Imperial cities, Alpine lakes and classical music.
Austria is an Alpine country in central Europe with grand cities and mountain scenery. It suits travellers who like classical culture, cafés, hiking and skiing. It is known for Vienna's palaces, Salzburg's music heritage and the lakes of the Salzkammergut. Trains make it easy to see a lot in a week.
Tap a card or a pin. Add a place to a day of your trip, or look for tours.
Schönbrunn was the summer residence of the Habsburgs, with lavish state rooms. Its large gardens include the Gloriette and the world's oldest zoo.
Vienna's centre has St Stephen's Cathedral, the Hofburg and grand Ringstrasse buildings. Coffee houses and opera are part of daily life.
Hallstatt is a lakeside village below steep mountains in the Salzkammergut. A salt mine above it has been worked for thousands of years.
Salzburg's baroque old town sits below the Hohensalzburg Fortress. It is Mozart's birthplace and hosts a famous summer festival.
The Wachau is a stretch of the Danube with vineyards, castles and Melk Abbey. Boat trips and cycle paths run along the river.
Melk is a huge baroque Benedictine abbey above the Danube. Its library and church are the highlights.
Innsbruck is an Alpine city where cable cars rise from the centre to high peaks. The Golden Roof is the old town landmark.
This toll road climbs to views of Austria's highest mountain and the Pasterze glacier. It is open roughly from May to October.
The Belvedere is a pair of baroque palaces with a major art museum. Klimt's The Kiss is the most famous work.
Zell am See is a lake resort below mountains, and Kaprun has a glacier ski area. Both are busy in summer and winter.
Wolfgangsee is a clear lake with the village of St Wolfgang and a cog railway up the Schafberg. Views reach across many lakes.
Graz has a red-roofed historic centre and Schloss Eggenberg. Modern buildings like the Kunsthaus add contrast.
Krimml has some of the highest waterfalls in Europe, falling in several stages. A path climbs beside them.
Eisriesenwelt is a huge limestone cave with ice formations in its first section. Guided tours run from spring to autumn.
Lake Neusiedl is a shallow steppe lake on the Hungarian border with reedbeds and birdlife. The area is known for wine and cycling.
Everything above is open to read. A Hodolog account lets you build the trip around it: pick cities, add places to days, see the weather for your dates.
Each city with a guide opens its own page: map, where to stay, what to eat.
Capital of palaces, museums and cafés.
culture, music, food · Open the city guideBaroque town and lakes gateway.
culture, music · Open the city guideLake village in the Salzkammergut.
nature · Open the city guideAlpine city.
hiking, skiing · Open the city guideRelaxed second city.
culture, food · Guide comingLake and mountain resort.
nature, skiing · Guide comingDanube city of art and technology.
modern art, stopover · Guide comingLake Constance town.
lake, festival · Guide comingA base at the eastern entrance to the Wachau.
wine, history · Guide comingA winter-sports base in the Arlberg region.
skiing · Guide comingImperial capital and river valley vineyards.
Schönbrunn, Wachau, Melk Abbey
Baroque city and lakes below mountains.
Salzburg, Hallstatt, Wolfgangsee
High Alpine valleys and ski resorts.
Innsbruck, Kitzbühel, Ötztal
Sunnier lakes and wine country.
Graz, Wörthersee, Styrian wine roads
Imperial capital, vineyards and flat lands towards the Hungarian border.
Vienna, Wachau, Lake Neusiedl
Lakes and baroque towns under limestone peaks.
Salzburg, Hallstatt, Eisriesenwelt
Choose how long you have, then add the whole route to a trip as places and nights.
Best: May to September and December. Summer suits hiking and lakes, while December brings Christmas markets.
The Alps are best for skiing from December to March, while cities are pleasant all year.
January. Busy season. Higher prices, bigger crowds.
35°F daily high, 29°F average, 1.7 in
Average of past years from NASA POWER, worked out at each city's position. A place far from these cities can be quite different.
US State Department Level 1 (exercise normal precautions).
Fast, punctual trains and buses reach almost every town.
Prices are fairly high, especially in ski resorts.
Entry rules depend on your passport. Members see the rules for their own passport here.
Passport and visa rules change often and without notice. Always check the official pages before you book and again before you travel.
| Entry | Check current visa and entry rules on the Travel and Stay section of the Austrian Foreign Ministry (bmeia.gv.at) and the EU's Travel Europe site, and your own government's travel advice, before you book, as rules change. |
| Plugs | Type C, F; 230 V, 50 Hz |
| Tap water | safe |
| Tipping | Round up or add about 5 to 10 percent in restaurants. |
| Payments | Cards are common, but some cafés and huts still prefer cash. |
| Emergency | 112 European emergency number, 133 police, 144 ambulance, 122 fire |
| Etiquette | Greet with Grüß Gott in shops. Punctuality and quiet on Sundays are valued. |
| What to wear | Cover shoulders in churches. |
| Driving | On the right |
| Between cities | Trains run by OBB connect all major cities quickly, with buses into the valleys. A car helps for alpine roads and small lake villages. |
| Main airports | VIE, SZG, INN, GRZ |
| Ride apps | Uber, Bolt |
The Habsburg dynasty ruled from Vienna for over six centuries, building a large multinational empire. The empire collapsed after the First World War, and Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938. After the Second World War it was occupied by the Allies until 1955, when it became a neutral republic. It joined the European Union in 1995.
Researched 2026-10-13. Check official sources and recent changes before you go.