late March, with the high season over Christmas and New Year and in February.

Money; £1 = 1.07 Euros (EUR)

Time; GMT/UTC +1

Telephone; 00 or + (43)

Last updated; March, 09