AUSTRIA TRAVEL GUIDE & BLOG

Is Austria worth visiting? A short answer is YES. A longer answer is in this blog post. Austria is a real gift for any traveler. Fans of outdoor activities can conquer the Alpine peaks and go hiking in the fascinating Austrian nature.

Music fans and art lovers will find a diverse cultural scene with  classic to ultra-modern events. Foodie-travelers will love Viennese street food and concept restaurants. Here are the top unique things to do in Austria that you can add to your Austria bucket list. 

You cannot find this unusual planet in the starry sky even with the largest telescope, although it is located within the solar system.

But to see it, you don't need to fly into space. 

All you have to do is get on a plane and go to Austria.

Every day in the small Austrian town of Wattens near Innsbruck, the crystal world comes to life in an underground cave.

The history of this fabulous planet began in 1995 when the famous Austrian company Swarovski celebrated its centenary. Swarovski has created a museum to help people discover the magical beauty of crystals.

The creator of the museum, the Austrian artist Andre Heller, suggested placing it underground. Well, where else can there be the treasures of Swarovski comparable in their purity and splendor to diamonds?

They named this fairytale cave Swarovski Crystal Worlds. It’s one of the best unique things to do in Austria because… well, you can find it ONLY IN AUSTRIA! 

The cave museum is a labyrinth of seven rooms connected by narrow corridors and staircases. At the entrance, you will meet a giant carved into the hill.  His eyes burn like coal, and a waterfall falls from his mouth. 

At night, the light splits into thousands of small rainbows, and it seems that the waterfall is also made of crystal. When you enter the cave, follow a glass tunnel that will lead you to the underground treasury.

In the museum, you can see the smallest and the largest Swarovski crystals. Both are the stars of the Guinness World Records. The weight of the giant crystal is 62 kilograms, and its diameter is 40 centimeters. The diameter of the smallest crystal is 0.8 millimeters. You can see it only through a microscope. 

Each hall of the cave is an unusual world where you will experience a flurry of emotions. For example, in one room, you find yourself inside a colossal crystal. And in another, you will see the history of our planet told by Swarovski crystals. 

Click here for more information about the Swarovski Crystal Worlds and to get the ticket. 

To get to the Swarovski Crystal Worlds in Wattens from Innsbruck, you can use this shuttle bus. 

Apart from The Aqua Dome, there are more unusual hotels in Austria, and many of them you can find in Vienna. These hotels are not just places to sleep but an attraction in itself.

The best place to visit in Austria? Without a doubt, Hallstatt is a must see place in Austria and you definitely should add it to your Austria bucket list. 

Hallstatt is a perfectly preserved alpine village from the 16th century on the lake of the same name.  In 1997, Hallstatt became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Hallstatt, like the entire Salzkammergut region, is a territory of mountains and dozens of lakes. Wherever you turn your head, a fantastic view awaits you. The sighs are so stunning that I wanted to take pictures every second. But then I decided to put the camera away and simply absorb this beauty into myself. 

The historical and cultural landscape made Hallstatt the most photographed city in Austria. 

The only drawback of this unique place in Austria is its popularity.

There are a lot of tourists here, especially in summer. Roughly ten thousand people come here per day in a high season. Therefore, if you do not like crowds of tourists, come here in early spring, autumn or winter, or in the summer months early in the morning at 6-8 o'clock.

The main attractions of Hallstatt, in addition to the colorful houses and narrow streets of the town itself, are picturesque nature and iconic alpine landscapes.

Another distinctive feature of Hallstatt is the oldest Salt Mine in Europe. You can visit illuminated salt mines and see current exhibitions.  Going to the salt cave on a special underground funicular is an exciting adventure in itself. The mines are open for visitors from March to November. 

A fun fact - Chinese tourists liked Hallstatt so much that they spent a billion dollars to build a copy of this town in China. In 2012 in China, they constructed a replica of Hallstatt in Luoyang. 

How to get to Hallstatt?

Hallstatt is easily accessible from Bad Ischl, the capital of the Salzkammergut region, by train or bus. 

You can also visit Hallstatt on a day tour from Vienna or Salzburg.

The 5 fingers viewpoint got its name due to its appearance: 5 metal bridges look like spread fingers. This "palm" hangs over an abyss with a depth of is 400 meters.

Each of the five fingers of the observation deck is special. 

The first one has a frame for photoshoots. 

The floor of the second finger is made of glass so that tourists have the opportunity to experience the effect of hovering over the abyss. But in reality, the floor is not very transparent and does not create such a powerful effect. 

The third finger is much shorter than the others, and besides, it is forbidden to enter. This finger serves as a symbol of freedom and inaccessibility of the Alpine mountain peaks. 

The fourth finger has a hole through which you can examine in detail the abyss below. 

On the fifth finger, you can admire the distant landscapes through a telescope. The telescope is free of charge. 

Entrance to the observation deck 5 fingers in Austria is free. You only need to pay for the ride on the funicular.

You can buy the tickets at the box office and also pay by card. 

The price of a two-ways ride on the funicular is € 31.50 for adults, € 28.20  for teenagers, € 17.40 for children.

Is Salzburg worth visiting? Why do seven million travelers from all over the world come to Salzburg every year? 

Everyone finds the answer to this question for himself, but I have not yet met people who regret a trip to Salzburg. 

Salzburg is an extremely atmospheric city and one of the best places to go in Austria. Even if you decide to spend just one day in Salzburg, it will be a highlight of your trip to Austria. Salzburg made me feel like a traveler in time - the Salzburgers successfully preserved the attributes of the 18th century in the city. 

The most visited place in Salzburg is the house and a museum of  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. 

In Salzburg, everything revolves around Mozart. Therefore, if you are a fan of his work and classical music-love, you will find a lot of interesting things here.

Salzburg is also worth visiting to dine at the oldest restaurant in Europe, St. Peter Stiftskulinarium. Locals say that this restaurant has been operating since before AD 803 !! 

The restaurant is located in the building of St. Peter's Abbey. Here you can enjoy a candlelit dinner with Mozart's music performed by a string quintet and two soloists. What can be better than watch performances from Figaro, The Magic Flute, and Don Giovanni and at the same time taste traditional dishes and good local wine? 

Another reason why you should visit Salzburg is to try famous round chocolate candies with marzipan filling - Original Salzburger Mozartkugel. 

They were invented by the Salzburg confectioner Paul Fürst. In 1905, he even received a gold medal for this invention at the world exhibition in Paris. 

Each Mozartkugel is still hand-made and wrapped in silver-blue foil that keeps them fresh for two months. You can buy these sweets (€ 1.10 each) only in Salzburg in five FÜRST brand stores or ordered from the online store. Only these Mozartkugel candies are original. 

Mozartkugels in golden-red foil from Mirabell and Rebel companies, which are widespread in supermarkets, sovenir shops and duty-free shops are also good but not original. To be honest, original Mozartkugels are really tastier than mass-market ones. So be sure to taste those iconic sweets in Salzburg, start with one balloon, and if you like it, take the box home! 

The Eagle's Nest - is a masterpiece of the building art of the Third Reich and Adolf Hitler’s famous mountaintop retreat. 

To reach the place, you have to drive along a picturesque mountain road and take a golden elevator to a height of 1834 meters. From the observation deck, you get a breathtaking panorama of the Bavarian Alps.  

Click here to get more info about the Eagle’s Nest and Berchtesgaden Tour from Salzburg.

With so many amazing places in Austria, we can't forget about the Austrian food! 

Austrian food is quite diverse. Each federal state of Austria has its traditional dishes, such as Tiroler Groestl (fried potatoes with bacon and scrambled eggs) in Tyrol, Kaernten Kasnocken (dumplings-like small pasta pockets filled with cheese, spinach, and spices) in Carinthia.

In the western parts of Austria from Vorarlberg and Tyrol to Salzburg and Upper Austria, peasant cuisine dominates with dumplings, dark peasant bread, cold beer, and strong schnapps. 

Eastern Austria inherited Bohemian-Hungarian cuisine. In this part of Austria, you can try the best goulash and pancakes. 

In Austria, there is also a phenomenon of the "Viennese cuisine". It features dishes that came from different regions of the old Austro-Hungarian monarchy and have melted into the classic Viennese cuisine with unique dishes.  

Perhaps the most famous Austrian national dish in the world is Viennese schnitzel. 

Every tourist who has visited Austria is obliged to try this delicacy. It is made from expensive fresh veal, that's why the cost of Viennese schnitzel in restaurants is around 15 euros. Here's where to eat the best Schnitzel in Vienna.

Kaiserschmarren is another hit of Austrian cuisine. It's a sponge cake, fried like an omelet and sprinkled with powdered sugar. 

My favorite Austrian desert is undoubtedly the Viennese strudel, a traditional apple pie or roll made of thin dough. It's a must-try in Austria. 

Another phenomenon in Austria is a Viennese Café, aka The Viennese coffee house.

The “Viennese Coffee House Culture” is even a part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage! If you are in Vienna, discovering and experiencing the captivating character of Viennese Coffee culture is a must. For this, head to Demel, Cafe Landtmann, Sacher Cafe, or Cafe Schwarzenberg, some of the best cafes in Vienna that will make you feel "gemütlichkeit". 

If you are a food-lover, read more about Austrian foods on Austria.info – their Viennese Apple Strudel recipe looks delicious. They provide easy recipes of almost all traditional Austrian dishes that you can cook at home. 

And if you want to eat Austrian food like a local, join the ultimate food tour in Vienna that will bring you to the secret cafes, authentic restaurants and markets. 

A must-see in the Wachau Valley is the town of Durnschtein. Beautiful ruins of the 12th century Künringerburg castle await you there. But the city and the castle went down in history primarily because Richard the Lionheart languished in captivity here for two years. 

Another point of attraction is the Augustinian monastery, founded in 1410, with the Marie-Himmelfart church, a pearl of the Austrian Baroque.

The Danube town Melk is the western gateway to the Wachau region. Take a walk around this charming town that was listed as a UNESCO site. The main attraction of Melk is a grandiose abbey with an enormous library.