Austria: you should see these five travel destinations

Austria is one of the smaller countries in Europe. Nevertheless, the country in the middle of the Alps is one of the most popular travel destinations for tourists from all over the world. There is a reason for this: Austria has to offer its visitors a wonderful mix of mountains and glaciers, lakes and rivers, historic cities and villages and art and culture.

The capital of Austria is regularly voted one of the most beautiful and worth seeing cities in the world - and there are many reasons for this. Few cities in the world can offer visitors such a great mix of historic architecture, fantastic museums, world-famous theaters and operas, beautiful gardens and parks and excellent cuisine.

A walk through Vienna's city center is a very special experience. On every corner you can see magnificent buildings such as St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Hofburg, the State Opera as well as the Art and Natural History Museums. No wonder the entire city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And of course, when you travel to Vienna, the two city palaces, Schönbrunn Palace and the Belvedere, should not be missing from your visit list.

After Vienna, Salzburg is the second city in Austria that you should definitely see. Salzburg’s location is already spectacular. Located at the foot of the Alps, the old town is dominated by the mighty Hohensalzburg Fortress.

The old town of Salzburg is one of the most beautiful and best-preserved historical centers in Europe. Here you can see hundreds of buildings from the Middle Ages and Baroque. A must-do on a trip to Salzburg is a visit to Mozart's birthplace in the old town. A great experience not just for Mozart fans. Mirabell Castle with its beautiful castle gardens is also worth a visit.

Every year millions of tourists come to the federal state in western Austria to experience the majestic mountain world of the Alps. Tyrol is a very popular holiday destination in both summer and winter.

In summer you can go hiking, climbing and mountain biking in the Tyrolean Alps. The views from the high peaks over the mountains and valleys of the country are simply magnificent.

The same applies to winter too. There is hardly any other place in the world where you will find such beautiful slopes as in Tyrol. A real paradise for skiers, snowboarders, cross-country skiers and tobogganers.

Along with Tyrol, Carinthia is the most popular federal state for a holiday in Austria. Carinthia enchants its visitors with a unique combination of high mountains, wide valleys and numerous lakes. There are almost 1,300 standing bodies of water here.

Lake Wörthersee is not only the largest lake in Carinthia, but also the most famous. Here you can swim or go boating in summer with very pleasant water temperatures. Numerous events take place around Lake Wörthersee in summer. And another advantage of Carinthia: the good weather. The sun shines more often in Austria's southernmost federal state than anywhere else.

Austria has many beautiful places. But if there is such a thing as a picture-perfect place in the country, then it is Hallstatt. The photo motif of the picturesque town on the shores of Lake Hallstatt is world-famous.

Hallstatt's Alpine-style houses and alleys date back to the 16th century. Today it mainly houses cafés and shops. Another highlight of the place are the salt mines, a former salt mine with an underground salt lake.