Top things to do in Austria

With dazzling landscapes and a finely tuned cultural offering, Austria promises a symphony of experiences. Right in the heart of central Europe, Austria’s cities exude old-world grandeur with opulent baroque palaces, carefully orchestrated formal gardens and elegant coffeehouses. Enchanting mountain villages trip right out of the pages of a gold-embossed storybook, while the country’s natural beauty hits the real high notes. From a whole suite of choices, here are our top things to do in Austria.

Explore majestic landscapes and outdoor adventures

Drive along the Grossglockner High Alpine Road

Striking out across the High Alps, the Grossglockner High Alpine Road hairpins its way through 30 miles (48km) of breathtaking mountain scenery and is named after Austria’s highest peak (Grossglockner, 3,798m). Connecting the towns of Bruck and Heiligenblut, the route builds to a double crescendo at the Fuscher Törl (2,428m) and Hochtor (2,504m) mountain passes.

This is one of the top tourist attractions in Austria, so during weekends and in summer it can get bumper-to-bumper busy. To steer clear of too many other Alpine tourers, aim to visit in spring or fall. Alternatively, an early morning summer start should give you the edge on a clear run.

Hiking in the Hohe Tauern National Park

Devastatingly beautiful, the Hohe Tauern National Park is one of Austria’s greatest masterpieces. With showstopping views at every turn, the Grossglockner High Alpine Road traverses the park, but to really commune with nature, slow things down and explore on foot.

Staying a few nights in a mountain village allows you to tune into the majesty of the national park. Raise your frequency with days spent meandering through wildflower meadows and around jewel-like lakes. In the evenings, sit back and enjoy the show as rose gold sunsets wash over snow-glowing peaks.

Skiing and winter sports in Innsbruck and beyond

The handsome city of Innsbruck is the capital of the mountainous Tyrol region and a center for winter sports. By visiting in winter, you’ll see the area in its element, with the imposing Nordkette mountains rising high behind the city and a landscape cloaked in sparkling snow. Futuristic funiculars whizz you from city streets to mountain peaks in minutes. Step out of the striking Zaha Hadid Architects lift station and see snow-dusted landscapes spread out all around.

The mountains in winter are one of the standout Austria attractions, and there are many ways to enjoy their snowy playground. The Tyrol’s greatest passion is skiing, and resorts like Mayrhofen and St Anton offer spills and thrills aplenty, alongside après-ski shenanigans. Upmarket Kitzbühel is well-known for its annual Hahnenkamm downhill race. If you’d rather explore Tyrol’s winter charms at a slower pace, then snowshoeing and winter hiking are magical ways to experience the mountains.

Roam the Schönbrunn Palace gardens

The Schönbrunn, a grand Habsburg summer palace in Vienna, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site built to lavish proportions. It’s one of the most-visited tourist attractions in Austria, and tickets to explore its elaborate interior and museum rooms book up quickly and are generally timed.

The gardens, however, are a different matter. There you can roam at will, promenading along tree-lined avenues, dallying in perfectly preened walled gardens or losing your way in one of several mazes. Palm houses, a zoo, a Japanese garden, faux Roman ruins, fountains and follies are also on hand for you to cast your eye about. When hunger calls, pull up a chair at the Café Pavillon for a fortifying slice of strudel.

Explore the lakes of Zell am See

For ravishing Alpine scenery, the lakes, mountains and pastures around the lakeside town of Zell am See are a dream. There’s skiing to enjoy in winter, but the summer hiking here is some of the best and most varied in Austria. Gentle grassy landscapes are backed by the rugged Hohe Tauern mountains and strung with dozens of jewel-like lakes.

Dive into Austria’s rich culture, traditions and history

Imperial history and grandeur in Vienna

With full pomp and splendor, the grand city of Vienna demands your attention. Home to the luxury-loving Habsburg Royalty for several hundred years, it offers palaces galore to explore, including the Hofburg, Schloss Schönbrunn, and Schloss Belvedere. Art and history are everywhere in Vienna, along with a refined taste for fine dining, classical music, and coffee.

Mozart, music festivals and old-school charm in Salzburg

Spectacular Salzburg competes with Vienna for the most impressive Baroque architecture. The spires and domes of the Old Town reach up towards a splendid fort high on a hill, with a backdrop of the Eastern Alps beyond. This is the former home of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and his legacy is all around.

Tour the UNESCO-listed Melk Abbey

Sitting high on a bluff overlooking one of the prettiest sections of the Danube in Central Austria, Melk Abbey impresses with yet more Baroque grandeur. The interiors are lavish – arched, domed and spiraled, glinting with gold and painted with plump cherubs. This is another worthy contender amongst a cavalcade of baroque Austria attractions.

Architectural wonders of Graz

Leafy and youthful Graz is Austria’s second-largest city. Architecturally diverse, it has a medieval center with a large main square, and showcases nods to the Baroque aesthetic alongside a strong hand of innovative modern design. It’s a fun city to spend a few days in, and less busy with tourists than Salzburg and Vienna.

The historic charm of Hallstatt without the crowds

The pretty village of Hallstatt sits coquettishly on the banks of a glassy lake in the mountainous Salzkammergut region. Draped along a thin spit of land and backed by steep forested slopes and mountains, this little Alpine village comes straight from the pages of a storybook. Spend dreamy hours lakeside, then hop on the funicular for sky-high views.

Get a taste of traditional Austrian flavors: from wineries to coffeehouse culture

Austria’s culinary heart lies in serving high-quality seasonal local produce, and its many markets and restaurants are full of fresh, sustainable ingredients. Traditional dishes are largely based around fortifying mountain food, heavy on carbs, and also on flavor.

Classics such as schnitzel, goulash, kaiserschmarrn (sweet shredded pancakes with berries), and strudel are compulsory. Also indulge in its modern dining scene, with over a dozen Michelin-starred restaurants across Salzburg and Vienna to choose from. Both ends of the culinary scale in Austria pair perfectly with the country’s outstanding viniculture, and wine tours are a must throughout the eastern wine regions.

Vienna is rightly famous for its coffeehouse culture, where cup after freshly-brewed cup is whisked around grand salons by formally-dressed professional waiters. The coffeehouses of Vienna have been fueling the inspiration of writers, thinkers and artists for centuries. This has been dually noted by its entry into the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.

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