Austria Travel Guide

Opening times of St. Stephen’s, with some restriction during services: Monday to Saturday: 06:00 - 22:00 Sundays and Public Holidays: 07:00 - 22:00 http://www.stephanskirche.at/index.jsp?menuekeyvalue=11&langid=2 http://www.stephanskirche.at/index.jsp?menuekeyvalue=13&langid=2 Guided Tours: Monday to Saturday between 9 am and 11.30 am, and between...

The last time we were in Vienna, we didn't get the opportunity to visit Demel. This time, we weren't going to pass up the opportunity. We met up with one of LJ's friends (from when she used to live here) and headed to Demel for lunch/dessert. A classic, historic and wonderful place to visit...just the desserts alone make this a "must-see"...

Built in 1077 by Archbishop Gebhard, Hohensalzburg Fortress is noted as not only having never been conquered but also as the largest intact fully preserved fortress in Central Europe. A funicular dating back to 1892 whisks visitors up for a tour of the prince's medieval apartments as well as the view and hint of its vantage point that made it...

One way to save money when traveling around German speaking countries is to eat in butcher shops or Metzgerei in German. It is a great way to try local foods and do it cheaply too. It can be foreboding if you don't speak any German but everything is on display so you can always point if no one speaks English. Don't worry about the prices either....

Located in the TIROLER VOLKSKUNSTMUSEUM is the Tyrolean Folk Art displays of traditional dress and arts and crafts, nativity sets and historic panelled rooms. I loved the display of the 'GOSPEL IN MINIATURE,' a display of various Nativity scenes. Nativity scenes play a big part at Christmas time in the Tyrol, in the past and the present. The...

There we were, with our 10 months old baby and my in-laws (senior citizens), requesting a table for four. The waitress goes to her colleague, whispers something, both grinning and giggling looking at us. We wait, wait, and wait ! I ask directly if they have a problem with our skin colour (we are wheatish btw) ! The waitress blabbers something and...

The Schlossberg is a mountain in the centre of Graz. An old legend tells how Graz originally had only a small hill known as Schöckl. The people of Graz made a pact with the devil telling him that if he made their mountain higher, they would give him the soul of the first person to climb up there. The devil agreed. He went to Africa and broke off...

Graz had some great shop signs. I always look for these when I travel in European cities because I find them very creative and interesting. Some of my favourites are shown in the attached photos.

The first Pfarrkirche (catholic church) was built there in 1150, the still existing steeple got afte a fire in 1750 a baroque roof, and todays still existing church was finished 1505. The fresoes above the south portal are from 1519. The interior is a two-aisled hall, one side the miners the other side the burghers, with one of the most important...

The first Pfarrkirche (catholic church) was built there in 1150, the still existing steeple got afte a fire in 1750 a baroque roof, and todays still existing church was finished 1505. The fresoes above the south portal are from 1519. The interior is a two-aisled hall, one side the miners the other side the burghers, with one of the most important...

This shows just one of the many circular stairwells around the Abbey. That is Tal you can see at the bottom.I still find it fantastic that they let visitors into places like this to walk around and scuff up the floors and even touch the walls and statues in certain places. Some "exhibits" are roped off, I guess those are the more expensive items or...

This abbey was founded in 1089. Today's Baroque abbey was constructed between 1702 and 1736. I especially enjoyed the Abbey church with its amazing frescos and the library with countless medieval manuscripts, including a famed collection of musical manuscripts and frescos.Fortunately, you are allowed to take photos inside. The views from the top...

The "Zell am See Kaprun Sommerkarte" is a guest card that grants you free admission or discounts for many sights in the region. It's not possible to purchase that card, instead you get it in several accommodations when you stay there in summer.The following is free with this card:- Gondola lifts of Zell am See (Schmittenhöhe)- Gondola lifts to the...

There are various gondola lifts in Zell am See, that will bring you up to the Schmittenhöhe – either to the peak directly or to parts of the mountain. The following gondola lifts are open in summer:- Schmittenhöhebahn: cable car from Schmittental to the peak (1949m)- Sonnenalmbahn: cable car from Schmittental to a height of 1382m- Sonnkogelbahn:...

Good rail connections around Austria , Germany and the rest of Europe.Trains to Zargreb,, Budabest,, Basel,, Bonn,, etc. See OBB.at or Bahn.de for times of trains for all over Europe.--Staton is in Bahnhofplatz Linz on the southern edge of the city.

The restaurant building is in main street of Linz, but the garden restuarant is right through the building at rear.under the trees. Schnitel with boiled potatoes,salad and roast potatoes.

If you are planning to use local busses/trains/gondolas to get to walking areas consider the Zillercard it gives you:free travel on all busses in the valley and its valleys off, except to the Zillergrundfree travel on all trains to Jenbach except the steam train1 trip up and 1 trip down on a gondola (doesn't have to be the same one, we often went...

On half boar from the Hotel Obermair you have a soup starter, help yourself salad (choice of about 8 items along with various flavoured oils/dressings) choice of 2 main courses and a desert. The staff were very accommodating if you had allergies, etc and worked around them offering other choices not on the menu. Quality of the food was excellent....

During our stay in Badgastein we rented bikes (at our hotel, but there is also a sports store near the train station where you can rent bikes) and went on a bike ride to Böckstein, south of Badgastein. It's a short but beautiful trip. Unlike the streets of Badgastein, there are no steep hills on the way to Böckstein.

I can't speak of a fondest memory, more memorable memory. At the time we were in Austria there was very bad weather in the first days of our holiday. Several roads were difficult to drive on. River Salzach was almost flooding and in Mittersill the town really flooded. On our way to Badgastein the road was full of mud that came down the mountain....

A lovely village to wander and admire the quaint shops with local wares, souvenirs, cafes, hotels and more. And of course the Blue Church. Easy to spend a couple of hours here.

A visit to KREMS AN DER DONAU is only 8kms away and worth doing.The Steiner Tor [entrance to the old town], is one of the most beautiful I have seen!It is a landmark of Krems, and the only one of the four town gates preserved. The main tower dating to the late 15th century bears the personal insignia of Emperor Frederick III. Three crests from 1756...

From Edwrad Brown, A brief account of some travels in divers parts of Europe : viz. Hungaria, Servia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Thessaly, Austria, Styria, Carinthia, Carniola, and Friuli. Through a great part of Germany, and the Low-Countries. London, 1685.

The Obir Dripstone Caves are located at Eisenkappel-Vellach where mines once flourished. We enjoyed our journey through pretty farming country to the small town where we located the Tourist Information Centre.I went to book, and found the Tour was completely booked out, nearly all the seats taken by a large tour group. It was quite a long wait...

If you are wandering around the village like I was, then you will be sure to see the Parish Church St. Oswald. It is located right in the centre of Seefeld, on a small rise overlooking some of the village. All I could do, was wander around the outside of the Church, as a Service was being held.The Church dates back to 1263, and is dedicated to St....

As we were leaving Seefeld, we saw two Ski jumps located on the outskirts of the village.These were the Toni-Seelos Olympiaschanze, named in 1948 after the skiing legend Anton Seelos. Before the Olympic Winter Games in 1964, the ski jumping hill was enlarged and a 14 meters high tower was built. Today mainly competitions of Nordic combined take...

In the area of Wolfgangsee, there are many possibilities for cyclig trips - either for beginners or to well experienced bikers. Sankt Wolfgang offes beautiful cycling paths starting in the village and continuing to beautiful Austrian countryside and mountains. Most of the tours leads through cycling paths where you can get in touch with the alpine...

In the area of Wolfgangsee, there are many possibilities for cyclig trips - either for beginners or to well experienced bikers. Sankt Wolfgang offes beautiful cycling paths starting in the village and continuing to beautiful Austrian countryside and mountains. Most of the tours leads through cycling paths where you can get in touch with the alpine...

What happened at Mayerling Lodge?On the night of January 29th, 1889, Crown Prince Rudolf, son and heir to the Hapsburg Emperor, Franz Josef I of Austria, shot and killed his lover and then took his own life.The question asked was why?Did this set off a chain of events that changed the fate of Europe? The murder-suicide became known as the Mayerling...

The Vienna woods, doesn't that sound romantic. Well, it could be, as we took this drive from Baden to Mayerling and it was very nice. After leaving Baden behind, we passed through a tunnel and then lots of small villages. All the time we were driving alongside the Shwechatbach river along the Helenental Valley. We saw old Churches, hillsides...