Thinking about Austria you immediately image Wien; nevertheless the Habsburg influence of the capital and the beauty of the other cities of art are only an aspect of the tourist attractions of this nation situated in the heart of Europe, between the Countries of Slavic influences and the neo-Latin world, in great part on a alpine territory and a small one occupied by Bavarian valleys engraved by the Danube.
Museums and collections of art, buildings and Baroque churches, many open air activities in summer and the snow sports in winter make Austria an important destination in every moment of the year. Not only purely cultural tourism, or tied up to the winter sports, but also many entertainments, that range from the summer activities to the cares of the body or the gastronomy.

CULTURAL ITINERARIES

The Austrian cities that deserve a visit are many: Wien, the capital, glorious legacy of the Habsburg dynasty that has influenced all the Europe for over 600 years, boasts the presence of numerous architectural masterpieces and a notable musical inheritance. Saltsburg, place of birth of Mozart and capital of the Austrian Baroque, rich of pinnacles, domes, towers and turrets; museums, houses, square, chocolate, liqueurs... here everything brings the name of the famous musician.
But also Graz, Innsbruck, Linz and Klagenfurt, to quote the most known centers.
Austria is also Rust, known for the strange combination of storks and wine: the name derives from "ruster", that in German means elm it is a prosperous city that has been producing wine for centuries and where, as testify its splendid bourgeois dwelling, people live well; the storks arrive at the end of March, grow their cubs and then leave again at the end of August; a lot of houses have a metallic base on the roof to encourage the birds to build a nest.

An other possibility in Austria is following a path to visit the castles: there are a lot spread on the whole territory. In the region of the Stiria, for instance, there are three: the Castle of Herberstein, that hosts art exhibitions, conferences and tasting of wine; the Fortress of Riegersburg, one of the fortified structures better preserved and more interesting from the point of view of the defensive technique in all the Central Europe; and the Castle of Kornberg, a marvelous Renaissance castle-fortitude of ‘600.

Dealing with culture, Mauthausen deserve a stop, sadly known for historical reasons: the Nazi chose this small mining city of northern Austria to build a concentration camp. The prisoners were forced to work in granite quarry and very often died long the so-called "the death's staircase" that brought from the mine to the camp. Between 1938 and 1945 here were killed around 200.000 prisoners. Today a museum illustrates the history of this and other concentration camps in Austria using texts, papers, manufactured articles and spine-chilling German photos. The huts where the prisoners lived and the infamous gases rooms can be visited.

SPORT AND NATURAL ITINERARIES

Thanks to the nature of the territory, alpine for more than an half, all the Austrians seem to know how to ski without difficulty. Vorarlberg and Tirol are the zones more frequented, but it is also possible to ski in the province of Saltsburg, in northern Austria and in Carinzia. Kitzbühel and Lech are the more fashion places. Who has less money to spend and prefers to avoid the long tails at the ski-lifts, will appreciate the cross-country ski, practiced wherever there is enough snow and space.
There are thousand of kilometers of well equipped paths for excursions to the discovery the Alps. The mountains of the Kaisergebirge in the northern Tirol are ideal for the mountaineering but not be alone and have the correct equipment are necessary as to consult the people of the place about weather conditions and the possibility of avalanches.
Free-climbing and hang-gliding are very diffused and the equipment can be rented in a lot of skiing places. The ascensions in aerostatic ball are also available, despite the costs.
In the lakes of the Salzkammergut and the Carinzia water ski, sail and windsurf can be practiced. The river cruises on the Danube are compulsory, above all for the lovers of Strauss.

 And if is not enough, here are some other original destination

Caves of Eisriesenwelt: situated at an altitude of 1640 meters, they are the biggest caverns of ice in the world accessible to the public. They are composed by over 40 kilometres of explored passages and 30.000 meters cubes of ice. The influx of the tourists is regulated and with the guided visit of 75 minutes the immense caverns containing elaborate formations of ice and frozen falls can be admired. The caves were visited for the first time in 1879, but the first careful explorer was Alexander von Mork. When he died, its ashes were put in an urn in the "cathedral cave."

Road of the Grossglockner: for a fantastic excursion of 50 kilometres in mountain the Road of the Grossglockner can be crossed by car, the most beautiful Austrian panoramic road. It was built between 1930 and 1935 along an itinerary that since the Middle Ages constituted an important commercial path between Germany and Italy. The most beautiful parts are inside the National Park of the Hohe Tauern, where impressive mountains by the unpronounceable names can be admired among which the stately Grossglockner that with its 3797 meters it surround on the vast glacier of Pasterze.

Bicycle path of the Danube: it is of course one of the most fascinating tours in Austria, panoramic and not too much binding, right also to children.  There are a lot of cycle paths in Austria, for every type of difficulty. It is a good way to depart to the discovery of the territory.

And after so much sport and so many emotions in the open air, why not to decide to relax in one of the well equipped thermal centers? The offer is really vast. Ask us information!

WINE AND GASTRONOMY ITINERARIES

The traditional Austrian cuisine is tasty and substantial, based essentially on meat and dumplings. The Wiener Schnitzel (that is meat passed in the egg, in the crumb bread and fried) is the more known Wien recipe in the world has spread in all the economic restaurants, from New York to Alice Springs. The Beuschel, that in the menus can be translated as "chitterlings of calf", is a savory dish of thin slices of lung and heart. Try for believing!

The cakes are excellent. The more famous Austrian dessert is the Strudel, a roll of flaky pastry full of fruit, raisin and cinnamon, that can be accompanied with a glass of fresh Austrian beer or with a good local wine. But for people who loves chocolate. to taste a slice of Sacher cake is comparable to the most intense mystical experience!!