The home of the Mozart siblings

Austria is a beautiful place to visit and there is lots of good food and places to see You should go to Austria if: - You want mountains, lakes, and imperial grandeur in one compact country - You love classical music, coffeehouses and a slower, café-centered rhythm of life - You like skiing in winter and hiking in summer, with spa and thermal bath breaks in between - You want a country where trains run on time, and the tap water is alpine-fresh - You’re after Christmas markets, New Year’s balls or alpine village charm Must-visit places: - Vienna: Schönbrunn Palace, the Hofburg, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Belvedere (home of Klimt’s The Kiss), the State Opera and the Naschmarkt. Spend at least three days here. - Salzburg: Mozart’s birthplace, the hilltop Hohensalzburg Fortress, Mirabell Gardens and Sound of Music sites. It’s a good base for day trips to the Salzkammergut. - Hallstatt and the Salzkammergut: Postcard lakeside village, salt mines and the Dachstein ice caves. Go early or stay overnight to avoid the day-trip crowds. - Innsbruck and Tyrol: Alpine city with a medieval old town, the Nordkette cable car and access to world-class skiing and hiking. - Graz: Austria’s relaxed, foodie second city, with a UNESCO old town and a lively market scene. - Wachau Valley: Danube wine country with castles, abbeys (Melk) and apricot orchards. Great by bike or river cruise. - Grossglockner High Alpine Road: One of Europe’s great scenic drives, open roughly May to October. - Zell am See, Kitzbühel, St. Anton: Top picks for skiing and mountain scenery. Must-try foods: - My favorite Wiener Schnitzel: Breaded veal cutlet, traditionally served with potato salad and a lemon wedge - Tafelspitz: Boiled beef with apple-horseradish sauce, a Viennese classic - Käsespätzle: Egg noodles baked with mountain cheese and crispy onions - Kaiserschmarrn: Fluffy shredded pancake with plum compote and powdered sugar - Sachertorte: Dense chocolate cake with apricot jam, best with whipped cream (Schlagobers) - Apfelstrudel: Warm apple strudel, ideally with vanilla sauce - Knödel: Dumplings, from savory Tyrolean Speckknödel to sweet apricot ones - Würstelstand sausages: Käsekrainer (cheese-filled sausage) from a street stand at night is a rite of passage - To drink: Grüner Veltliner and Zweigelt wines, Almdudler soda, Melange coffee, Aperol Spritz and Glühwein in winter Fun facts: - Vienna’s coffeehouse culture is on UNESCO’s intangible heritage list. - Austria has the world’s oldest continuously operating zoo, Tiergarten Schönbrunn, founded in 1752. - Mozart, Haydn, Schubert, Freud and Klimt all worked in Austria, and Vienna was once the seat of the Habsburg Empire. - Austria is mostly mountainous, with roughly two-thirds of the country in the Alps. - Vienna regularly ranks at or near the top of global “most livable city” lists. - Austria has no kangaroos, despite the souvenir shops that insist otherwise (“No Kangaroos in Austria” T-shirts are a running joke). - The Vienna Ball season in winter is a real thing, complete with gowns, waltzing lessons and tailcoats. Logistics: - Best time to go: December to March for skiing and Christmas markets; May to September for hiking, lakes and festivals; September to October for wine harvest and fewer crowds. - Currency: Euro (€). Cards are widely accepted, but carry some cash for rural huts, small cafés and markets. - Language: German (Austrian dialect). English is widely spoken in cities and tourist areas. - Getting around: Trains (ÖBB) are excellent, and the Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck city transit passes are good value. Rent a car for mountain regions and the Wachau. - Driving note: Austrian highways require a toll sticker (Vignette), available at borders, gas stations and online. Check current prices and rules before you go. - Getting there: Main airports are Vienna (VIE), Salzburg (SZG) and Innsbruck (INN). Munich is a handy gateway for Salzburg and Tyrol. Entry rules: Austria is in the Schengen Area. Check visa, ETIAS and passport requirements for your nationality ahead of time, as these rules change. - Tipping: Round up or add about 5 to 10 percent in restaurants. Tell the server the total you want to pay rather than leaving cash on the table. - Sundays: Most shops are closed, so plan groceries accordingly. Must-learn phrases: Hello - Grüß Gott (south/west) or Servus (casual) Goodbye - Auf Wiedersehen / Servus / Baba (casual) Please Bitte Thank you - Danke / Danke schön Yes / No - Ja / Nein Excuse me / Sorry - Entschuldigung Do you speak English? - Sprechen Sie Englisch? The check, please - Die Rechnung, bitte (or “Zahlen, bitte”) Cheers! - Prost! I don’t understand - Ich verstehe nicht Where is the train station? - Wo ist der Bahnhof? One coffee with milk - Eine Melange, bitte Delicious! - Sehr lecker!