In the arms of the peaks: Top 15 sights of Austria

Hallstatt

A small town on the shores of the Alpine lake, Hallstatze is one of the main attractions of the whole of Austria. The town is so beautiful that the Chinese have built a replica of it, and UNESCO has added it to its lists of historical heritage.

This ancient 12th-century town is located off the main tourist trails, in one of the extremely picturesque mountain valleys. With only 920 inhabitants, Hallstatt is visited by more than 1 million tourists a year. Above the town are the oldest salt mines in Europe, salt has been mined here for over 3000 years, still on an industrial scale, and it is the main souvenir for tourists to bring back from Hallstatt.

Above the city, at a height of 360 meters built skywalk observation deck, from where you can enjoy fascinating views. In winter and summer a boat runs on Lake Hallstatt. Although there are many sights and antiquities, Hallstatt is above all a peaceful, pastoral picture of a beautiful, neat town on the shores of a perfect lake.

St. Stephen's Cathedral

The Catholic St. Stephen's Cathedral is the national symbol of all Austria and, in particular, of its capital, Vienna. It is located in the center of the Old Town. The first cathedral on this place was built in 1147. The modern form of the shrine was formed by 1511.

The roof of the cathedral consists of 230 thousand colored tiles, which are laid out a beautiful pattern, as well as images of the coats of arms of Austria and Vienna. The most interesting decorative and historical elements of the cathedral are undoubtedly the pulpit of St. John, medieval Viennese standards, sundial and crucifixion of the Savior. St. Stephen's Cathedral is also equipped with three organs.

We recommend including this monument to all travelers touring Austria in your must see list.

Vienna Opera

Vienna, the European capital of music, is permeated with the famous motifs of famous composers who won their fame and recognition on the stages of this city. The greatest contribution to the popularization of classical music was made by the most famous musical geniuses of all times, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig Van Beethoven.

So a visit to the Vienna Opera House is not only about interesting leisure time, but also about immersing yourself in the country's centuries-old and super important culture. "Haus am Ring" (this is the name of the opera) — about 300 days a year invites fans of high art and live music to touching evening operas, theater performances of extra-class and meetings with international stars. In recent years, the touching tradition of holding Viennese balls in the Opera Hall has been renewed.

Mozart House Museum

You already know that the legendary world composer Wolfgang Amadeus was an Austrian and it would be a real tourist crime not to look into his house.

The only thing is that the great composer had almost a dozen apartments, but the house-museum behind St. Stephen's Cathedral was the only one that has survived to our time. The house is often called Figaro House and it belongs to one of the most interesting sights in Austria. The reason is that it was in this house that the outstanding opera, The Marriage of Figaro, was created.

There is a souvenir store and a cafe in the house. Mozart's apartment itself is on the first floor.

Hofburg Palace

What could be more interesting to a tourist than the residence of the imperial family? Vienna cherishes the Hofburg, which is the winter residence of the Habsburg dynasty. It is a medieval castle, the history of which dates back many centuries. The first mention of the residence is noted in 1279.

Now the palace has been restored. In it, all 2600 halls are fully reproduced. Moreover, the current president uses some rooms of the Hofburg for his personal residence.

Now the Hofburg Palace regularly hosts various exhibitions on art, history and culture. In addition, the Hofburg Palace also serves as a venue for classical music concerts, opera performances and other cultural events.

Aqua House Thermal Spa

If you haven't been to a thermal complex, you haven't been to Austria. And the thermae of Aquahome are some of the best in the whole country. In the heart of the Ötztal Valley, near one of the most popular ski resorts in Sölden, there is a huge thermal complex. It is especially pleasant to relax in it on a frosty evening after skiing.

There is a full-fledged swimming pool, a children's zone and even slides. But what you should come here for is SPA-zone and sauna zone (7 different kinds), relaxation rooms will give you a day of rest and complete relaxation.

The Otztal valley is worth a visit in itself, in winter you can ride in one of the best ski resorts — Selden, in summer from the end of the valley you can pass from Austria to Italy through the pass on one of the most beautiful panoramic roads in Austria.

Freud House Museum

Already upon entering the building, it becomes clear: the Sigmund Freud Museum is a regular house-museum. It is a place that still preserves Freud's spirit.

Vienna's most famous address leads visitors into the world of psychoanalysis. Here the great Sigmund Freud lived for almost 50 years, here he laid the foundations of modern depth psychology.

The foyer is the starting point of the visit: in addition to the ticket office, there is also a museum store and a café. Freud's former first study on the high parterre floor is used for the museum's modern art collection. Next you can go to the private rooms. The mezzanine level is decorated under the sign of science: it houses the Library of Psychoanalysis with more than 40,000 works and the Sigmund Freud archive.

Vienna Forest

This impressive and beautiful landmark in Austria is filled with the flavor of romance. The forest inspired many musicians and poets and was a frequent vacation spot for royalty.

This natural masterpiece by some incredible miracle has survived to this day. The age of the Vienna Woods is astounding — according to the most conservative estimates it is more than ten centuries old. The forest concentrates a lot of interesting things, such as the summer palace Blue Court, the largest cave lake in Europe (more than 6 thousand square meters), the castle of Franzensburg and many others.

Alpbach village

If you don't know how to ski yet, you may not need a complicated ski resort with hundreds of kilometers of pistes and elevators. In Austria, the best place to teach beginners is the small village of Alpbach, which visually resembles a real Tyrolean box of chocolates.

The Alpbach resort village is located in the west of Austria in the Tyrol region. The road leading directly to the village of Alpbach was built only in 1926, which allowed to preserve the unique architectural identity for which many travelers come here today.

You can book a hotel in Austria with a discount of up to -65% on the website.

Großglockner highway

The Großglockner is the highest panoramic road in Austria, ranking among the ten most beautiful roads in Europe. And it is certainly one of Austria's most striking sights. The road used to serve as a pass from Austria to Italy, next to an amazingly beautiful peak. The road gained its modern popularity after a motorcycle rally was held here. Tourists here take amazing photos with serpentine views and local natives — marmots and glaciers. This place is definitely worth your attention.

The road is open from May to October, and there is a toll.

Lake Grünersee

At the foot of the mountains at an altitude of 776 meters above sea level is an unusual lake Grünersee, remarkable for its amazing underwater world. It justifies its name: in German it literally means "green lake".

The clear and transparent water is the result of snowmelt from the karst mountains surrounding the lake. Tourists and drivers claim that the lake is most beautiful in spring. Its bottom is covered with lush vegetation, giving the lake a lush green hue. In addition, the color is saturated by the fir trees surrounding the Grünersee and reflecting in the crystal clear water.

Swarovski Museum

In 1995, near Innsbruck in the town of Wattens opened the Swarovski Museum, in honor of the centenary of the Swarovski company. The museum is built in the form of a huge cave with 7 crystal halls filled with crystals, guarded by a Tyrolean giant that has lived in Tyrol for centuries. A waterfall pours out of his mouth, the fine splashes of water shimmering in the sun in all colors of the rainbow and resembling the glare of the crystals.

Neusiedlersee-Zewinkel National Park

Austria's sights were enriched in 1932, when an extremely beautiful nature park was organized on the shallow Neusiedlersee Lake. The area of the reserve is 35000 hectares.

It is a protected natural complex, which is a nesting ground for many species of birds. For tourists, the reserve is interesting for all kinds of landscapes. In particular, they enjoy getting acquainted with bushes, meadows and Central European steppes. But no less interesting to travelers are the crystal clear waters of the lake in reed and reed bushes. The protected area together with the park is in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

Dachstein mountain range

Dachstein covers an area of 600 square kilometers. Around the world, this tourist destination is known as the city of the three lands, as the massif is located in three Austrian regions: Upper Austria, Styria and Salzburg. Climbing up the cable car, you can see from above the wild, unshaken by man beauty of the mountains. The peaks seem to reach the very sky.

Picturesque green slopes frame Lake Gosausee from all sides. Only if you look closely, you can see traces of civilization here. Tiny campsites have the most refined service, so your stay here will be remembered for a long time.

The freshness of the local air is amazing. In just a few days you can feel the influx of new strength and recovery.

Hohenwerfen Fortress

Among the unusual Austrian nature is the 900-year-old Hohenwerfen Fortress. An ancient defense structure, it rises above the Salzach River valley in the federal state of Salzburg and offers adventurers and culture enthusiasts an unforgettable experience.

The fortress is rightly called the "Adventure Fortress". In addition to the castle tour, the castle tavern with its ancient atmosphere and the knights' shop, the historic courtyard with its aviary of local birds of prey and the daily performances of the "Princely Falconry" is a major magnet for the public. The fortress also houses Austria's first falconry museum with extensive information on the training of birds of prey.