Independent travel in Austria: Vienna, Graz, Salzburg. Travel routes in Austria Austria interesting routes

January 22nd, 2017 , 01:08 pm

Our plans changed as we moved and we booked some hotels on the fly. I also want to note that we have not been on long trips in Europe since the rate took off, and this was quite confusing for us. The prices seemed exorbitant, and the pleasure offered for them was modest. But I think we were able to find a good balance between spending well and having a good time by planning a lot in advance.

From Munich we headed to the German city of Füssen, famous for the nearby castles of the strange Bavarian king Ludwig II. The city itself turned out to be an exemplary Bavarian town with ideal houses, flowers on the windows and clean streets. We were charmed by the embankment, where we sat down to have a snack.
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Ordinary locals live on the embankment. Their houses and yards are charming.
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We also walked around the central square and the main tourist streets.
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A couple of minutes away by car is the tourist Mecca: a huge parking lot, a whole street of restaurants and the castles of Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein towering above it all.
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We read a lot about these castles, we knew that they were good, in general, mainly from afar. Therefore, there was no goal to go on an excursion inside. You can climb to Neuschwanstein on foot or in a horse-drawn carriage (6 and 3 euros for the ascent and descent, respectively). We, of course, chose to climb on foot, it’s more fun and cheaper.
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Everyone knows that the best view of Neuschwanstein opens from the Marienbrücke bridge. This is probably true, but I can’t confirm it, because... the bridge was closed during our visit. But I can definitely say that you shouldn’t expect anything unimaginable from visiting the castle from the inside or from visiting the square directly under the castle.
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But the view of the surrounding area delighted us!
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After visiting the castles we went to our overnight stop in the Austrian village of Osten ( Östen).

Second day. Austrian village Osten, Innsbruck

We woke up early in the rather simple and cozy guest house Haus Gamsblick. The village of Osten, consisting of three and a half houses and not a single store, is located in a picturesque valley between two mountain ranges. Later we learned that the mountains on both sides of the valley are of different natures and belong to different types of Alps.
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Good early Tyrolean morning!
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After breakfast we took a walk to get water from the spring. Sources are everywhere here. The water is the same mountain stream that flows from the peaks, forming fresh water waterfalls.
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A waterfall is visible in the background.
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An hour and a half was enough to happily walk around the village and even reach the neighboring one. Thus, at about 10 am we happily set off on the road to Innsbruck.
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And by 11 we were there and checked into the “hostel” Garni-Technikerhaus. It’s difficult to call it a hostel in our understanding, because... The room, translated into rubles, cost almost 5 thousand. But this is really the cheapest official housing in Innsbruck that we were able to find. We didn’t look at apartments or couchsurfing. It is also worth noting that we were charged an additional 5 euros for parking.
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Innsbruck is a stunningly beautiful and atmospheric city right in the middle of the mountains.
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A simple snack in the square. The milk is very tasty and fat – 7%.
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Innsbruck became my favorite city on this trip.
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Day three. Stans city, trekking, waterfalls, Lake Achensee, Salzburg

In the morning, leaving our room in Innsbruck at about 9 am, we headed towards Salzburg. On the way, we stopped in the town of Stans, where there are many trekking routes. We walked along a moderately difficult route that lasts about 7 km. Along the way there was a mountain river and waterfalls.
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The final point of the route is the abbey on a rock ledge.
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I highly recommend trekking routes to everyone who will be in quiet areas. Despite the fact that it is physically tiring, there is an opportunity to see unprecedented landscapes and be closer to nature. By the way, as a person who is always a little afraid to walk through the forests because of wild animals, I specifically inquired about their presence in Tyrol. As it turns out, there have been no bears or wolves in these parts since the end of the 19th century. This fact, of course, is considered a problem, and environmental organizations are dealing with it, but tourists can rest assured.
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After trekking we went to Lake Achensee. It is considered one of the largest and most picturesque in Tyrol. The lake coast is dotted with hotels and well-maintained beaches. There are a lot of vacationers, given the high season. We also swam and were a little disappointed: the views are stunning, but the lake itself is a bit shallow and muddy.
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At about seven o'clock in the evening we reached our overnight accommodation in Salzburg at the guest house Kolpinghaus Salzburg.

Salzburg, like Innsbruck, simply amazed with the prices for the most modest housing, and Kolpinghaus Salzburg is no exception. It is located almost a 30-minute walk from all attractions, offers the most modest service in the form of working schoolchildren and first-year students, but its prices turned out to be about 5 thousand rubles for a double room. The only advantages I can mention are a turnkey personal refrigerator and a fully equipped shared kitchen.

Salzburg is, of course, amazing, and we saw it exactly as in the photo below, turning from the streets into the park near the Mirabell Palace and seeing the castle hovering over the city in the sunset light. Honestly, I screamed with delight.
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Day four. Salzburg

We had the whole day in Salzburg, so we calmly went for a walk around the city. You can also get to Hohensalzburg Castle by cable car or on foot. Here the climb is really quite steep and grueling, although short. You can go up on foot, and with purchased tickets to the museum you can go down by cable car. This may be interesting, for example, if this is new to you or if you are with children. The descent lasts 15 seconds.
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I wouldn't call the museum in the castle very interesting. For example, the torture device room contains devices that have never been used within the castle walls. Many exhibitions, in my opinion, are far-fetched and made to take up empty space. However, this is a good opportunity to look at the city from above from the fortress wall.
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The entrance ticket for 9 euros also includes an audio guide.
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The city itself is pleasant to wander around, which is what we did for the rest of the day. We had a very Austrian, very high-calorie and delicious dinner at the national cuisine restaurant Paul Stube. Order gröstl - fried potatoes with beef and pork belly, cabbage and a fried egg.
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Day five. Lake Wolfgangsee, village of Hallstatt, road to Vienna

On the fifth day we left Salzburg immediately after breakfast and went to another alpine lake called Wolfgangsee. This lake turned out to be one of the best places for swimming in my life. The purest clear water, decent depth, comfortable temperature and, of course, an unforgettable landscape around.
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I liked that it is convenient to access the lake, directly from the main road Wolfgangsee strasse, turning into a parking lot adjacent to the road near the Haus Seehif hotel. There are benches and changing rooms on every meter of the beach, just for travelers like us who didn’t plan to sunbathe for a long time.
Our rest by the lake took us no more than three hours, but during this time we managed to get thoroughly burned, recklessly underestimating the Alpine sun. Around lunchtime we headed to the famous village of Hallstatt.
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This village is as crowded with tourists as Neuschwanstein Castle. It will take you no more than an hour to explore it if you do not plan to have lunch here. The village is famous for the fact that people have lived here for more than seven thousand years, mining salt. It is one of the oldest known settlements in the world. Today it is a popular attraction for tourists from all over the world, especially from China.

The place is actually very crowded in the summer, and personally it reminded me of Venice: it’s just as captivatingly beautiful, but it’s completely impossible to concentrate and, so to speak, stop the moment.
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Of course, it is definitely worth walking to the edge of the village to see the famous landscape.
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At about four o'clock in the afternoon we left the village of Hallstatt for Vienna and by seven o'clock we had already checked into the Park Inn. It was this Park Inn that we really remembered for its rooms on the ground floor with a courtyard, where we drank tea in the evening and surfed the Internet.
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Days six and seven. Vein

It reminded me a lot of St. Petersburg, and many times I heard the same comparison from people I knew.
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Vienna is elegant, bright and festive.
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We walked around all the most famous places in the city on the first day. And in the second we managed to visit the Museum of Natural History, which simply shocked me! You could walk there all day. If all the museums in Vienna are as interesting, then I will return here for at least a week.

Day eight. Cesky Krumlov, Mondsee

On the evening of the seventh day we left Vienna and headed to the Czech city of Cesky Krumlov, where we spent the night in a very nice guest house Penzion Weber.

A city that, perhaps, did not fit into our trip at all and was initially perceived by me as very controversial. Not far from the border of the Czech Republic and Austria, this, one might say, toy city, attraction city was created to attract tourists from all nearby countries of the European Union. Everything about it is so unreal, touristy and enticing.
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People come to Cesky Krumlov because of the medieval castle with a moat, around which the old town was built and “mothballed” for any changes.
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In many ways it resembles Tallinn or Riga, only, I would say, even a little less well-groomed.
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One evening and time until lunch the next day was enough for us to see everything that seemed interesting to us in the Czech city. Even the night before, we realized that this city had been chosen somewhat in vain, and we wanted to go back. Initially, we had a plan to go to Ingolstadt, Germany, but some disappointment in the Czech Republic made us change our plans.

We decided to stay another day in the Alps and again headed towards Salzburg, stopping along the way at the resort town of Mondsee on the shores of the lake of the same name.
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By lunchtime, however, it had become very hot and sunny again, and it was time for us to return to Munich. On the way we stopped at Hohenwerfen Castle. And again, having climbed the mountain path to the castle, we concluded that it is better to look at the castles from afar!
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To summarize, I would like to note the mistakes we made. When going on such a trip and planning to spend the night in very different places, it is worth taking a lot of clothes. We had situations when during the day we walked through the mountains, drove for two hours in a car, then walked for several more hours. As a result, we were even forced to buy new clothes, because there was nowhere and no time to wash them.

I complained many times that I didn’t take disposable tableware, because products in Austria are high-quality and inexpensive, and for some reason it was very difficult to find plastic tableware. The photo below shows a grocery basket priced at less than twenty euros. With this set we had lunch on the lake.

Of course, the obvious conclusion was that we had chosen too many places to explore. Rather, it would be worth excluding a couple of cities from the route and leaving time for leisurely contemplation. You must definitely count on your strength so that you can still relax during the trip and not get tired.
And the final conclusion. Our trip cost about two thousand euros for two. However, we did not have dinner in restaurants many times and most of the hotels we chose were rather modest. I think these numbers can be considered starting points when planning such a route.

Thanks to those who read this long story to the end =)

In the middle of the year it became known that the country would have a rest of 11 days for the New Year. It would be wrong not to take advantage of this opportunity. Having looked through possible destinations, we settled on Austria - the most affordable option. So, the preparations have begun.

At the beginning of July, tickets were purchased through the www.momondo.ru service for an AirBaltic flight Moscow-Vienna-Moscow with a transfer in Riga. AirBaltic is a low-cost airline in Latvia, so the basic fare does not include virtually anything except one hand luggage bag of strictly regulated size and weight (no more than 8 kg). Since we started preparing for the trip very early, tickets for two cost only 23,600 rubles. For comparison, the cost of a flight in December increased to 30 thousand per passenger! True, it turned out to be impossible to pack all the winter things into a small bag, and even maintain the 8 kg limit. Therefore, on the eve of departure I had to fork out 70 euros for luggage.

Simultaneously with the purchase of tickets through the website www.booking.com, hotels were booked for the entire period of stay. The plan was like this:

— from January 1 to 4, stay in Vienna and celebrate the New Year and also my birthday (Ibis budget Wien Messe hotel, for 146 euros);

— from January 4 to 6, spend in the Styria region, in the vicinity of the Schladming ski resort (guest house Haus Lanka, for 153 euros);

- from January 6 to 9, enjoy the Alps in Tyrol, in the vicinity of Innsbruck (camping Ferienparadies Natterer See, for 180 euros);

We decided to travel around the country by rental car, because this option was definitely cheaper in price than a train, and in terms of comfort it was many times better than a bus. And the most important thing is complete freedom of movement. To search for a car, we used the service www.eavtoprokat.ru. The main requirements were automatic transmission, front-wheel drive and a winter set of tires. The class of the car didn’t matter to us, so we chose the cheapest one for 190 euros (from January 4 to January 10).

An important point in preparing for the trip was obtaining a visa. We collected the necessary package of documents and submitted the documents to the visa center on October 1. In my opinion, it makes sense to do the paperwork in advance if the trip falls on the New Year or May holidays, since this will avoid queues and save a lot of nerves. Within a week the visas were ready. The Austrians are not as willing to open Schengen for a long period of time as, for example, the Italians or the Spaniards, so we were given visas exactly for the number of days of travel and not a day more!

That, in fact, is all that was required. All that remained was to wait for the New Year.

Part 1. Vienna.

The flight was scheduled for 13:30. Despite numerous negative reviews about AirBaltic, the flight went well. Exactly on schedule, we flew from Domodedovo to Riga, a couple of hours of waiting at the small but quite comfortable Riga airport, and we flew to Austria. By six in the evening the plane landed safely at Vienna airport. The luggage also arrived successfully.

Now it was necessary to get to the city. There are several options to do this, but the most convenient is to take the train. There are 2 types of trains running between the airport and the city center. The first one is express for 12 euros. The second is an analogue of our train, the travel time is 10 minutes longer, but costs only 4.4 euros. Of course we went by train.

Ibis budget Wien Messe is located within walking distance of the Praterstern train and metro stations in Vienna's 2nd district. When we left the platform, instead of the expected New Year's lights of the European capital, darkness awaited us. The area was completely deserted, poorly lit, and gave the impression of a deep periphery. We decided to abandon our plans for that evening, since the prospect of walking around a deserted city did not inspire optimism. But the hotel itself pleased me. It is classified as a 2-star hotel, but the rating on www.booking.com is quite high. The room even has its own peculiarity - the shower stall is in no way isolated from the room. You can take a shower and watch TV, for example, or watch what is happening in the room.

I forgot to note that on the Praterstern platform there is a Billa supermarket that is open until late. At first glance, there is little surprise here, but in Austria the trade union system cares so much about workers that almost all shops, cafes, theaters, museums and other establishments are open until 5-6 hours. The main thing is not to overwork! Therefore, there is a real chance of remaining hungry after 6 pm!

At Billa we bought some food for dinner. In the evening we made sandwiches, warmed up tea and relaxed. A new day is ahead.

Given the unstable economic situation in the country and the rising euro exchange rate, it was decided to reduce travel expenses as much as possible. A couple of days before leaving, we bought a small boiler at a hardware store for 60 rubles. Thus, we were always provided with hot tea and coffee. Therefore, the lack of breakfast in hotels did not bother us at all.

In the morning the sky of Vienna was covered with thick clouds, it was damp and windy. We went to explore the city, namely With its historical part. In the morning, the area around the hotel no longer looked so dull. We had plenty of time, so we decided to walk, no matter how far it was to the center. A reasonable explanation for why on the evening of January 1 we walked to the hotel along a deserted and dark street turned out to be the office profile of the area.

The first thing that catches your eye is the developed infrastructure for cyclists: separate pedestrian and bicycle paths, special traffic lights, etc. The effectiveness of such improvements is assessed by special boards that count cyclists on the roads of Vienna. It is worth noting that the bicycles themselves are not cheap. Along the way, we passed specialized stores with shop windows displaying price tags of several thousand euros.

Austria is a beautiful country with a developed tourism infrastructure. The main flow of tourists occurs in the winter season. Which is not surprising, given that most of the country is occupied by the Alps. Ski tourism is developed here like nowhere else. However, it would be a mistake to consider the country suitable only for skiers and lovers of eco-tourism. There is so much to see, do and do in Austria. About everything in order below.

Hallstatt, Austria

What to see by car

Austria is a small country and its main attractions can be easily visited by car. The distance between tourist sites does not exceed 100 - 150 km. This allows you to explore several architectural monuments, cities, castles or national parks in one day. The main thing worth visiting is, of course, the castles of Austria.

Hohenwerfen Castle

Just forty kilometers from Salzburg there is a beautiful castle built in the 11th century. It was built with the aim of protecting the lands of Salzburg, and successfully coped with its task. The main advantage of the castle lay in its location; it guarded the only pass through which one could get to these lands. Today, anyone can visit Hohenwerfen Castle. Inside, visitors are greeted by double gates, powerful fortifications, an underground temple and a number of museums. From here you have a beautiful view of the Salzach River valley.

Schattenburg Castle

Three kilometers from the border with Liechtenstein in a small Austrian town is located Schattenburg Castle. His main task was to protect trade routes and the settlement of Feldkirch. Over its long history, the castle was destroyed several times, was used as a prison or barracks, and there was even an almshouse within its walls. Today here, as in many similar castles, there is a museum.

There is a road in the rock directly under the Shattenburg building. And in the courtyard of the castle there is a cozy restaurant, which locals and tourists enjoy visiting.

Anif Castle

It is noteworthy that the castle is located on private territory and access to it is limited. However, you can admire it from afar. Anif Castle stands in a small town of the same name near Salzburg. The castle is a Gothic style building with a classic English garden around it.

Hochosterwitz Castle

One of the most beautiful castles in the country is located near the border with Italy and Slovenia. It was first mentioned in documents in the ninth century. It was built to protect against Turkish invasions and by the sixteenth century it was a powerful fortification system. Fortunately, the castle never took part in any major battles or wars, which allowed it to be perfectly preserved. The castle is built on a high cliff, climbing which requires good physical fitness. To get inside you will need to go through fourteen gates with poetic names: Angel Gate, Lion Gate. Inside Hochosterwitz Castle there is a good collection of medieval weapons and paintings.

Austria in summer

The best time to visit the Wachau Valley is summer. The valley is deservedly popular among tourists. And there are several reasons for this. Firstly, it is located close to Vienna. Secondly, the Wachau Valley is a large wine-growing region. And, thirdly, there is a high concentration of historical monuments and objects. If these facts are not enough for you, then one more thing is worth mentioning: the Wachau Valley is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Wachau Valley

A sightseeing tour of the Wachau wine valley begins in the small town of Melk. The city has many interesting historical sites. The medieval street buildings here have been perfectly preserved. The ancient building of the Town Hall, which dates back to the sixteenth century, attracts attention. The bakery building with its atypical roof is also interesting. But the main attraction of the city is, of course, Melk Abbey.

Melk Abbey

The abbey is perfectly preserved both outside and inside. There is a beautiful park nearby where you can admire the linden alley and walk along well-groomed paths. In the Abbey building itself there is a museum that is open to visitors. Precious manuscripts and books are kept here, the tomb of St. Coloman is located, as well as the remains of the first rulers of Austria. In addition to the museum, you should definitely see the Church of Peter and Paul. The temple, designed in the Baroque style, amazes with its rich decoration. Inside, everything is decorated with marble, gold and beautiful frescoes.

Dürnstein on the Danube River in the Wachau Valley. Austria

The next obligatory point of the program is a visit to the Wachau Valley - the city of Dürnstein. The city is located on the left bank of the Danube. It looks like something out of a postcard: the ruins of Künringerburg Castle stand on the rock, grape terraces go down, and medieval houses stand by the river. In addition to the castle, you can see the Augustinian monastery with the Maryse-Himmelfart church. The area produces excellent wine, as well as apricot liqueur.

City of Krems an der Donau, Wachau Valley in Austria

The journey through the Wachau Valley ends in the city of Krems, located at the confluence of two rivers. This is another beautiful Austrian town listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Krems is just 60 km from Vienna and can be easily reached by train or river cruise on the Danube. The old town is cut with winding streets along the edges, which are lined with ancient medieval buildings. You should definitely visit the city museum to get acquainted with the history of the city. Here you can also see the remains of fortifications and churches built in the Baroque style. At the Piaristenkirche, admire the frescoes of Master Schmidt.

Scenic Spots

Austria is the center of European eco-tourism. And this is well deserved. Most of the country's territory is covered by the majestic Alps, and the remaining part is given over to national parks and covered with beautiful lakes.

Alpine lakes, Hallstatt, Austria

Hallstatt is another small town located on the Lake of the same name. Salt mines have been mined in this place for three thousand years. The growth of the city is constrained by the small amount of free land located between the cliffs and the lake. Therefore, the land here is expensive and is used rationally by local residents. The most interesting thing awaits the tourist in the Hallstatt Chapel: bleached skulls with the personal details of the deceased. The last skull dates back to 1981. This tradition arose due to the shortage of land for the cemetery.

Krimml waterfalls, Salzburg, Austria

Krimml Falls can easily be called the European Niagara. This picturesque place is located not far from Salzburg. Visitors are encouraged to take a hiking route along the rapids of the waterfall. Along the way there are beautiful views, excellent viewing platforms where you can take wonderful photographs. The best time to visit the Krimml Falls is summer.

Observation deck on Mount Dachstein

An attraction for the most daring has been created on the Dachstein glacier. The highest suspension bridge in the country was built here. In clear weather, it offers stunning views of the Alps. And those who like to tickle their nerves will appreciate the glass observation deck at an altitude of several hundred meters.

What to see in Vienna

Vienna is a city-museum. It is the center of European cultural life. Once upon a time, Mozart Schubert and Beethoven worked here, and today the Vienna Opera and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra are the best in the world. The city, located at the foot of the Alps on the banks of the Danube, is visited by millions of tourists a year.

Christmas market in Vienna

The Vienna State Opera is a pearl of cultural heritage. Initially, the theater was called the Court Opera, but after joining Germany it received its modern name. Famous world voices sounded on the stage of the Vienna Opera: Pavarotti, Domingo, Maria Callas. It was the Vienna State Opera that brought Vienna the glory of the musical capital of Europe.

Vienna State Opera at night

The Vienna State Opera became the venue for the famous Vienna Ball. About 5,000 guests visit it annually. Participants of the Vienna Ball must dance perfectly the polonaise, waltz and polka. The ball also requires adherence to a strict dress code. At the Vienna Ball, the music of Mozart, Strauss, and Haydn is sure to be heard.

Schönbrunn Palace

A huge palace made in the Baroque style is located in the western part of Vienna. This is the main residence of the Austrian monarchs. Every year, millions of tourists and Viennese visit the classical park ensemble and the Schönbrunn Palace itself. The park will delight you with an abundance of greenery, fountains, and the presence of imitation ancient Roman ruins. Children will also be interested in visiting the Schönbrunn Zoo. The decoration of the palace is rich and splendid. It’s easy to imagine how the emperor received his visitors here in the Hall of Mirrors, how important state affairs were decided in his study, how servants changed dishes at the large dining table in front of the royal family, and how they danced here in ball gowns. Schönbrunn is the calling card of Vienna and its symbol.

Vienna International Center

The UN headquarters is located in Vienna on the left bank of the Danube. The complex of buildings, which is called “UN City” among the Viennese, consists of six towers. The maximum height is over one hundred and twenty meters. The Vienna International Center is open to visitors as part of excursion groups. Inside the building you can explore the exhibition, boardroom and conference room.

What to see besides Vienna

There are at least two more cities worth visiting besides the Austrian capital Vienna. One of them is located on the banks of the Danube some two hundred kilometers from Vienna. And the second city is located at the foot of the Alps. We are talking about the city of Linz and the city of Salzburg.

City of Linz

The history of the city is inextricably linked with the activities of the ancient Romans to expand the territory of the Ancient Roman Empire. The Romans built a fortress here to protect their northern borders. The remains of the fortress were then included in the construction of the castle. The Plague Column was erected on the main square of the city in memory of the liberation of Linz from the epidemic. Here you can also admire the building of the Town Hall, the facade of which was rebuilt from the Gothic style to the Baroque.

City of Linz

The best place for an observation deck is the Nibelung Bridge. From here you have a postcard view of Linz on both banks of the Danube.

Linz, Austria. Nibelungen Bridge over the Danube River

The largest church in Austria is also located in the city of Linz, its capacity is up to 20,000 people. The new cathedral or Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary amazes with its stained glass windows. The cathedral was intended to be the tallest in Austria, but due to the ban on building buildings higher than St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, these plans had to be abandoned. Here you can listen to classical organ music concerts.

New Cathedral in Linz

The history of the city of Linz would be incomplete if we forgot to mention the city's connection with Adolf Hitler. Here he spent his childhood years. And on the outskirts of Linz there is the grave of the parents of the Nazi dictator.

City of Salzburg

The city of Salzburg is 300 km away from the capital of Austria, Vienna. It is located at the foot of the Alps, where the mighty peaks are only a few kilometers from the city center. The Salzach River flows through the center, meandering like a horseshoe.

City of Salzburg

From everywhere there is a majestic view of Mount Festungsberg, and at its peak stands the powerful citadel of Hohensalzburg. The path to the top can be reached either on foot or by cable car. In the fortress, a palace, a prison, a monastery, a bakery and many weapon exhibits have been preserved to this day.

Salzburg Cathedral

The Cathedral of Salzburg has a complicated history. It was rebuilt several times due to fires, the last reconstruction was associated with the restoration of the collapsed dome after the bombing. Today here you can visit not only the temple itself, but also the museum attached to it. The museum houses the collection collected by the archbishops. Of particular interest in the Cathedral is the bronze font in which Mozart was baptized.

Mozart's birthplace in Salzburg, Austria

In the world, Salzburg is known primarily as the small homeland of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Here you can visit the house where the musical genius spent his childhood and teenage years. The house-museum tells about the life of Mozart and the people of his era, and the composer’s music is heard in the halls.

Mirabell Gardens in Salzburg, Austria

The park ensemble next to the Mirabell Palace, which translated from Italian means “very beautiful,” will be a wonderful place for a walk. The park is designed in a classic English style, with straight alleys and decorations in the form of sculptures. Among all the sculptures, garden dwarfs attract attention. The interior decoration of the palace has practically not been preserved, with the exception of the Marble Hall. Today the Wedding Palace is located here. Residents of Salzburg consider it the most wonderful place to get married.

Austria is a country of mountains and music. Both Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Strauss were born here, and Beethoven lived for a long time. The Vienna Opera and autumn balls, classical music festivals are famous all over the world.

There are 422 museums and many art galleries in Austria. The most sophisticated art critics will find interesting and exquisite creations here. More than 50 large forts and palace complexes have been preserved in Austria. Fans of medieval romance will not only be able to admire the castles, but also rent luxurious apartments in some of them. The rich architecture of Vienna, Graz, Salzburg, Innsbruck impresses with its variety of styles, neatness and harmony of lines, solemnity and chic. Modern Austria is trying, without rejecting the past, to take a step into the future. Graz's modern exhibition hall in the shape of a spaceship is impressive, as is the "Giant's Treasures" museum near Isbruck, where sparkling Swarovski crystals are on display.

Most of the country is occupied by the Alps. The indescribable beauty of the mountains in summer and winter can be observed from countless observation platforms, castle and church towers. The Austrians have long learned to live in harmony with nature, without disturbing the landscape, to build modern buildings and create their own way of life. Even under the highways, tunnels are built for migrating frogs.

Austria is a universally recognized ski capital with a huge number of mountain and balneological resorts. Tourists have about 70 ski slopes of varying difficulty and many offers for cyclists, climbers, kayakers, and hikers. You can rent any sports equipment, a convenient system of general tickets (ski pass) for ski resorts. Everything is thought out here down to the smallest detail: where to go and what to do with children, or what to do after skiing. Pubs, cafes, and restaurants are famous for their local wines and delicious dishes. Be sure to try something from the national cuisine: trout baked in dough, schnitzel, Sachertorte.

And you can buy Swarovski crystals, Tyrolean bells or Salzburg chocolate as souvenirs for your home. Local wines, of course, do not need advertising.

Popular hotels and inns at affordable prices.

from 500 rubles/day

What to see in Austria?

The most interesting and beautiful places, photographs and brief descriptions.

The center of Salzburg is included in the UNESCO list. Baroque and Gothic, Renaissance and Classicism are organically combined here. The famous Spanish masters Vincenzo Scamozzi and Santini Solari worked on the creation of architectural compositions. It was in the center of Salzburg on Getreidegasse street at number 9 that Mozart was born. The Hohensalzburg fortress has become a unique symbol of the city; it is interesting to see the Cathedral, square 17 in Residenzplatz.

Belverdere was built in the 17th and 18th centuries as the summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy. It consists of two parts: the Upper and Lower Palace, between which there is a beautiful park. Cascading fountains, sculptural compositions, intricately trimmed bushes, and herbal designs carry a special royal chic. The halls made of red and white marble, the Golden Cabinet, and the Grotesque Hall are impressive.

The temple of the musical capital - the Vienna State Opera - was opened in 1869. Mozart's Don Giovanni. The interior decoration is impressive with lush interiors. Each box has its own wardrobe and mirror. During intermission you can drink champagne. All seats are equipped with an electronic screen on which you can select the translation language of the opera. It is better to buy a ticket in advance by ordering it online.

The Wachau region is located 80 km from Vienna. In 2000 it was included in the UNESCO list. Ancient towns with monasteries, churches, castles, and palaces have been preserved here. The valley in the Danube Delta is surrounded by forest, and vineyards are laid out on the mountain slopes. Local monks are famous for their long, almost Roman-era winemaking traditions.

The monastery occupies an area of more than 17 thousand square meters, and the southern wall stretches for 362 m. There is a museum on the territory, there is a restaurant, parking, a huge park, the plants in which are over 300 years old. The most significant places in the monastery are the Marble Hall, the church and the library. The church's gilded altar represents the scene of the farewell of Peter and Paul, a magnificent hall. The church has 5 bells, one of them weighs more than 7000 kg.

Even in summer, the glacier functions as a full-fledged winter resort. There are excellent ski slopes for beginners and professionals. Equipment can be rented. There is a restaurant, casino, swimming pools, tennis, and ski school on the plateau. From here you have a beautiful view of the Alps. Mount Kitzsteinhorn rises 3000m above sea level.

Vienna's inner city is luxurious, rich and beautiful. Castles, palaces, sculptures, churches, parks and gardens are included in the UNESCO list. It is better to start your walk from the square in front of the Cathedral of St. Stefan, you can rent a bicycle or take the tram that goes around the historical center. Don’t be surprised if you see an old carriage next to the cars - all the best from past centuries has remained in Vienna.

One of the best mountain resorts in Austria and Europe. Hiking routes along the Alpine trails, rope and climbing parks for climbers, ski holidays, bicycle races over the pass, paragliding, ice skating rinks, there are tennis courts, swimming pools, a golf club - Arlberg is rich in offers. In addition, the presence of mountain lakes and rivers allows the development of kayaking and rafting. The elite vacation was appreciated by world celebrities. Here you can easily meet a movie star or even a prince on skis or a bicycle.

The prototype of Schönbrunn was the Parisian Versailles. Around the luxurious palace there is a constantly blooming park, with green galleries, a ceremonial arch, an even green wall of trees, and rows of sculptures. Visit the green labyrinth - there are many pleasant surprises there. The pavilion on Glorietta Hill offers an amazing view of the palace. The palace itself has more than 1000 rooms, but only 40 are open to the public. At one time, Napoleon lived in the palace.

The castle on Mount Hohensalzburg was built by Archbishop Gebhardt. Since 1077, the building has been constantly expanded and strengthened. In the 19th century there was a barracks here, later a German prison. Inside is a large collection of weapons and ancient torture devices. The castle is connected to the city of Salzburg by a functioning funicular. From here there is a beautiful view of the dark city roofs, valley and mountains.

Innsbruck is a city with a rich history. It was founded before 1200. Maximilian I was crowned here, the first pan-European thaler was minted here, the city is famous for the magnificent decoration of its churches and monasteries. Modern Innsbruck is a sports resort and tourist center. It has hosted the Winter Olympics twice and its stadiums are open to international competitions and tournaments.

From a height of 380m, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Europe falls down with a deafening roar. You can admire how Kriemler rushes to the foot from April to October - in winter the waterfall freezes, and the Hohe Tauern Nature Park is closed to the public. Here you can take a taxi and go up to the second cascade, and from there walk down to the first threshold. You need to have a raincoat with you.

The main temple of Vienna, one of the symbols of Austria, was built in 1147. Due to reconstructions and additional rooms at a later time, Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque styles were organically intertwined in the architecture of the cathedral. An organ and carved choirs were installed inside. The modern organ of the cathedral has 10 thousand pipes. There are 23 bells in the bell tower. Among the treasures of the temple you can see the icon of the Virgin Mary of Pecs, a carved pulpit from the 15th century, the relics of St. Valentine, a piece of fabric from the tablecloth of the Last Supper. The cathedral contains the tombs of princes, church rectors, and representatives of the Habsburg dynasty.

Tauern is one of the largest mountain reserves in Europe - its area is about 181,500 hectares. Here is the highest peak in Austria - Grossglockner (about 4000m), the narrowest gorge of the Alps - Lichtensteinklamm, and in addition about two hundred peaks up to 3000m, glaciers, waterfalls (one of them is almost 400m Krimler waterfall), caves, rivers and lakes. A mountain road runs like a serpentine through the park. It is short in length and turns 36 times. There are many different hiking routes through the nature reserve.

The majestic fortress on a 160m cliff in Carinthia has 14 gates and five drawbridges. Each pair of gates has its own history, name and purpose. Part of the castle is open to the public. A museum has been created on its territory, which has a good collection of knightly armor, a wooden statue of the mythical giant defender of the fortress, and medieval interiors have been preserved. In the courtyard there is a 20m cistern carved into the rock to collect water.

The turquoise Lake Faker See became this way because of the inflowing river Voronitsa, which carries limestone from the mountains. The beauty of the water and surroundings inspires photographers and tourists. This place is great for a family holiday. Here you can fish, swim, hike, and boat. In summer the water warms up to 27 degrees. There is a tourist center with shops and bars next to the lake, and accommodation is available in the local villages of Egg and Drobollach.

The Großglockner panoramic road runs through the High Tower Nature Reserve. You can rent a car or motorcycle and climb the serpentine road. The tourist route is paid, it is open from 5 a.m. and from May to October. The road rises to a height of 2500m. Steep descents, ascents, and turns allow you to feel the full adrenaline of a mountain road. There are many panoramic spots and observation platforms along the way.

Near the city of Werfen, at an altitude of about 1600m, there is the largest ice cave in the world - Eisriesenwelt (trans.: world of the ice giants). You need to climb partly by cable car, partly on foot, be sure to take warm clothes - it’s cold in the cave, and the excursion lasts about an hour. The path inside is equipped with railings. The first ski lifts began to be built in 1920. Since then, interest in this place has been constantly growing. Huge ice columns, towers, frozen rivers, waterfalls, bizarre boulders, stalactites and stalagmites gradually change their shape due to penetrating air currents and water seeping through the limestone.

A visit to the castle can be combined with a visit to the Eisriesenwelt ice cave. From here it is not far to Salzburg, and Werfen is clearly visible. The castle was built on the 155th mountain back in the 11th century. It changed hands many times and was restored in the 16th century after complete destruction. Now in Hohenwerfen it is interesting to see the falconry museum, climb the bell tower, and explore the medieval halls.

Bad Gastein is sometimes called the Monte Carlo of the mountains due to its operating casino. The resort was chosen by the rich and famous. There are many luxury hotels here, proud of their thousand-year history or famous visitors, who try to please tourists with the most exquisite treatments and massages. Bad Gastein is famous for its radon galleries and thermal springs.

Hello, dear readers!

Just a couple of days ago we ended our trip to Austria, which I organized myself... It’s a little sad that it’s already behind us, but we had a lot of pleasant impressions and photos! Below we will share our experience and tell you how to travel to Austria on your own. To get started, I suggest watching a short 3-minute video about Austria “Taste of Austria”.

Filming this video took two whole years! But it is definitely worth your time...

Well, have you strengthened your desire to visit Austria? Where do we start? Since in order to obtain a Schengen visa to Austria you must already have air tickets, proof of residence, as well as medical insurance in your hands, let’s start with air tickets. So, you need:

Buy air tickets to Austria

For us, when choosing a place for a future vacation, one of the decisive arguments is an inexpensive and short flight. We purchased tickets to Vienna three months before the trip, so we were able to buy them at a very cheap rate from the air carrier Austrian Airlines for 8.5 thousand rubles round trip.

2 Find apartments in Vienna and accommodation near Salzburg

We were very lucky with housing in Vienna - once again airbnb helped us, and the three-room 80-meter apartment turned out to be even better than in the photographs.

The dear hostess Daria was very kind; in her letters she gave us complete and comprehensive information on how to get there from the airport, where the cheapest parking is and where it is best to go in Vienna.

The apartment even turned out to have not three, but three and a half rooms, since the little son had his own living space with a bed and toys almost in the attic. In addition, the apartment was completely ready even for a long stay - it had everything - from an iron to a dishwasher; we unexpectedly found a child car seat (booster) in the apartment, which was very useful to us, because we forgot ours in Moscow.

Just in case, let me remind you once again that you will receive a discount on your first stay of €28.

As usual, you can always find the list of documents required to obtain a visa on the official website of the Austrian Embassy; the addresses of consular departments and their work schedule can be found there.

To submit documents at the visa department of the Embassy, you must appear in person, but if travelers have two or more Schengen visas, they do not have to submit documents in person. This is exactly what happened with my dad - we submitted the documents for him, the only thing is that we need to provide copies of previous Schengen visas, and if they were in the old passport - also a copy with the original of this document.

When submitting documents through visa centers, the rules are simpler, but for this you will have to pay an additional 26 Euros per visa (except for children under 6 years old).

More one important nuance : documents for applying for a visa to the Austrian Embassy must be in either German or English!

If there are no problems with the application form - writing your first name, last name and address in English is not at all difficult, then what about certificates from work and a certificate from the bank? The Austrians propose the following solution - the website has templates for translations of certificates from the place of work and certificates from the bank into German, where you just need to tick the appropriate boxes and attach these translations to Russian-language certificates.

However, we encountered one problem. If at work it was no problem to convince the HR department employee to sign and stamp another form, the Sberbank employees were baffled by our request, and they categorically refused to do it!

This is where the CITIBANK credit card once again came to our aid - in foreign banks, asking for a certificate in English about your status is a common thing, and within 5 minutes we had them in our hands!

So, having prepared all the documents, on the day of making an appointment we came to the address (in Moscow) Bolshoi Levshinsky Lane, 7/1.

There are certain requirements for the order in which documents should be submitted - all this can be clarified with the security guard or read at the stand.

One of the photos needs to be glued to the back cover of the passport in the upper left corner - glue, scissors are on the tables in front of the entrance to the windows for submitting documents. Reception is strictly in accordance with the registration; those who arrive without it are left to wait for a free period of time.

After submitting the documents, you will be given a receipt to pay the consular fee, this can be done strictly at RaiffeisenBank, the addresses of nearby branches will be given to you there, at the embassy.

A week later we were already picking up our passports with new visas, presenting a receipt for payment of the consular fee.

5 Car rental

Since, in addition to Vienna, we were planning a trip to Salzburg and on lakes of Austria(crazy beauty, I recommend!!!), the last step in preparing our trip was booking a car. Here, as always, we turned to rentalcars.com, easily booking a car for three days, paying about 5 thousand rubles.

6 Route planning

If you want to learn more about the resorts of Austria, read our article about, it will help you get your bearings.

After long walks around Vienna, it will help you not only regain strength, but also have fun from the heart, especially if you are with children.

For those who are planning to travel around Austria by car, the article about them will be very useful - from it you will learn what they are, how much they cost and where you can buy them.

Shopping lovers can't miss it, be sure to set aside a day to visit it!

That's it, ready! Have a nice trip!