Hallstatt beside the lake in Upper Austria

AUSTRIA, MADE FOR DISCOVERY

Welcome to
Austria

Grand cities, mountain valleys and the local places that make a journey your own.

Hallstatt photograph: David Kernan · CC BY 4.0 · Display crop.

On this page

First time highlights

Beyond the beaten path

Smaller places, local stories and time to look a little closer.

Unique attractions not to be missed

Explore Austria’s states by map

Choose a state on our original map to open its guide directly. The place names below offer the same choice.

Choose one of Austria’s nine statesClickable state boundaries with English and German names. Vienna has a larger callout in the northeast. The same destinations are available as text links below.Adapted from Austria States blank map by Fallschirmjager, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Recoloured and labelled; links added by American Tour Association. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Austria_States_blank_map.svg https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/Vorarlberg · Western valleys & mountain landscapesTyrol · Mountain villages & big alpine viewsSalzburg · City splendour & alpine escapesCarinthia · Lakeside days & mountain sceneryStyria · Vineyards, green hills & regional flavoursUpper Austria · Lake country & waterside townsBurgenland · Wine towns, storks & open horizonsLower Austria · River valleys, villages & local discoveriesVienna · Palaces, coffeehouses & city cultureViennaWien ↗
BurgenlandCarinthiaLower AustriaUpper AustriaSalzburgStyriaTyrolVorarlbergVienna

Open the full state map and photo directory →

Original ATA interactive state map retained. Orientation map, not a road map.

Map adapted from Austria States blank map by Fallschirmjager, CC BY-SA 3.0. Recoloured, labelled and linked by ATA, under the same licence. View the adapted SVG.

Good neighbours for your itinerary

Vienna & the Wachau

Combine city time with a separate Danube stay. Krems, Dürnstein and Melk offer different starting points, allow time for transfers.

ViennaKremsDürnsteinMelk

Choose an Alpine base

Salzburg, Innsbruck and Bregenz are separate bases. Pick a region first, then use the local guides for manageable outings and onward travel.

SalzburgInnsbruckBregenz

Travel tips & local know-how

Money & everyday stops

Austria uses the euro. Carry some cash for smaller stops and mountain inns. Check the total and payment options directly before booking.

Official planning information

Plan the last connection

Check the full journey, including the local bus or walk after your train. A station name alone does not tell you how to reach a mountain attraction.

ÖBB journey planning

A little local understanding

A friendly greeting, respect for quiet spaces and time for a coffee can be part of the pleasure. Read our personal introduction to Austrian customs.

What are Austrians like?

Choose the season for the outing

Mountain lifts, huts and outdoor attractions have their own seasons. Check conditions and opening arrangements, and keep a lower-level alternative for poor weather.

Austria planning guides
Arrival, driving & entry requirements

Check entry rules for your nationality before travelling. If driving, check motorway vignette requirements and any separate route tolls before your journey.

ASFINAG, official toll information · Official entry information
Families, access & mountain outings

Ask about the actual route, steps, gradients and accessible entrance. A short mountain walk can still be exposed. Choose an outing suitable for everyone, check weather and follow local closures. In an emergency call 112, mountain rescue 140.

Official visitor information
More Austrian towns, stories & planning resources
Start exploring Austria →What are Austrians like?Fugging, a village with a storyAustria hotel directorySelected local stays →Day-trip ideasPayerbach railway countryMyra FallsPernitz & Gutenstein discoveriesPernitz →Browse state photos →All regional planning guidesItineraries & downloadsDreistetten →Eisenstadt →Gloggnitz →Güssing →Jennersdorf →Krems →Melk →Payerbach →Rohr im Gebirge →Rust →Wiener Neustadt →Austria’s historyMore Austria videosThe story behind our guideHow we research our guides
Sources & photograph credits

This layout update preserves ATA’s existing destination research, images and linked guides. It is not a claim that every hotel or attraction has been reinspected. Image credits remain on the individual guides.

Austrian National Tourist Office · Our editorial standards