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Austria - Places to see and things to do.

Austria is a breathtakingly beautiful alpine country in Central Europe, which is locked between Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Italy and Slovenia. It's comprised of nine federal states and has five major cities and tourist destinations: the capital Vienna, Graz, Innsbruck, Salzburg and Linz. Besides those places, Austria has some other appealing spots, for example Zell am See, Bodensee (a large lake), and St. Anton (a ski resort).

The national language in the country is German, though the language used in everyday life is a local dialect. English is spoken widely, and in some parts of Vienna Italian and French are also understood. The currency used in the country is the Euro, and there are many bank machines widely spread around. People from all European Union countries plus those from countries like Switzerland, Iceland and Norway don't requite visas to enter Austria. Nationals from the United States, Canada, Japan, Israel, Australia and New Zealand, Brazil, South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia need a visa valid for three months. All other people coming from South American, African and Arabian countries require visas. The easiest and simplest way to enter Austria is by plane. There are six airports, but the most important one is in Vienna, as it offers connection to all major airports in the world. Besides the Vienna Airport, there are ones in Graz, Linz, Innsbruck and Salzburg, as well as Klagenfurt.

Besides all of the major air carriers, Austria is accessible via almost all low-budget carriers like Sky Europe, Wizz Air and Austrian Arrows. Austria can also be accessed via the Eurolines bus service. Train connections to Germany and other neighbouring countries are very good, as well. Trains offer easy and fast connections between the cities and provide a comfortable atmosphere and moderately priced tickets. If you're planning to rent a car or come with your own car, you should know that Austria and all its neighbouring countries except Liechtenstein and Switzerland are part of the Schengen Agreement, where no border controls apply. In July and August, Austria often experiences traffic jams, as millions of German, Italian and Austrian start their holidays then. Some mountain spots are only accessible by car. Driving in the country is pleasant, as the roads are very good and the scenery is fantastic. Special care should be taken during the winter, however, when driving through the high mountainous areas.

The capital of Austria and its largest city is Vienna. It has a beautiful historical centre, appealing architecture with lovely facades, an excellent cultural and busy club scene, and many street performers. Tourists should know that Vienna is divided into an old town, which is in the first district, and districts 2 to 9 where there's the Prater Amusement Park and the main shopping streets, and outside this belt is the district where Schonbrunn Castle and Donauturm Tower are located. Vienna has a very good, punctual and easy-to-use transport system, though it's very easy to explore on foot, as well. The historical centre is walking friendly, with many cobbled streets and pleasant cafes. Cycling is also very common in Vienna, with many bicycle paths and lanes. There are many museums and art galleries to be seen in Vienna, as well as palaces and castles. The Belvedere is the most famous among the galleries and hosts Austrian and international art of the past two centuries. Also interesting to see are the Imperial Treasury Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Vienna Furniture Museum, the Austrian Museum of Applied Arts, the Natural History Museum, and many others. Another tourist landmark in Vienna is the Mozart House, which was the local residence of the most famous Austrian composer. Schonbrunn Castle, which is inscribed in the UNESCO Heritage List, has lovely gardens and hosts one of the oldest zoos in the world. Also, the Hofsburg Palace is comprised of many buildings and home to several museums. Of the religious buildings, one must-see is St. Stephan's Cathedral, along with the Karlskirche and Old Synagogue. Other attractions include the Vienna Opera House, which is a symbol of the Viennese arts, and of course the Prater Park, which is an amusement area with a Giant Ferris Wheel. Vienna is famous for its opera film festival which is organized in July and August and a contemporary dance and performance festival organized each summer. The five large Christmas Markets organized in Vienna are world-famous for shopping and drinking of gluewein, a special drink of mulled wine with cinnamon.

Graz is the second-largest city in Austria, and an important educational centre with six universities and many students and young people. The old town in Graz is walking friendly, featuring a castle named Schlossberg, a Clockenspiel which has a song and rotating dance figures three times a day, not to mention the Clock Tower, which is the symbol of Graz. Also interesting are the Baroque Mausoleum of Emperor Ferdinand II, the Cathedral of Graz, Eggenberg Castle and the Kunsthaus. Another place in Austria that's interesting to visit is the town of Innsbruck, which is perceived as the capital of Tyrol. The city has a breathtakingly beautiful town centre where many of the buildings come from the Middle Ages. Innsbruck has two universities and many students which make the nightlife vibrant and lively. It was host to the Winter Olympic Games in 1964 and 1976, and home to the World University Games in 2005. Surrounded by mountains, Innsbruck is close to several ski resorts in the area.

The main sights in Innsbruck include the Hofkirche and the Cathedral at Saint Jacob, and the Svhloss Ambras, a Renaissance style castle which has a lovely armour collection. Memorials in town include the Goldeness Dachl and St. Anna's Column, as well as the Triumphal Arch. The town hosts Europe's highest situated zoo, which is specialized in alpine animals. There are also many beautiful parks, like the Alpine Garden and the Botanical Garden.

Another major tourist stop in Vienna is Salzburg, which is advertised as the birthplace of Mozart. The city has a lovely town centre overlooked by the Hohensalzburg Fortress and cut through by the Salzach River. The old town has many beautiful buildings with Baroque architecture, which is best seen on foot. The places of interest that should be visited include Schloss Hellbrunn, which is surrounded by pretty, vast gardens, the fortress we mentioned above where there are panoramic views over the city, and Mozart's birth house that's been turned into a museum. A beautiful place for relaxation would be the Schloss Mirabel and the Mirabel Gardens, featuring the Garden of Dwarves and the Garden of Roses. Salzburg is also famous for its many festivals, usually organized in July and August. At the festivals are presented various operas, concerts and theatrical plays, which attract many people from around the world to Salzburg.