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Country portrait

Austria

Bergsteigerin in den Alpen in Österreich.

 

Typically Austrian

What is typical of Austria? Mountains, winter sports, gentian flowers, castles, lakes, hiking, Alpine cabins, Mozartkugel chocolates, the Golden Roof, the Vienna Opera Ball, the Danube River, Kaiserschmarrn desserts, coffeehouse culture, Sachertorte cakes, Wiener Schnitzel, classical music, Sigmund Freud, Romy Schneider, Christoph Waltz, DJ Ötzi, Ferris wheels and, of course, Sissi and Franz.

 

Old Vienna, new Vienna 

From fantastic baroque buildings, to gold art nouveau and modern architecture – the Austrian capital city is a blend of both old and new. The cityscape is made unique by the world-famous St. Stephan’s Cathedral, the over 100-year-old Ferris wheel in the Wiener Prater and numerous castles. Vienna is also known for its over 2,000 different parks that entice visitors for long walks and picnics. It’s no wonder Vienna has been designated the world’s most livable city for the third time in a row.


Land of mountains

Austria is the land of mountains. Two-thirds of the country is covered by Europe’s largest mountain range – the Alps. The highest mountain in Austria, the Grossglockner, stands 4,000 meters tall. Austria’s 8.4 million inhabitants are spread across nine federal states, with the area surrounding the capital city Vienna being the most populous. Austria shares a border with eight other countries. 


Winter sports and a hiker’s paradise

Skiing, tobogganing or snowboarding – winter sports play an extremely important role in the economy (in particular in the states of Vorarlberg, Salzburg und Tirol) and Austria is famous for them around the globe. But Austria is equally famous for its summer activities: from strolls in the open countryside and quiet breaks in cozy Alpine cabins all the way to hikes up the country’s countless mountains – Austria has something for everyone to enjoy.  

 

Cultural highlights

The country has produced many great composers – the most famous of whom is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Younger generations are often more interested in modern music by Falco, DJ Ötzi or Christina Stürmer. In the context of music, the famous Viennese Waltz is the fastest dance in the World Dance Program. Numerous castles, museums and architecture both new and old will truly delight those with a love of culture. Last but not least, Austria has also played a pivotal role in shaping coffeehouse culture.

 

More than just sugar and flour

Sachertorte, Gugelhupf Salzburger Nockerl, Kaiserschmarrn... Austria is widely known for its desserts and pastries. But Austrian cuisine has more to offer than just sweets: Alongside the famous Wiener Schnitzel, Austrian goulash, various types of dumpling and pancakes also top the list of favorite foods. Beer is the national drink and is served in various sizes – starting with the 0.2 liter “Pfiff.” In total, there are approximately 1,000 different beers in Austria.