Austria is a beautiful country to visit during the summer months, Vienna is a great city to spend a weekend, but you should not leave Austria without visiting the scenic Austrian Alps and the town of Salzburg especially if you are a fan of Mozart and the Sound of music. I hope this short summary of Austria will help you plan your trip.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to travel to Austria is in the summer from June to September, there is less rain and plenty of Sunshine. November to March is an ideal time for winter sports.
Things to do and see
- Hike the Austrian Alps with its scenic landscapes, forests and green hills and stunning glaciers and rocks.
- Salzburg is a UNESCO listed town associated with Mozart and the Sound of Music. You can visit the Mirabell Gardens, Mozart’s Birthplace, St peters church and Salzburg’s Lake district.
- Ice Cave in Werfen is the largest in the world, After the Cave you can descend to see giant frozen waterfall and giant ice sculptures.
- Explore the city of Vienna visit contemporary museums during the day then catch the Opera or ballet in the evening.
Food
Austrian food is a combination of Hungarian, Serbian and Romanian influences. Soup dumplings stewed and breaded meats are all staples to Austrian cuisine. Austrian deserts and cakes are celebrated around the world and should not be missed whilst visiting Austria. There Are many international restaurants in Austria for example Italian, French, Japanese, Chinese. There are also many great Vegan restaurants in Vienna.
Transportation
Air: For under £60 you can fly direct from London to Austria in 2hrs 10min.
Roads: Austria has an excellent network of roads, drivers drive on the right-hand side of the road.
Rail: Vienna has rail metro and tramway service. You can pre-purchase your tickets. A Vienna travel card allows you to travel unlimited for either 24,48 or 72hrs. There is an intercity service from Venna to Klagenfurt, Innsbruck, Graz and Salzburg. You can also travel internationally with an InterRail One-Country Pass.
Taxi: There are metered taxis all over Austria, Uber is functioning in Austria.
Ferry: You can travel by ferry from Austria to Switzerland.
Bus: There is a Bus system that connects all of Austria, and several bus companies that do international travel connecting Austria to the rest of Europe.
Visa
Visas are not required for all EU, U.S, Canadian and Australian nationals for stays of up to 90days over a 6month period.
Language
The official language in Austria is German, many people also speak English.
Money
The Euro is used throughout Austria. ATMs are available throughout Austria and except all major bank cards.
Tipping
Most restaurants in Austria include a service charge and tax in the final bill. It’s also customary to tip taxi drivers and people in the service industry 10%.
Social etiquette
64% of the population is Roman Catholic. Handshaking is customary when saying hello and goodbye. It is polite to say Guten Tag (Good Day) when entering a shop or restaurant.
Adaptor
There are two plugs associated with Austria
Wifi
Wifi is available throughout Austria, there are also many Cafes and free hotspots around the country.
Ruth’s Lonely Planet 