The home of Mozart and music
Austria is one of the less visited countries in Europe. It’s beauty is on par with Switzerland, while being more peaceful to visit. Music has played a very important significance is most cities like Vienna, Salzburg
Best time to visit
Spring and Autumn between Mar- May, Sep- Nov are best months to visit. The temperature will be pleasant with minimal rains and snow
Visa
Schengen visa is valid here
Getting In and around
Vienna is the hub for Austrain airlines, and is well connected to most cities in Europe.
If you are staying for more than a week in Eurozone and not opting for car rentals, Eurail pass can be worth the cost. It comes in variants as low as 4 days to 3 months, offering unlimited train travel among participating countries. Only long-distance trains are covered, the local trams or metros are not covered
You can explore all Eurail pass options here
Currency- Euro
Austria is a part of Eurozone. You can get Euros from India or use a zero charges card for withdrawal from ATMs
Places to visit in Austria
The capital city of Vienna, valley of Salzburg, mountain town of Innsbruck, postcard town of Hallstatt are the most prominent places to visit
Vienna
The capital and the largest city in eastern Europe
St. Stephen’s cathedral: The iconic church of the city
Schönbrunn palace: A magnificent palace and UNESCO World Heritage site, one of the best in Europe. The palace has extensive gardens on the outside
Philharmonic Orchaestra: You can get cheap tickets for as low as 10-15 Euros to witness the grand orchaestra
Danube river at Copa Beach: See locals chilling on the banks and enjoying sports matches of the season
You can take one of the free walking tours that operate on tips only basis. They cover St. Stephen’s cathedral, Hofburg palace, Mozart’s residence and many inner walkways of the city. A 24 hour public transport card is helpful if you want to visit many places in a day
Innsbruck
A nice town in the Tyrol region, closer to Germany and Switzerland. The city is connected to Zurich, Munich, Vienna and many other cities through train. The mountains form a beautiful background to the town. It is popular for skiing in winters.
You can just stroll around the city, see the river, building with Golden roof, cathedrals and museums
Wattens, the home of Swarovski Crystal World, is about 20-30 minutes from the city
Swarovski crystal world, the iconic place with waterfalls flowing out of the mouth of human face made of plants, has a museum with many different things made of glittering crystal. The entry fee costs about 26 EUR
Salzburg
Well connected to Munich, Vienna, Zurich, Budapest. Schloss Hellbrunn, the famous palace is situated here. You can walk across the city to see Mozart’s house, Hohensalzburg Fortress and many more museums
The ice caves of Werfen are about 40 minutes away from city centre. You can take a train to Werfen station and then a shuttle bus to the visitor centre. The caves are open only from May to October. You can see stalactities and stalagmites made of ice. We highly recommend visiting this place!
The hike to the entrace was quite tiring, maybe because of the altitude- get your hiking poles. Ensure you are also covered in layers as it is pretty cold inside
How much does it cost
- Flights: $500-600 Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Emirates have best connections
- Accommodation: Hostels cost $10-20 per night and mid-range can be around $50
- Travelling around: Budget $10-30 per day for mix of public transport and 1-2 Uber rides
- Food: $10-20 for simple takeaways. Try out the famous Viennese coffee