Holidays in Austria

Austria is an amazing European country with very beautiful nature. Holidays in Austria are very diverse – from visiting ancient architecture to treatment in hot springs and skiing in the best ski resorts of the Alps.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

  • Beautiful and interesting architectural sights
  • Great ski resorts
  • There is an opportunity for therapeutic rest
  • Beautiful nature
  • Very developed transport within the country
  • Polite and friendly locals
  • Delicious cuisine

Disadvantages

  • Visa required to visit
  • Virtually no beach holidays
  • There are many residents of eastern countries, there are entire Turkish regions
  • High prices, especially in Vienna
  • Difficult to navigate in cities

Climate

According to toppharmacyschools.org, the climate in the country is moderate with a transition to continental. Holidays in Austria are comfortable in summer – the weather is warm and sunny, even in the mountains it rarely drops below zero. Winters are mild, even in mountainous areas, there is quite a bit of snow. There is very little rainfall, and there are many sunny days a year.

How to get there

By train

There is a Moscow-Prague train with a direct carriage to the capital – the journey will take approximately 29 hours.

By plane

The easiest way is by plane, there are both direct flights and cheaper options with transfers. Direct flights are usually to Vienna from Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Krasnodar, St. Petersburg. In winter, a flight to Innsbruck is allowed. For those who purchase tours to Austria, charter flights are available. Transfers are usually in European cities – Riga, Berlin, but there are in Istanbul.

By bus or taxi

There are no direct buses – you will need a transfer in the Czech Republic, Poland or Germany. The journey will take two days and will cost no less than the train. By car from Moscow to Vienna, you will have to overcome 1950 kilometers.

Transport

Transport within the country is very well developed. Air travel is not very popular, as the territory is small. Mostly Austrians and tourists travel by train – they always arrive right on time. According to comfort, they are divided into first and second class – in the first there are fewer seats and there are tables. The speed category also affects the price. To save money while relaxing in Austria, it is better to purchase a ticket or travel in a large company.

Buses are not so popular – there are almost no long-distance routes, flights are mostly suburban. You can buy a single bus and railway ticket.

Public transport in cities is usually buses and trams. Vienna has a metro, Salzburg has a city train. Trams are very comfortable and modern. Taxis are quite expensive, according to the meter, you will have to pay extra for luggage.

It is possible to rent a car, but parking is very scarce, so we do not recommend it.

Money

The official currency is the euro, only they are accepted. You can exchange currency at banks, post offices, hotels and travel agencies – the latter are not very profitable. Cheaper and easier to exchange euros in Russia.

Bank cards are accepted almost everywhere.

Cuisine and restaurants

Austrian cuisine is traditional and diverse – it has absorbed the traditions of other countries.

Dishes are always served exquisitely, in large portions. There are almost no dishes that are too soft, but also too sour and spicy. In general, gourmets choose tours to Austria just to try the local cuisine.

  • Wiener schnitzel of pork or young veal
  • Apple strudel with cottage cheese, cinnamon and almonds
  • Erdepfelgulash – stewed Jerusalem artichoke
  • Kaiserschmarren – sweet cinnamon omelet
  • Boishel – stewed lungs and heart
  • viennese coffee
  • Chocolate cake Sacher. The real one is cooked only in the cafes of the same name.
  • Potato and garlic goulash
  • Boiled beef Tafelspitz
  • Soup with meatballs
  • Palachinken – pancakes with sweet filling
  • jellied carp
  • Gluwine – red wine with spices without zest
  • Germknedl – poppy seed buns with sweet sauce

Reviews

Almost everyone likes holidays in Austria – the reviews are mostly positive. Everyone notes beautiful architecture and nature, very comfortable ski resorts. Another nice thing is that there are very few tourists here – no one interferes with enjoying your vacation. Many people prefer to relax before the New Year, in a pleasant Christmas atmosphere. The cleanliness of the streets and the friendliness of the inhabitants are also attractive. The ski resorts are very beautiful and well-developed infrastructure.

Of the negative points, tourists note very high prices. Also, people do not like excessive pathos in large cities and too much emphasis on Mozart – they note that “Mozart is everywhere here”, and many simply get bored with him. Even in cities it is difficult to navigate

FAQs

Question:

How to choose a hotel?

Answer:

All hotels are certified and of a good standard – even 1 * are very good and cheap, although without baths in the room. To choose, you will need the accepted notation system:

  • K – separate bathroom, internet and TV in the room
  • DZ – double
  • EZ – single
  • MZ – three or more beds
  • VP – full board, almost all inclusive
  • HP – half board
  • NF or UF – breakfast only
  • Gasthof – modest budget hotels
  • Gastehaus – small hotels with breakfast

English is only spoken in large hotels, so be prepared to use a German phrasebook. If you choose a vacation in Austria in the summer and want to admire nature, we recommend staying in hotels in ski resorts – prices are falling, and there are quite a lot of summer activities. From interesting or inexpensive places you can stop:

  • On traditional alpine farms in guest houses
  • In castle hotels
  • In boarding houses, home hotels
  • In Hostels – they are very popular and inexpensive
  • Villas and chalets for rent in picturesque locations with traditional interiors
  • Camping areas where you can put up a tent

Question:

What are emergency and useful telephone numbers?

Answer:

  • Ambulance – 144
  • Firefighters – 122
  • Police – 133
  • Road Service 120 or 123
  • Rescue in the mountains – 140
  • Reference pharmacy – 15-50
  • Unified reference – 1611
  • Tourist office – (01) 58-86-60
  • Austrian Camping Club – (01) 713-61-51
  • Consulate of Russia for solving urgent issues – +43-664-886-35-017

Question:

When is the best time to go?

Answer:

Holidays in Austria in summer and winter are equally good – the climate here is pleasant, and there are always opportunities to have fun. The high season is December-February – the best time for skiing. There are many tourists in the summer – everyone goes on excursions. There is also a rise at Easter and Christmas. The low season is in late autumn and mid-summer – vouchers are slightly cheaper. There is also a beach season – it begins in the middle of summer on lakes and rivers. For recovery, spring or autumn is best suited, for shopping – summer and winter. And in winter, festive events, balls and festivals are held here.

Question:

What language do they speak?

Answer:

The official language is German, its literary standard. Classical German is spoken by almost everyone, but there are many dialects in use, and often they are very different from German. Signs in tourist places are sometimes duplicated in English, and almost everyone speaks English and can answer the questions “how to get there” or “where I am”. Almost all ATMs and machines have an English menu. Audio guides are also available in English. But Russian speech is not worth waiting for.

Question:

How are things with cellular communications and the Internet?

Answer:

Free Wi-Fi is available almost everywhere – on shopping streets, in hotels, in supermarkets and restaurants. In the mountains, this is worse, but the resorts usually have access points. Internet in Vienna can be accessed at Amadeus bookstores. Cellular communication is also very common, but roaming is quite expensive. Kiosks and supermarkets sell SIM cards that cost 5-20 euros and make it cheaper to receive calls. Mobile Internet is unprofitable.

Holidays in Austria

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