Austria Vacations

Not sure what to do or where to go? Try one of these ideas for a vacation in Austria.

austria vacations Idea 1:
Hallstatt is a tiny lakeside fishing village that makes for a lovely place for a holiday retreat. As a World Heritage Destination, Hallstatt is home to the world's oldest and still functioning salt-mine where you can take a tour. Delve into prehistoric and local culture with artifacts in its local museums; experience the Hallstatt salt-mine and natural ice caves of the Dachstein mountain, and miles of hiking trails.

austria vacations Idea 2:
Climb the 14th-century Stadtturm on Herzog Friedrich Strasse in Innsbruck. Get a stunning view of the Inn River valley, the northern Alps and the Tuxer mountain range. Innsbruck is Austria's most popular holiday destination and is famous for its winter sports having twice been home to the Winter Olympics. There are five main skiing areas accessible from Innsbruck.

austria vacations Idea 3:
Experience a low-key vacation in the small town of Kirchplaztl in the heart of Tyrol. There are lots of clear well marked paths and flat valley trails for walking, bicycling or horse riding. The mountain views are fantastic and mountain lifts running all season.

austria vacations Idea 4:
A visit to the mountain spa in Bad Gastein for the healing properties of the Badgastein thermal water may be just the vacation for you. Experience the legendary healing power of the radon caves of Radhausberg Mountain. The Gastein thermal springs along with the radon content of the warm air and 70-80% humidity in the core of the mountain are supposed to be helpful for a wide variety of ailments.

austria vacations Idea 5:
Tour The World's Largest Ice Cave "Eisriesenwelt Werfen", near Halstatt. You will have to dress warmly because the temperature is close to the freezing point. You can tour the caves by yourself with a map or take a guided tour. There is a little museum where you can see a huge cave system model, exhibits about it's exploration and life in the caves.

austria vacations Idea 6:
For a piece of history tour Hitler's Eagles Nest mountain top conference center. It was built as a 50th birthday present to Adolf Hitler from the Nazi Party. A marble-lined tunnel leads into the heart of the mountain and then the original brass-lined elevator into the building itself. There is also a 4 mile underground bunker network under Obersalzberg which was built as an air raid shelter, war headquarters and last refuge for the Nazi leaders.

austria vacations Idea 7:
MCM-City Tours has a "Great Do-Re-Mi Tour" of Salzburg where you can experience all the major sights of the wonderful movie "Sound of Music". It's Salzburg sightseeing at its best. Be inspired by the stunning scenery and listen to the original soundtrack.

austria vacations Idea 8:
Music-lovers can visit Vienna's newest museum, The House of Music. One floor is devoted to the Vienna Philharmonic. There are audio-visual exhibits on Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss, Haydn, and Mahler. There are a number of fun and fascinating sound-bending interactive exhibits even the tone-deaf will enjoy.

austria vacations Idea 9:
The Melk Abbey, overlooking the Danube River Valley, is one of Europe's great sights. The Abbey Church of this magnificent monastery rises 200 feet in the air. It was restored in 1996: the frescoes, statues, gilded columns, it's a museum, church, library and Baroque showcase.

austria vacations Idea 10:
The various self-guided trails of Hohe Tauern National Park will lead you through a delightful landscape at the feet of Austria's highest mountains. Over 200 animals await you in the Wildlife Park and Kids' Adventure Land. Experience every climatic zone including the arctic and a breathtaking view of the surrounding Alpine peaks on the Grossglockner High-Alpine Road. Plus steam train rides, a planetarium, a 100m-high waterfall, and more.