About Austria

Discover the delights of Salzburg, Vienna and other cities in Austria along with their beautiful and historical sights.

Austria is divided into nine federal provinces (Bundesländer):
Vienna (Wien)
Lower Austria (Niederösterreich)
Upper Austria (Oberösterreich)
Salzburg (Salzburg)
Carinthia (Kärnten)
Tyrol (Tirol)
Vorarlberg (Vorarlberg)
Styria (Steiermark)
Burgenland (Burgenland)

Austria's favourite past time is: Skiing, Snowboarding and other wintersports throughout the spectacular Austrian Alps.

For a more illustrated tourist guide, travel guide and culture guide to Austria, visit: http://www.aboutaustria.org/
General Facts include:

Currency: The unit of currency is the Euro (EUR), which is divided into 100 cents. Currency can be exchanged at banks and bureaux de change available in all towns, but it may be easier to use the ATMs. Banks are closed on Saturdays and Sundays, but exchange offices at airports and major city rail terminals are open seven days a week. Major credit and debit cards are widely accepted though some small hotels and restaurants may only accept cash. Travelers cheques are also accepted.

Time: GMT +1 (GMT +2 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October).

Electricity: Electrical current is 220 volts, 50Hz. The European round 2-pin plugs are standard.

Communications: The international access code for Austria is +43. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). The area code for Vienna is (0)1. Public telephone boxes can be used for direct dial calls within the country and overseas. Austria's mobile network operates on the 900 and 1800 bands for GSM. Internet cafes are widely available.

Duty Free: Travelers from non-EU countries over 17 years are allowed to bring in the following items without paying customs duty: 200 cigarettes, or 100 cigarillos, or 50 cigars, or 250g of smoking tobacco, or a proportional mix of these products; 2 liters wine, or 1 liter of spirits with alcohol content more than 22%, or 2 liters of alcohol volume less than 22%; 50g perfume and 250ml eau de toilette; and other goods to a total value of EUR175. Restricted items include pornographic material and fresh foodstuffs such as meat and dairy products. Travelers must have a European Firearms Pass if traveling with firearms. Providing goods are bought for personal use, there are no restrictions on carrying tobacco and alcohol between the 15 original countries of the EU (including the UK), with the exception of Finland, Denmark and Sweden.

Tourist Office
Austrian National Tourist Office, Vienna: +43 (0)1 588 660 or www.austria.info

Emergency
Emergencies: 112 or 122

Activities

Wintersports:
Austria is one of Europe’s major destinations for winter sports, particularly skiing and, more recently, snowboarding. The Austrian Alps take up approximately 60 per cent of the country’s surface area and there are more than 800 winter sports resorts, with ski runs stretching some 22,000km (13,750 miles), and a further 16,000km (10,000 miles) of cross-country skiing trails. Every year, Austria hosts a number of prestigious international ski competitions. Besides skiing, many other types of winter sports can be enjoyed, such as tobogganing, sleigh rides, curling or skating. Full details of skiing packages and tours, resort information, snow reports and winter sports events can be obtained from the Austrian National Tourist Office (see General Info section), which also publishes several brochures, some of which, such as the Winter Tour Finder, can be ordered directly and free of charge from the Internet.

Walking tours
During summer, when the snow has melted, the Austrian Alps offer a vast network of hiking trails through varied landscapes, ranging from forests and green slopes to glaciers and rocks. Many rivers and lakes are suitable for swimming or fishing (the latter requiring a permit available from the local authorities). Detailed walking maps can be obtained either from the Austrian National Tourist Office or from the local tourist offices. Guides can be hired locally. Footpaths are recognizable by red-white-red markings displayed on trees and rocks. Interesting routes include the Salt Road, once used by Austria’s salt merchants, from the salt mines in the Salzkammergut, through the Mühlviertel, via many historic towns and as far as the border with the Czech Republic; and the Styrian Timber Road, giving travelers an insight into the uses of wood. Near Vienna, a network of city paths (Stadtwanderwege) lead through the Vienna woods or the nearby Danube wetlands. The Vorarlberg’s alpine pastures are well suited for gentle walks while the Hohe Tauern National Park is popular for more demanding trekking. Accommodation is widely available along the paths in the form of hotels, inns or mountain huts.

Mountaineering and climbing
Both are widely available throughout the Alps. For details of climbing associations and specialist operators, contact the Austrian National Tourist Office. Climbing tours are often combined with hang-gliding, which has recently gained in popularity and can be practiced in many locations in the mountains.

Cycling
Austria’s infrastructure for cyclists is excellent. There are clearly marked cycling routes both in the cities and throughout the countryside. Tourist offices can provide detailed touring maps and the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) offers substantial services to cyclists. Practically all local trains allow bicycles to be carried in the baggage car. For long-distance trains, cyclists should look out for a bicycle symbol next to the train number if they wish to take their bike. The ÖBB also offers a bicycle rental service (Fahrrad am Bahnhof) at 100 Austrian railway stations, where visitors can rent bicycles directly from the station at a reduced fee. Along the cycling paths, many hotels and inns have lockable bicycle racks and other facilities for cyclists. Austria’s mountains offer extensive and challenging trails for mountain biking. For further information on planning either an organized or independent cycling tour, contact the Austrian National Tourist Office; or Radtouren in Österreich, c/o Salzburger Land Tourismus Gmbh, Postfach 1, Wiener Bundesstrasse 23, A-5300 Hallwang bei Salzburg (tel: (662) 66880; fax: (662) 668 866; e-mail: info@salzburgerland.com; website: www.salzburgerland.com).

Horse riding
There are many hotels and guest houses specializing in horse riding holidays (reitferien). Horses can be hired for short or longer periods and packages frequently include riding instruction.

Wine tours
The Austrian National Tourist Office has singled out three wine routes through Austria’s main wine-growing regions – Lower Austria, Southern Styria and the Burgenland. In Lower Austria, a whole area in the northeast is known as the Weinviertel (wine quarter), where Kellergassen (wine cellars and wine-press buildings located outside the villages in the hillsides) and Buschenschanken (small wine taverns) can be visited. The Wachau region, a section of the Danube Valley approximately 50km (32 miles) from Vienna, is reputed for its Riesling wines and the wine village of Gumpoldskirchen. Southern Styria enjoys a moist, warm climate and its token wine is the Schilcher, an onion-colored to ruby-red wine. The Burgenland produces more than a quarter of Austria’s wines and is known for sweet wines such as the Ausbruch. Most wine estates and cellars welcome visitors. Further information can be obtained from local tourist offices or the Austrian National Tourist Office; see also Dining in the Social Profile section.

Currency

Currency of Austria is the euro (EUR)

Note:
On 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions of member countries; as of 1 January 2002, the Euro became the only legal tender in EMU member countries, including Austria. 

Additional Currency Information:

The Euro is now the official currency of 12 EU member states (including Austria). The first Euro coins and notes were introduced in January 2002; the Austrian Schilling was in circulation until 28 February 2002, when it was completely replaced by the Euro.
Euro (&Euro;) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of &Euro;500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of &Euro;2, 1 and 50, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.

Entertainment

Nightlife:

Viennese nightlife offers something for every taste: opera, theater and cabaret as well as numerous discos, bars and nightclubs. There are cinemas of all types, some of them of architectural interest, showing films in different languages. A good way to spend a summer evening is in one of the beer gardens found all over Austria. The wine-growing area around Vienna features wine gardens (Heurigen) where visitors can sample local wines in an open-air setting.

Food / Eating Out

Austrian - Viennese cuisine is strongly influenced by southeast European cuisine, notably that of Hungary, Serbia, Romania and Dalmatia. Austrian desserts and cake are particularly renowned.

Information to remember:
The main meal of the day is lunch.
All restaurants have waiter service. Generally the strict registration laws mean that the quality of the wine will be fully reflected in its price. Most bars or coffee houses have waiter service and bills are settled with the arrival of drinks.

A few National specialties:

• Wiener Schnitzel is a traditional dish of breadcrumbed and fried veal escalope.

• Tafelspitz is the most famous food, regarded as Austria’s ‘national dish’ and consists  simply of boiled beef.

• Calf’s liver with herbs in butter (Geröstete Leber).

• Goulash, which is made of beef, pepper, paprika and onion.

• Kaiserschmarrn (dessert of shredded pancake and stewed fruit).

• Palatschinken (Austrian pancakes).

• Powidl is a plum stew.

• Apfelstrudel. the classic pudding.

• Cheese Danish, which is sweet and stuffed with raisins.

• Various types of smoked and cured pork.

• Dumplings (Knödel) with sauce.

• Mehlspeisen is the national term for cakes and puddings. There are around 60 varieties of Torte, which is often consumed with coffee.

National drinks:

• Local wines (often served in open carafes) are excellent and cheap: most of the wines are white and Riesling and Veltliner are particularly well-regarded.

• Obstler is a drink found in most German-speaking countries, and is made from various local fruits. It is often very strong, and widely drunk as it is cheap and well flavored.

Legal drinking age: 16 (for beer and wine); 18 (for spirits). There are no national licensing laws in Austria, but each region has local police closing hours.

Tipping: Widespread, but large amounts are not expected. On restaurant bills, a service charge of 10 to 15 per cent is included, but it is usual to leave a further 5 per cent. Attendants at theaters, cloakrooms or petrol pumps, expect to be tipped &Euro;0.15-0.25. Railway and airports have fixed charges for portering. Taxi drivers expect &Euro;0.25-0.50 for a short trip and 10 per cent for a longer one.

Nightlife:
Viennese nightlife offers something for every taste: opera, theater and cabaret as well as numerous discos, bars and nightclubs. There are cinemas of all types, some of them of architectural interest, showing films in different languages. A good way to spend a summer evening is in one of the beer gardens found all over Austria. The wine-growing area around Vienna features wine gardens (Heurigen) where visitors can sample local wines in an open-air setting.

For a selection of popular Restaurants, visit: http://www.iexplore.com/world_travel/Austria/Restaurants

Getting around

Getting around Austria is easy:
Vienna is Austria's main airport, but you can also fly to Innsbruk (for Tirol) Salzburg, Klagenfurt, Linz or Graz.
Austrian Airlines (AUA), is a holding company that includes Lauda Air and Tyrolean Airlines and flies to numerous international destinations.

The Austrian rail network is comfortable, modern and reliable, there are international bus options available which are cheaper but slower and less comfortable.

Car rental is popular with holidaymakers because the network of roads and motorways is excellent and well-maintained.
The volume of traffic is generally low away from the city centres. You can cross the border 24 hours a day at major crossing points.

Language

German (official nationwide), Slovene (official in Carinthia), Croatian (official in Burgenland), Hungarian (official in Burgenland)

Legal Requirements

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:  Passport required.  A visa is not required for business or tourist stays up to three months.  For further information concerning entry requirements for Austria, travelers should visit the Embassy of Austria’s web site at ttp://www.austria.org/ for the most current visa information

SAFETY AND SECURITY:  Austria remains largely free of terrorist incidents. 

Every year, a number of avalanche deaths occur in Austria's alpine regions.  Many occur when skiers/snowboarders stray from the designated ski slopes.  Leaving the designated slopes to ski off-piste may pose serious risks and may delay rescue attempts in case of emergency.  Skiers/snowboarders should monitor weather and terrain conditions, and use the available avalanche rescue equipment.  Avalanche beepers (transceivers) are the most common rescue devices and, when properly used, provide the fastest way of locating an avalanche victim, usually enabling authorities to begin rescue operations within minutes.

CRIME:  Austria has a low crime rate, and violent crime is rare.  However, crimes involving theft of personal property have increased in recent years. 

TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS:  Road conditions in Austria are generally excellent.  During the winter, however, roads in alpine areas may become dangerous due to snowfall, ice, or avalanches.  Some mountain roads may be closed for extended periods and tire chains are often required.  Emergency roadside help and information may be reached by dialing 123 or 120 for vehicle assistance and towing services (Austrian automobile clubs), 122 for the fire department, 133 for police, and 144 for ambulance.

Please refer to our Road Safety page.  Visit the website of Austria’s national tourist office at http://www.austria-tourism.at/us.

Shopping

Shopping throughout the regions:
High-quality goods such as handbags, glassware, chinaware and winter sports equipment represent the cream of specialist items found in Austria. A 20 to 32 per cent value-added-tax (called MwSt) is included in the list price of items sold.

Shopping hours
Shops and stores are generally open from Mon-Fri 0800-1800 (with a one- or two-hour lunch break in the smaller towns) and Sat 1200-1700. In tourist resorts, shops are usually open Mon-Fri until 2100 and Sat/Sun until 1800.

Currency Information: Single European currency (Euro)

Currency exchange
Foreign currencies and traveller's cheques can be exchanged at all banks, savings banks and exchange counters at airports and railway stations at the official exchange rates.

Credit & debit cards
Major credit cards are accepted in large cities. However, some smaller hotels may require bills to be paid in cash.

Traveller's cheques
These are widely accepted. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised to take traveller's cheques in a major currency (Euros, US Dollars, Pounds Sterling

Sights

Popular Attractions in Austria include:

Hofburg
City/Region: Vienna
The Hofburg Palace, or Imperial Palace, was the home of the Austrian Hapsburgs for 600 years.

Spanish Riding School
City/Region: Vienna
The Spanish Riding School of Vienna is the oldest and last riding school in the world where classic dressage is still practiced in its purest form.

Museum of Fine Arts (Kunsthistorisches Museum)
City/Region: Vienna
This museum was built between 1872 and 1891

Schönbrunn Palace
City/Region: Vienna
The magnificent Schönbrunn Palace was used as the summer residence of the Hapsburgs from the 18th century onwards.

Giant Wheel
City/Region: Vienna
One of Vienna's most recognizable attractions, the Giant Wheel is located in a large wooded park and playground known as the Prater.

Vienna State Opera
City/Region: Vienna
The Vienna State Opera performs a repertoire of near-one hundred operas, operettas and ballets every day from September to June. The opera house was founded in the early 18th century (it was rebuilt in 1955 after being all but destroyed in 1945) and makes for a romantic and regal setting in which to enjoy the performances. As seating tickets are not easily available, an alternative is to buy standing-room tickets, which are well priced and can be purchased on the same day (but expect long queues). The State Opera collaborates closely with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and their famous New Year concert requires advance bookings of up to one year. The waiting list for the subscription concerts is 13 years!
Address: Hanuschgasse 3
Phone Number: (01) 5144 42250
Email Address: eva.dintsis@wiener-staatsoper.at
Website: www.wiener-staatsoper.at 

Hohensalzburg Fortress
City/Region: Salzburg
The 11th-century Hohensalzburg Castle stands on a rocky outcrop approximately 394ft (120m) above the city.

St Peter's Abbey
City/Region: Salzburg
If you only have time to visit one of Salzburg's many churches, make sure its the 9th-century St Peter's Abbey Church (Stiftkirche St Peter), one of Salzburg's most impressive Rococo buildings. Admission: Free

Weather

Austria enjoys a moderate continental climate featuring all four distinct seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Summers are generally warm and pleasant with cooler nights, Winters are sunny, with reliable and frequent snowfalls.
The weather is changeable throughout the year. However, in summer rainfalls are usually heavy and of short duration only. Winters are rather cold in the North-East and can be lightened up by the frequent and heavy foehn winds ( a warm and dry wind, especially in Vienna) in some valleys in the Alps.

The Alps:Including Tirol (Innsbruck), Salzburg (Salzburg).

In winter the higher Alpine winter-sports resorts are much sunnier than the valleys where conditions are often cloudy and foggy with low temperatures persisting for several days. Although temperatures may be lower on the mountains it may feel warmer in calm and sunny conditions. The reverse is the case in summer when the mountains may become cloudy during the hotter part of the day while the valleys stay sunny.

Certain Alpine valleys, particularly those running from south to north, experience a very warm, dry wind - the föhn. This may blow from twenty to forty days a year. The föhn is most frequent in autumn and spring, when it can melt snow with prodigious speed. It is then dangerous for it can trigger off ava lanches on the mountain slopes. The air may become so dry during the föhn that there is a serious fire risk to wooden buildings.

The source of the warm air is to the south of the Alps, but it is warmed and dried as it crosses the mountains and descends on the northern side. For details of climate and weather in this area see the table for Innsbruck. 

Wine

The vineyards in Austria cover 51,000 hectares which, for the most part, lie in the east and southeast of the country. Amongst the wines produced here, white wines unquestionably make up the larger portion – cultivated in 70% of the vineyards are 22 white wine varieties permitted for high quality wine production. Nevertheless, red wine (13 varieties) has come to represent 30% of the vineyards in recent years.

Austria as a wine producing country is divided into 4 wine growing regions: ‘Weinland Österreich’ comprises the federal states of Niederösterreich (Lower Austria) and Burgenland with a total of 12 wine growing areas; ‘Steirerland’ with its three Styrian wine regions, and ‘Wien’ (Vienna), Austria's capital, which comprises 700 hectares of vineyards. The other states of Austria are collectively referred to as ‘Bergland Österreich’ (mountain country Austria), where small vineyards are thinly scattered.

Austria has approximately 20,000 small wine producing estates, many of whose financial existence is based on the selling of wine directly on the premises. However, more than half of the wine-growing country features estates with over 5 hectares of vineyards, with most of these highly competitive export-wise. Wine estates regarded as large, according to an international standard (consisting of more than 200 hectares), are rare in Austria.

Austrian wines are certainly high in quality. Approximately two thirds of the wines are Qualitätswein, with some of these belonging to the best white, red and sweet wines in the world!

Further Information

Travel Guide to Austria
Austria -'A Visitors Guide To Vienna'