late deals, apartments and cheap flights can be found by searching on our home page.

Holidayco.co.uk specialises in cheap austrian holidays, package holidays and late deals to a huge number of destinations. Find out more about Austria in our guide below.

Holidays in Austria

Austria Main Guide | Places to visit | Things to do

Austria is a large and developed European country which has been part of the European Union since 1995. Austria is popular with skiers and other fans of winter sports as well as those wishing to visit its charming and historic cities.

Austria Facts At A Glance

Area: 83,870 square km.

Climate: Temperate. Generally cloudy with cold winters and moderate summers

Terrain: Varied. Mountains in the west and south. Mostly flat in eastern and northern regions

Population: 8.2 Million

Languages: German

Currency: Euro

Time Zone: 1 Hour ahead of GMT

International Dialling Code: +43

Food and Drink

International cuisine is readily available in Austria, along with traditional Austrian dishes such as Weiner Schnitzel, veal escalope fried in breadcrumbs, Tafelspitz and Kaiserschmarrm.

Viennese coffee is quite special, with many intriguing variations available. Pastries and cakes to accompany your coffee are an Austrian speciality.

Why not search our database of cheap austrian holidays now by visiting the holidayco.co.uk homepage and using the search facility.

Places to visit

Vienna is the capital of Austria and home to almost 20% of the population. The city was settled in Roman times and grew to become the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. The city has many historical attractions including St Stephan’s Cathedral and the Schloss Schonbrunn, once home to the ruling dynasty of the Empire. The city also has a great variety of cultural attractions and has been home to many great musicians.

Graz is, like many Austrian cities, an old settlement dating back to about 800AD. The city was important as a trading and governmental centre during medieval times and the days of the Holy Roman Empire, and today is the second largest city in Austria. The Schlossberg fortress contains a large collection of militaria, while the Uhturm tower is an important local landmark. Its clock dates from 1712. Graz annually hosts exhibitions of art and theatre.

Bregenz , near the German border, has had a long and colourful history and has buildings dating from the 13 th century. The town is close to the Alps and has a large tourist industry.

Klagenfurt , a regional capital, is famous for the legend of the Lindwurm, a dragon which haunted the area until killed at the time of the city’s founding. A huge statue of this mythical beast stands in the main square. The city boasts a baroque cathedral and a collection of scale models of famous buildings. The region has many castles and strongholds, each with its own story.

Salzburg was for many years ruled by an Archbishop rather than a secular leader. It has a large number of religious buildings of which the most impressive is the church of St Sebastian. The town is also home to Hohensalzburg Fortress, said to be the best preserved medieval stronghold in Europe. Salzburg hosts an annual festival of music.

Innsbruck was first settled in the Bronze Age and gradually grew in importance over the centuries. Its peak was the 15 th century when Emperor Maximilian I took the city as his capital. Many buildings still reflect the style of this period. Today Innsbruck is popular with fans of winter sports. In particular it is considered to be the European capital for snowboarding.

Linz is another Roman settlement, situated on the Danube river. The city grew important through trade and still has many baroque buildings from the 1700s. Linz hosts an annual fair dedicated to technology and electronic art.

Austria has an excellent public transport system and a good road network. However, parking can be a problem in large cities so the bus or, better, the train, is a good option. Cycling is encouraged in most cities, with some good routes outside the cities.

Things to do

Many people visit Austria for the winter sports, which are also very popular with Austrians. There are many skiing resorts in the Austrian Alps most of which have grown up around existing villages. Development has been done carefully to maintain the traditional feeling of the resorts even while bringing facilities right up to date. Austria is also snowboard-friendly, with no restrictions on boarders’ use of skiing facilities. Many skiing resorts also have an excellent nightlife and other attractions off piste. Innsbruck is of course the most famous of the skiing resorts, but there are plenty to choose from.

Vienna has a number of excellent museums of art including the Albertina Graphic Arts Collection and the Museum of Fine Arts. There is a technical museum which includes special sections for children. You can also visit the home of Dr Sigmund Freud, which is now a museum dedicated to the founder of psychoanalysis. Alternatively, visit the Spanish Riding School and see the famous white horses at training or in performance.

Salzburg offers both the impressive Salzburg Fortress and the birthplace of the great composer Mozart. There is also a bus tour of locations from the film The Sound of Music. The nearby town of Halstatt offers excursions to the famous salt and ice caves, and the lake nearby.

Away from the cities, cruises on the romantic river Danube are popular, or for the more adventurous you can go kayaking on the river’s tributaries or hot air ballooning over western Austria from Voralberg. Austria has many castles in various states of repair. Each has its own story and attractions.