Austria, the relatively small country in the heart of Europe, has everything you could wish for except the sea. Countless lakes, high mountains, interesting cities, a lot of culture and not only apple strudel, lederhosen and Lipizzaners are part of Austria.
![Austria, Vienna State Opera](https://reisemagazin-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Oesterreich-Staatsoper_393117226-300x171.jpg)
Austria consists of nine federal states, each of which has a very special charm and has something special to offer for everyone who lives here or wants to visit this country. From Lake Constance in the far west to Lake Neusiedl in the far east, Austria stretches over a length of 573 kilometres. Around 8.5 million people live here. Much about the Austrians is a cliché, neither do they all yodel, nor are they all grumpy. It is said that the real Austrian has at least one ancestor from the Czech Republic or Hungary, which points to the imperial period, when the Austro-Hungarian Empire was many times larger than today’s Austria. The love for “Sisi”, the Empress Elisabeth, dates back to this time.
Vienna offers so many sights that you won’t find enough with one or two days. St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Schönbrunn Palace and the Ringstrasse with the City Hall, the Burgtheater, the Hofburg, the major museums and the Vienna State Opera are simply a must for every visitor to Vienna. Here, one magnificent building follows the other. But also horse-drawn carriages and Heuriger, Ferris wheel and Prater, art treasures in many museums and churches show a small insight into the big city, which is totally worth living in for its inhabitants due to lots of greenery, among other things.
![Austria Kitzbühl](https://reisemagazin-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Oesterreich-Kitzbuehel_585063118-300x200.jpg)
But Austria does not only consist of Vienna, its capital, through which the Danube flows on its way from Germany to the Black Sea. In the east of the country, just a stone’s throw from Hungary and Slovakia , lies Burgenland. This is the youngest province in Austria. Here you can feel a bit of the proximity of the Puszta. It is a flat country, so it is ideal for cycling tours, among other things. Sailing and surfing will take place on Lake Neusiedl. Burgenland offers thermal baths and a lot of wellness for its guests, and that with an extraordinary number of hours of sunshine. Not to be forgotten are the special culinary offers and the wonderful Burgenland wine.
Austria, which is still sometimes confused with Australia as Austria, is known for its wonderful lakes. Carinthia is in first place here. There are more than 1,200 lakes here. Wörthersee, Faakersee, Klopeinersee and whatever they are called, they have wonderful water and are warm and pleasant for swimming thanks to the southern climate.
Wolfgangsee, Attersee or Mondsee are located in the Salzkammergut. These lakes usually have drinking water quality and are also ideal for a beach holiday. In addition, there are beautiful landscapes around the lakes, so you can also hike and enjoy nature.
Of course, there are also magnificent mountains in great scenery in the Gastein Valley, Styria, Vorarlberg, Salzburg and Tyrol. Many of them are also suitable for winter sports.
Something that must not be forgotten when talking about Austria is Austrian cuisine. It has a special reputation far beyond its borders worldwide. Who wouldn’t have their mouth watering when they hear pastries such as Sachertorte, Esterhazyschnitte, apricot dumplings, Kaiserschmarrn, Salzburger Nockerln, Linzerschnitten or curd strudel?
Travel information Austria
Capital | Vienna |
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Form of government | Federal republic semi-presidential representative democracy |
Currency | Euro (EUR) |
Area | approx. 83,878.99 km² |
Population | approx. 8,822,250 (2018) |
Languages | German |
Electricity grid | 230 volts, 50 Hz |
Area code | +43 |
Time zone | UTC+1 CET UTC+2 CEST (End of March to end of October) |