Austria has so many, actually endless absolutely stunning places to visit that it’s almost impossible to list all of them down. Here, we have tried to low-down on some of the very best places to visit in Austria.
With its gorgeous Alpine peaks, sparkling lakes, tiny rustic hamlets, the romantic capital city, Austria is a quintessence of beauty.
Perched right in the heart of Europe, Austria is relatively small yet presents incredible opportunities for travelers.
It in fact has quite a big feel-good factor to it.
Best Places to Visit in Austria
Here are 7 stunning places in Austria that are a reason enough to plan a trip to Austria:
#1 Vienna
Time and again raked as the most liveable city on the earth, Vienna is the epitome of elegance, charm, and royalty.
I loved the chilled-out vibes of the city. From grand palaces with imperial gardens, grand squares, historical streets, Viennese wine to Viennese coffee culture, musical legacy and architectural masterpieces – Vienna has all that a visitor desires and more.
Dine at Griechenbeisl while having a date with Viennese history. Founded in 1447, Griechenbeisl is the oldest restaurant in Vienna. It boasts of welcoming visitors like Wagner, Schubert, Beethoven, Strauss, Mozart, and Mark Twain in the past.
You know, you can take some amazing side trips from Vienna to capitals of other European countries like Bratislava, Budapest, and Prague. Isn’t that a huge plus point?
In short, Vienna’s a stunner!
Read more: Coolest Things to do in Vienna, Austria
We recommend staying at Hotel Sans Souci Wien in the heart of Vienna just opposite the MuseumQuartier.
Check out some of the best family hotels to stay in Vienna.
#2 Wachau Valley
Just an hour away from Vienna, Wachau is a gem of a place in Austria. It’s a stunning region brimming with vast vineyards and orchards, historic castles and monasteries, cute little villages, forests, and river trails.
A 180 km long, Wachau World Heritage Trail is the best way to get the essence of Wachau Valley.
Or drive through the region in a rented car while stopping by at famous attractions on the way.
Known as the World Cultural Heritage Region, Wachau starts at the town of Krems and ends at Melk, an Austrian town best-known for its 11th-century monastery, Melk Abbey.
Read more: Discover the Wachau Valley – A World Heritage Site
Where to eat in Wachau? Well, there are a number of good places to eat in the Danube Valley but Landgasthaus Essl stole my heart. Beautifully located on the bank of the Danube in a tiny village of Rührsdorf, Essl offers good food, good wine, good service, and good views.
Our top pick for a stay in Wachau Region is Hotel Schloss Dürnstein. Uniquely located on a rock overlooking the Danube at the heart of the Wachau, this luxurious hotel is highly rated by travelers.
Check out the best places to stay in and around the Wachau region.
#3 Salzburg
Add some love, romance, music, and art to history – That’s Salzburg!
Close to the border of Germany, Salzburg sits on the banks of the Salzach river and brags of being the birthplace of a child prodigy, Mozart.
The historical and picturesque streets and the squares of Salzburg still echo the compositions of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one of the best classical composers of all time.
The UNESCO-listed Altstadt (Old Town) of Salzburg retains the old-world charm. It doesn’t seem to have changed much since Mozart’s time.
The most famous landmarks in Salzburg include Festung Hohensalzburg, a 900-year-old cliff-top fortress, and DomQuartier, a cathedral-museum complex.
The American classic and the most popular musical movie of all times ‘The Sound of Music’ was filmed in and around Salzburg.
You can visit the movie locations and can also stay in the same house where the Von Trapp family once lived. Check the availability of Villa Trapp.
We strongly recommend our readers staying at Hotel Schloss Mönchstein in Salzburg. Why? Well, you’ll have to stay here to know 😉
Buy the Original Mozartkugel at Café-Konditorei Fürst. They make a perfect souvenir.
Read more: Best Things to do in Salzburg, Austria
#4 Hallstatt
A stunning tiny village on Lake Hallstatt (Hallstätter See) surrounded by Dachstein Alps in the Salzkammergut region in Austria, Hallstatt is said to be the oldest still-inhabited village in Europe.
Hallstatt is a place to be if you’re on a relaxing vacation.
A town so tiny and idyllic that gives you time to sit at a cafe by the lake and enjoy the scenery or paint the scenery or just watch people walk by, Hallstatt is a photographer’s or a writer’s or a poet’s or a painter’s or a creative soul’s paradise.
If you’re extra zestful and don’t want to just sit, drive to the other gorgeous places in the Salzkammergut region like Attersee-Attergau, Ausseerland, Bad Ischl, Dachstein, Fuschlseeregion, Mondsee-Irrsee, Traunsee-Almtal, and Wolfgangsee.
Oh, and you can’t miss the impressive Dachstein Ice Caves and 5 Fingers, 15-minutes away from Hallstatt.
We loved the Restaurant Gimsenwirt in St Gilgen in every aspect. They serve the tasty fresh local food with a warm smile on their faces. A plus.
Read more: Things to do in Hallstatt, Austria
Wondering where to stay in Hallstatt? Check out the most highly ranked hotels in Hallstatt.
Planning a trip to Austria? You might need a Schengen Visa (Europe Visa) for Austria. Read our ultimate guide to Schengen Visa that strives to make the visa process a cake-walk for you.
#5 Innsbruck
Erstwhile capital of the Hapsburg Empire and the present capital city of the Austrian state of Tyrol, Innsbruck is an eclectic mix of old and new.
Innsbruck Old Town with its Imperial Palace and church feels like a picture-book town while Swarowski Crystal World in Wattens exudes contemporary innovation.
Watching over Innsbruck, the Nordkette Mountain Range is an adventurer’s playground. Getting up to the Alpine playground is easy and fast and offers jaw-dropping views, hiking, skiing, rock climbing, and more.
And you know, you can wine and dine at the Cloud 9, an igloo bar at station Seegrube. At 1,905m, it’s the highest nightclub in the Alps.
It’s open daily starting from December through April from 9 am to 4 pm.
Searching for a good hotel in Innsbruck? We’ve got you covered. Here are the 10 best hotels in Innsbruck to choose from.
We recommend staying at Aqua Dome 4 Sterne Superior Hotel & Tirol Therme Längenfeld or Das Central – Alpine. Luxury. Life for the alternative and out of the ordinary experience. They are about an hour away from Innsbruck in Tirol’s exclusive towns of Längenfeld and Sölden.
#6 Graz
Austria’s second-largest city, Graz has been named the Cultural Capital of Europe (2003) and UNESCO City of Design (2011) for its thriving art, culture, and design scene.
The historic city’s full of cute cobbled streets and alleyways adorned with pastel-colored buildings and charming squares. I love towns like Graz that has a relaxed vibe.
And, there are a plethora of green spaces around the corner.
Once here, visit Kunsthaus Graz (Graz Art Museum), and Eggenberg Palace, hike the Schloßberg for stunning views over Graz.
Our pick for the best place to stay in Graz is Schlossberghotel – Das Kunsthotel, an artistic hotel in the heart of the city. You can also check out 10 best-value hotels in Graz, Austria here.
#7 Grossglockner High Alpine Road
You can’t leave Austria before you take a road trip through Austria’s most beautiful pass road. It’s clearly the boss of all the scenic road journeys in the country.
The alpine road connects north to the south while passing through the heart of the Oldest National Park in Austria, Hohe Tavern National Park.
It’s a road trip that combines equal measures of thrill and beauty. Please drive this BEAUTY.
It’s not just a mountain pass road but a destination in its own right. The road is lined with mind-boggling activities and attractions for kids and adults.
We drove the entire stretch in a day with brief stop-overs but if you want to take one of the many amazing hiking trails, there are a ton of places to stay near the Grossglockner.
Our recommendations? Hotel Riederalm in Leogang and Biohotel Daberer in Dellach.
Check out other best hotels near the Grossglockner.
Read more: Driving the Epic Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse in Austria
So, these were a few of our favorites of endless gorgeous places to visit in Austria.
What’s your favorite city or place in Austria? Do share in the comments section below. We love it when our readers reach us.
Austria travel guides and itineraries on our blog:
- Wachau Valley, Austria
- Salzburg, Austria
- Hallstatt, Austria
- Driving the Epic Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse
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