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Landlocked
in the heart of Europe, Austria runs from the Alps in the west down
to Vienna and the Danube in the east. For six centuries it was the
heart of the mighty Hapsburg Empire, which at its peak included
what is now Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic along with much
of Romania, Bulgaria and the Balkans. The country's imperial inheritance
is particularly striking in the grand buildings and cultural institutions
of the Baroque-flavoured capital, Vienna, resplendent with palaces
and captivating churches, cosy coffeehouses and inns, and grand
ballrooms where Strauss waltzes still draw dancers onto the floor.
Another
of the great classical composers spawned by Austria was Mozart,
born in Salzburg, a beautiful historic city where stunning
Baroque churches rise up against the backdrop of the Austrian
Alps. The Alps stretch west to Switzerland and in winter skiers
come from all continents to carve the slopes and experience
the charm of the alpine villages and their welcoming inhabitants.
Essentials:
Time: Local
time is GMT +1 (GMT +2 from the last Sunday in March to the
last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 220
volts, 50Hz. The European round 2-pin plugs are standard.
Money: The
unit of currency is the Euro (€), 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. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted
though some small hotels and restaurants may only accept cash. Travellers
cheques are also accepted.
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). Public telephone
boxes can be used for direct dial calls within the country and overseas.
Internet cafes are widely available.
Austria
enjoys a temperate Central European climate with four distinct
seasons. Summers are hot with cool nights. In Vienna and other
low-lying cities temperatures during the day can get uncomfortably
hot over July and August. Winters are cold, below freezing
in January and February. The ski season in the Alps runs from
December to April but the mountains are also popular with hikers
and climbers over the summer when the weather is usually warm
and bright.
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Car
Rental
If you like to drive and stay at hotels, lodges, bed
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details: Austria
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Motorhome
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See details: Austria
Motorhome Hire
Canal Boat - Canal Barge - River Cruise
You can also travel in Ireland by boat. As the largest global canal boat wholesaler,
we offer you a choice of 3 self skipper companies: Connoisseur, Emerald Star,
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great time for a group of friends. The boats are very comfortable and most boats
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For details, Austria
River Cruising
VIENNA
Spanish Riding School
The
Spanish Riding School of Vienna is the oldest and last riding school in the world
where classic dressage is still practised in its purest form. This Institute
was founded in 1572 and named for the Lipizzaner horses, which are of Spanish
origin. The Imperial Court Stud was originally situated near the village of Lipizza
(hence the name of the horses) but since the collapse of the Danube Monarchy
in 1920 have been bred at the Federal Stud in Styria. The horses perform their
tricks in the Winter Riding School, which was commissioned by Emperor Karl VI.
Performances take place between February and June, September and December but
are in high demand and booked up months in advance (details on their website).
The easiest way to see the horses is during their training sessions. Tickets
are only available at the door, and cannot be booked in advance. Situated in
the stables is the Lipizzana Museum, which displays the history of the school.
Address: Michaelerplatz 1; Telephone: (01) 533 9031; Website: www.spanische-reitschule.com; Transport:
U-Bahn to Stephansplatz; tram D, J, 1 or 2 to Burgring; Opening time:
Museum: daily 9am to 6pm; training sessions: Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 12pm;
Admission: €5.09 (museum); €11.60 (training sessions); concessions
available. Performances range from €24 to €145
Museum
of Fine Arts (Kunsthistorisches Museum)
This
museum was built between 1872 and 1891 to house the
vast collections then owned by the Hapsburgs who
were enthusiastic patrons and collectors of the arts.
With its magnificent renaissance architecture and
superbly decorated ceiling, the museum is a masterpiece
in its own right. It is one of the richest and most
important in the world; its collections range from
Ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman Antiquities to
the Collections of Medieval Art and the splendid
Renaissance and Baroque Collections. It houses the
works of Rubens, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Dürer,
Raphael, Titian, Bruegel and Van Dyke, to name just
a few.
Address: Maria Theresien Platz; Telephone: (01) 525
24-0; Website: www.khm.at;Transport:
U3 to Volkstheater station; Opening time: Tuesday
to Sunday 10am to
6pm; Thursday 10am to 9pm; Admission: €10 (adults); concessions available
Schönbrunn
Palace
The
magnificant Schönbrunn Palace was used as
the summer residence of the Hapsburgs from the
18th century onwards. Set amongst superb gardens
this vast, symmetrical structure is everything
you would imagine an imperial palace to be. A tour
of the palace offers visitors the chance to view
the superb assortment of Baroque and Rococo State
Rooms and to admire the famous ceiling frescoes
of the Great Gallery and the Hall of Mirrors where
Mozart once played. The vast gardens are popular
with locals and tourists alike, and include a zoo
and a maze. Also within the grounds, the Orangery
plays host to classical concerts during the summer
season.
Address: Schönbrunner Schloss Strasse 13;
Telephone: (222) 8111 3239; Website: www.schoenbrunn.at; Transport:
U4 to Schönbrunn station, trams 10 or 58, bus 10A; Opening time:
Daily 8.30am to 5pm (April to June, September, October); 8.30am to 6pm (July,
August); 8.30am to 4.30pm (November to March); Admission: €10
Giant
Wheel
One
of Vienna’s most recognisable attractions,
the Giant Wheel is located in a large wooded park
and playground known as the Prater. It was built
in 1897 by an English engineering firm and is the
only one of its era still standing (the ferris wheels
in Chicago, London, Blackpool and Paris have long
since been destroyed). The wheel with its 15 gondolas
takes twenty minutes to manoeuvre around and offers
magnificent panoramic views of the city.
Address: Prater 90; Telephone: (01) 729 5430; Website: www.wienerriesenrad.com; Opening
time: Daily 9am to midnight (May to September); daily 10am to 10pm
(March, April and October); daily 10am to 8pm (November to February);
Admission: €7.50
(adults), concessions available
Belvedere
The
Belvedere consists of two splendid rococo mansions, designed in the early 18th
century, which face each other across formal, sloping grounds which offers
excellent views over the city. From the outside it is Vienna’s finest
palace complex, built by Prince Eugène of Savoy (1680-1735), the famous
general who saved Vienna from the advance of the Ottoman Empire. The museums
in the two palaces house some of Vienna's most renowned art galleries, offering
excellent examples of Austrian art from the middle ages to present day. Their
displays include an unrivalled collection of paintings by Klimt as well as
famous works by Schiele and Kokoschka, Renoir and Monet. The Medieval and Baroque
works are presented in the Lower Palace where many rooms have been preserved
in their original state.
Address: 27 Prinz Eugen Street; Telephone: 79 557-0; Website: www.belvedere.at; Transport:
Tram D to Schloss Belvedere or Trams 18 or 0 to Südbahnhof;
bus 13A or 69A to Südbahnhof; Opening time: Tuesday to Sunday 10am to
6pm; Admission: €7.50; includes entry into both parts of the Belvedere
Vienna State Opera
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; Telephone: (01) 5144 42250; Website: www.wiener-staatsoper.at
SALZBURG
Hohensalzburg Castle
The 11th-century Hohensalzburg Castle stands on a rocky
outcrop approximately 394ft (120m) above the city. Although originally
built by Archbishop Gebhard to repel attacks from the neighbouring Bavarians,
the present-day fortress was largely rebuilt in the early 16th century
by Archbishop Leonhard Von Keutschach who added the grand state apartments.
Visitors can walk around the courtyard and outskirts of the fortress at
no cost unless they take the guided tour around the state apartments. The
tour finishes at two small museums (this is optional) that display a selection
of weapons, uniforms and armour together with instruments of torture -
such as the Schandmasken - which petty criminals had to don as punishment
for their crimes.
Address: Mönchsberg 34; Telephone: 842 43011; Website: www.salzburg-burgen.at; Transport:
It is possible to walk, or there is a funicular; Opening time:
Daily 9am to 5pm; Admission: €3.60 (adults)
St Peter's Abbey
If you only have time to visit one of Salzburg's many churches,
make sure its the 9th-century St Peter's Abbey (Peterskirche), one of Salzburg's
most impressive Rococo buildings. The Peterskirche was built at the beginning
of the 18th century on the foundations of the former church which was founded
in 792. The ornate interior is more impressive than the exterior with high
marble pillars and a magnificent frescoed ceiling. The ancient catacombs that
were carved into the rock face by the early Christian inhabitants are accessible
only through a short guided tour.
Telephone: 84 45 76-0; Opening time: Tuesday to Sunday 10.30am to 5pm (May
to September); Wednesday and Thursday 10.30am to 3.30pm, Friday to Sunday 10.30am
to 4pm (October to April); Admission: €1
THE
ALPS
St Anton
St Anton is a top destination for
British skiers and snowboarders, attracted by both
the first-class skiing and the beer-fuelled après
ski sessions. Along with its neighbours, Lech and
Zürs (only a short bus ride away), St Anton
offers extensive skiing for intermediate and advanced
skiers but is possibly not the best choice for beginners
or non-skiers as lower slopes can get crowded and
there are not many off-slope facilities. The resort,
which sprawls along the bottom of a narrow valley,
is a Mecca for ski-bums attracted by the excellent
off-piste runs - the best Austria has to offer. St
Anton's south-facing slopes can get slushy by the
end of the day, particularly in spring, and partly
for this reason the collection of bars on the slopes
above town get packed by around 3pm. The most famous
is the Krazy Kanguruh, which has live bands and is
filled by Austrian and English revellers dancing
in ski boots till the bar closes, when the short
run home in the dark becomes a challenge to some.
Kitzbuhel
Among Austrian resorts Kitzbuhel is the most commercial, glamorous and expensive.
The beautiful alpine town, which dates back to the 9th century, has remained
fairly unspoilt. In the winter you will hear the jingle of bells as a horse-drawn
sleigh is pulled through its cobbled, traffic-free town centre. There is
an extensive and varied skiing area offering excellent skiing and snowboarding
both on and off-piste, but be prepared for a lack of snow in places. Due
to the low altitude the lower slopes are rarely open. If the skiing in
Kitzbuhel doesn't tire you out the nightlife certainly will. The atmosphere
is bright, boisterous and fun and doesn't stop till the not-quite-so-early
hours. This is also Austria's winter entertainment capital and attracts
performers from all over the continent throughout the season.
Saalbach
Saalbach and its close neighbour, Hinterglemm, have united in the picturesque
Glemmtal Valley to form one of Europe's liveliest ski resorts, which is
particularly popular with Dutch, German and Scandinavian visitors. The
valley sides offer numerous ski slopes, but its low altitude means that
snow conditions can deteriorate quickly. Nevertheless the resort has excellent
snowmaking equipment, which ensures good coverage in the sunshine. There
are more than 125 miles (200km) of ski trails linked by lifts, mainly suited
to intermediate level skiers. There is, however, a two-mile long (3km)
expert mogul descent on the north facing Zwolferkogel, and more than 60
miles (97km) of off-piste terrain. The pretty Tyrolean style villages are
fairly new, but the ambience is traditional with chalets and sleigh bells
adding to the charm.
CONTACTS:
Lastly and I hope you don't need it, but should you require
consular help - here are the details
Austrian National Tourist Office, Vienna:
+43 (0)1 588 660 or www.austria.info
Embassy of Austria, Washington DC, United States: +1 202 895 6700
Austrian Embassy, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7235 3731
Austrian Embassy, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 789 1444
Embassy of Austria, Canberra, Australia: +61 (0)2 6295 1533
Consulate General of Austria, Cape Town, South Africa: +27 (0)21 421 1441
Austrian Embassy, Dublin, Ireland: +353 (0)1 269 4577
Consulate of Austria, Auckland, New Zealand: +64 (0)9 489 8249
US Embassy, Vienna: +43 (0)1 313 390
British Embassy, Vienna: +43 (0)1 716 130
Canadian Embassy, Vienna: +43 (0)1 531 38 3000
Australian Embassy, Vienna: +43 (0)1 512 8580
South African Embassy, Vienna: +43 (0)1 320 6493
Embassy of Ireland, Vienna: +43 (0)1 715 4246
New Zealand Consulate-General, Vienna: +43 (0)1 318 8505
Emergencies: 112
AIRPORTS:
Ministro Pistarini International Airport (VIE)
Location:
The airport is located 11 miles (18km) southeast of Vienna. Time:
GMT +1 (GMT +2 between April to October). Contacts: Tel: +43 (0)1
7007 0 or (0)1 7007 22233 (24 hour telephone information service).
Transfer to the city: Local trains (€3) and buses (€6)
leave regularly for Vienna. There is also a City Airport Train (€9),
which provides a fast and direct service to the centrally-located
City Air Terminal that is connected to the underground, bus and
tram networks. Taxis are also available. Car rental: Car hire companies
include Avis, Hertz, Budget, Sixt and Thrifty. Facilities: There
are several shops, duty-free, restaurants and bars in both terminals.
Bureaux de change and ATMs are available all hours. Other facilities
include airline lounges, business centre, Internet cafes and a medical
centre. Parking: The parking lots and multistorey car parks are
connected to the terminal by signposted footpaths. Departure tax:
None. Website: www.viennaairport.com
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