The Vienna Hofburg: Austria’s Imperial Palace

The Hofburg Palace is an extensive grand building in Vienna, Austria. Serving as the imperial palace of the monarchs of the powerful Habsburg dynasty for ages, it is now the official residence and the place of business of the President of Austria. Since 1275, it has been going through some improvements; hence, the influences of different architectural styles including Gothic, Baroque, Rococo and Renaissance are quite evident in the Palace. The entire Habsburg complex stands on 59 acres of land with ornate squares and gardens and has about 2,600 rooms. The major highlights of the complex include the Silver Collection Museum, the Sisi Museum of Empress Elisabeth, and the Imperial Apartments, a collection of nineteen rooms that originally belonged to Emperor Franz Joseph and his beloved wife.

Salzburg Altstadt [UNESCO World Heritage Site]

The Altstadt Salzburg, the old town of Salzburg in Austria, has been a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site since 1996. Right from the beginning of Christianity in Europe, the city of Salzburg served as a religious centre and the dwelling place of Prince Archbishops. The city is full of historic churches, monasteries and palaces. In the core of the Old Town of Salzburg is the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter. Built by St. Rupert in 690 AD, it was the seat of the Archbishops till the 12th century. It is well-known for its Romanesque church, beautiful cemetery and catacombs. Nearby is the Salzburg Cathedral, the vast Baroque cathedral which is considered to be the top-most attraction of the old town. Roam around the colourful Baroque apartments to check out the elegant squares and attractions such as the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, which is now a frequently visited museum. Sitting on top of a hill, the Hohensalzburg Fortress can be reached by a funicular. This 11th-century mighty fortress with fantastic views is undoubtedly one of the most popular tourist attractions.

Spanish Riding School, Vienna

The Spanish Riding School in Vienna is one of the earliest and most famous horse riding schools in the world. The history of this school goes back to 1562 when Emperor Maximilian II introduced the magnificent Lipizzaner horses in Austria. Later in 1735, it was built with a view to training these Lipizzaner stallions and providing youths from the nobility with the opportunity to learn and demonstrate their horse-riding skills. It is the only institution in the world where the classical skill of riding a horse, the Haute Ecole has been preserved and practised. The presentation of this art of horse-riding by the Lipizzaner stallions in the Hofburg is a famous tourist attraction. Tickets for this show is always in high demand, therefore, book yours as early as you can.

Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna

The magnificent Schönbrunn Palace in Hietzing, Vienna is one of Austria’s top tourist attractions. In the 18th century, during the reign of Empress Maria Theresa, it was completed and started serving as an imperial summer residence. It has 1,441 Baroque rooms with 500 acres of amazing parks and gardens. This entire grand Palace along with gardens has been a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.

A tour through the 40 public rooms of the palace offers insights into the Royal Apartments, the Great Gallery, the Million Room, Maria Theresa’s salon and the Hall of Mirrors. Complete your Schönbrunn visit with the exploration of some other attractions including the Schönbrunn Zoo, 18th-century zoo on the grounds of the Schönbrunn Palace containing numerous species of animals, the Classical Gloriette, the gorgeous Neptune Fountain and the Obelisk Fountain.

Innsbruck’s Hofburg and Hofkirche

During the reign of Emperor Maximilian I, Innsbruck, the city in western Austria, was the centre of Europe and the cantonment of the Hapsburg government. The Hofburg, the residence of the Emperor, is a top attraction of the city. It was actually rebuilt in Baroque and Rococo style by Empress Maria Theresa during her time in power. During your visit, check out the luxurious royal apartments, the glamorous Giant Hall and the designed roofs.

The Hofkirche, in English the “Court Church”, was built in 1553 as a memorial to Emperor Maximilian I, demising in 1519. It is one of the finest examples of German Renaissance architecture whose central highlight is the large black marble catafalque with a bronze shape of the Emperor. There are twenty-four marble reliefs on the sides of this sarcophagus interpreting events from his life and surrounding it, also stand 28 16th-century bronze sculptures of the Emperor’s legendary ancestors, relatives and contemporaries. Other notable carvings include 20 bronze busts of Roman sovereigns and 23 bronze figures of saints from the Habsburg dynasty.

Melk Benedictine Abbey

Sitting on the top of a rocky land overlooking the River Danube, the Melk Abbey is an 11th-century Benedictine abbey in the city of Melk, Austria. This extensive complex is 325 metres long with its panoramic buildings stretching around seven courtyards. The most striking portion of this monastery is the western edge with the spectacular twin-towered church mounting up a curved area of the terrace. Highlights of this abbey include the tomb of Saint Coloman of Stockerau; the remains of some of the members of the House of Babenberg, the first ruling dynasty of Austria; the huge Imperial Corridor with images of the famous Austrian rulers including Empress Maria Theresa; and the impressive Imperial Rooms containing carvings and drawings.

Hallstatt and the Dachstein Salzkammergut

Hallstatt is a delightful small village in the Salzkammergut region Austria. It amazes the visitors with its beautiful Baroque architecture and precious culture. It is known all over the world for the production of salt since prehistoric days. It has the oldest salt mines in the world which are operational till the present day. There are traditional houses across the village, which were built in a way that they fit perfectly into the small space that the town offers.

Dachstein Salzkammergut, a sensational Austrian region, is loaded with natural and cultural wealth. Simply because of its picturesque landscapes, see-through lakes and dramatic mountain formations, it is a classified UNESCO World Heritage site. The area is made up of four neighbourhoods namely Bad Goisern, Gosau, Hallstatt and Obertraun; each possessing distinctive culture and tradition. One of the major attractions of this region is the Giant Ice Cave, a cave filled with natural ice formations or sculptures. Near this Ice Cave is the Mammoth Cave, another attraction of the area great for a trekking experience. Go up the Five Fingers viewing platform on Dachstein Krippenstein for complete picturesque views of the neighbouring areas.

Skiing at Kitzbühel and Kitzbüheler Horn

Kitzbühel is a small resort town in the province of Tyrol, Austria. It is the country’s one of the best places for skiing with 170 kilometres of skiable slopes and routeways. The town is best known for its annual Hahnenkamm downhill race, certainly one of the most difficult and terrifying downhill ski races in the world. Kitzbühel is not just about skiing; it is, in fact, a lovely town with designed houses and the snow-covered Alps; as well as upscale shops and cafes offering traditional Alpine snacks and drinks. It also has a museum that informs people of the history of the town, alpine skiing and winter sports.

The Kitzbüheler Horn is one of the most prominent Austrian mountains in the Kitzbühel Alps in Tyrol with a height of 1,996 metres. It is the ultimate fun point for skiers, snowboarders, and mountain hikers. The summit of the mountain can be reached through a cableway via the Pletzeralm or through climbing from the Kitzbühel village. It offers splendid views which are considered to be the most classic in the region of Tyrol. Besides picturesque views, there is a restaurant, a chapel, an Alpine garden and an exceptional mountaintop residence on the summit.

Medieval Burg Hochosterwitz

Hochosterwitz Castle is one of the most remarkable medieval castles in Austria. Stands on a rocky outcrop of 172 metres above the valley, it is located near Sankt Georgen am Längsee, in the east of the town of Sankt Veit. After its construction, the castle suffered greatly due to numerous Turkish attacks. To deal with that, an armoury and 14 defensive gates were built. Since then, it has never been captured by any invader and remained in the possession of the Khevenhüller family. Tourists can walk on the Burgweg, a long pathway through the 14 fortified gates up to the castle. The rooms of the castle contain classical paintings, artefacts, weapons and armour.

The Grossglockner Road to Franz-Josefs-Höhe

Named after the Austrian mountain Grossglockner, the Grossglockner High Alpine Road is the country’s highest surfaced mountain pass road. Completed in 1935, this scenic route is probably the most dramatic mountain road in Europe. Though It has lost its significance as a route through the Alps, it is a marvellous roadway through the Hohe Tauern and therefore, remains one of the major attractions in Austria.

The Grossglockner High Alpine Road leads through the heart of the Hohe Tauern, a mountain range in Austria towards the pyramid-shaped Grossglockner at 3,798 metres. Prominent in view, the Grossglockner is not only the highest mountain in Austria but also the highest mountain in the Alps. Head to the base of the mountain, the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe, which is at 2,369 meters above sea level. Named after an imperial visit of Kaiser Franz-Josef in 1856, it offers spectacular views of the Grossglockner and the Pasterze, the longest glacier of the Eastern Alps.

Krimml Ache: Austria’s Tallest Waterfalls

Located on the Krimml Ache River, near the village of Krimml in Salzburg, the Krimml Waterfalls are the most towering waterfall in Austria with a height of 380 metres or 1,247 feet. If you love hiking, you must enjoy hiking to the waterfalls. Start your journey from the village of Krimml, a small village with natural beauty mounts at 1067 meters above sea level. There are numerous walking trails that lead to the waterfalls and offer spectacular views on the way. If you want to take a break, stop at the restaurant just before the upper part of the Krimml Waterfalls. Do not miss travelling to the Krimml Tauernhaus for amazing alpine scenery and the Krimml Ache, the source of the Krimml Waterfalls for an unbelievable experience.

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