Travel in Austria – Hotels, Austria Vacations, Lodging, Trips, Attractions and Travel Guide

The Beauty Of A Vacation To Austria

Early morning sun rising over Kunsthistorisches Natural History Museum (1891) in Vienna.

Austria is officially known as the Republic of Austria and is located in Central Europe. Austria is a mountainous country and contains the following ranges; the Alps, the Central Eastern Alps, the Northern Limestone Alps and Southern Limestone Alps. In Austria a tourist will find a great number of architectural, cultural and historical attractions to enjoy.

Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, is one of the most prestigious museums in Europe. The museum was designed by Gottfried Semper and Karl von Hasenauer, in a design influenced by the Italian Renaissance. The museum was opened in 1891 and for the first time united all the imperial art collections under one roof. The museum is now divided into eight different collections, and other museums have joined as part of Kunsthistorisches such as; Ambras Castle in Innsbruck, the Museum of Ethnology and the Austria Theatre Museum.

The Thonet Building have recently become somewhat of a cultural landmark in Austria, and has since been renamed KunstHaus Wien. It is a museum, former home, that features the work of the artist Friedrich Hundertwasser, who is perhaps best known for his modernistic art and award-winning postage stamp designs. The house is a wonder to behold and was designed using very creative architecture. Guests can tour the museum, purchase souvenirs and enjoy the quaint restaurant inside.

The Donauturm (Danube Tower) is an observatory designed by Professor Hannes Lintl, the observatory was opened in 1964, for the International Gardening Exhibition. The tower is the second tallest structure in Austria and the tallest freestanding. Guests can either take one of two high-speed elevators or climb up 776 steps to reach the observation deck. There are also two revolving restaurants in the tower which offers visitors breathtaking views of the Austrian capital.

Austria is also home to the world famous Lippizaner Stallions. The Spanische Hofreitschule is the only school in the world where haute ecole riding and training methods are exclusively taught. When the horses are born they are a grayish-black color and as they age, they become stark white. The breed was started by Maximilian II, later the emperor of Austria, in 1562. Some years later the Spanish School was founded near the Imperial Palace. In between 1729 and 1735, according to plans by Josef Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, Emperor Karl VI had the Riding School built. The Lippizan stallions are the only horses in the world who are bred to perform the pace, trot, gallop maneuvers dating back to ancient Greece. The Spanish Riding School is a jewel in the crown of Austria and attracts many visitors every year.

Textile Road offers some one of the most fascinating site seeing and historical information in Austria. The history of Waldviertel is woven intricately into the history of textiles, dating back as far as 1759, when there were 72 guilds of linen weavers in the region. Visitors will be shown the tight-weaving procedures used to make ribbon, as well as wide-weaving used to produce fabrics of all kinds. The museum exhibits focus on the development of different weaving machines and 18th century weaving mill. Guided tours can be arranged for groups who want to learn all about the interesting art of fabric making and weaving.

Austria has eight World Heritage Sites. The Clock Tower of Graz, Hallstatt-Dachstein Salzkammergut, Lake Neusiedler, Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart and home of some sacred buildings in Austria, Schonbrunn, the summer palace of the Habsburgs and world famous zoo, Semmering Railway, Wachau known for its castle ruins, and Vienna Old Town. All of these locations offers something unique and interesting for tourists to do.

There are many unusual yet, charming places to stay in Austria. There are chalets of all sizes such as Pergo Holiday House, HMS Hut Rental Service, Almliesl which specializes in chalets, mountain huts and apartment rentals in Austria. When touring in Austria, tourists can enjoy cross-country skiing, tobogganing, snowboarding and various other snow related activities. No matter what time of year it is, Austria provides some of the most interesting and diverse experiences that any traveler is sure to enjoy.