Austria attractions

The Danube River is among Europe’s mightiest, stretching from Germany to the Black Sea, and it helped grow Vienna into a major power center. The waterway branches into two as it enters Vienna: The Danube Canal passes through the center, while the river flows across the city’s northeastern edge. Both provide opportunities to relax and take in Vienna’s sights.

Beneath the glittering lakes and snow-dusted mountains of Austria’s Lake District, the subterranean world of the Salzburg salt mines (Salzbergwerk) spreads out in a network of underground mines and tunnels. Used to mine “white gold” since the Bronze Age, the historic salt mines at Hallstatt and Berchtesgaden are now popular attractions. Here you’ll find fascinating insights into the region’s salt-mining heritage, as well as fun activities such as slides, train rides, and boat cruises.

Few will go to Graz and fail to spot the Schlossberg, the mountain in the middle of the city. This densely wooded peak boasts a park with cafes and views, a curious 16th-century clock tower, and a huge underground slide that shoots braver visitors from the top to the old town in the blink of an eye.

Named for the much-revered Empress Maria Theresa, Maria Theresien Street (Maria-Theresien-Strasse) is Innsbruck’s pedestrianized main street, running through the heart of the Old Town. Lined with architectural treasures, a stroll down the street reveals pastel-painted facades, elaborately carved balconies, and beautiful baroque palaces.

This striking pavilion in green, gold, and white marble on Vienna’s Karlsplatz was designed by Otto Wagner in 1897 as part of the city’s new train station. Now it houses an exhibition dedicated to the life and work of this groundbreaking Art Nouveau architect. Visit for an in-depth look at Wagner’s architectural legacy in Vienna.

While Vienna is known for its museum culture, the city also has luxury shops to entice a fashion-focused, high-spending crowd. If shopping is your thing but you don’t want to burn through your euros, consider Designer Outlet Parndorf. Close to both Vienna and Bratislava, this McArthurGlen outlet has 160 designer stores with savings of up to 70 percent.

One of the oldest sparkling wine cellars in Austria, the 18th-century Schlumberger Cellars are a must for wine lovers in Vienna. Visit the 300-year-old cellars that wind through several miles of underground tunnels and marvel at the countless bottles of sparkling wine (Sekt in German) aging there.

An architectural landmark, legendary sporting venue, and tourist attraction all rolled into one, the Bergisel Ski Jump is one of Innsbruck’s most visited sites. As well as hosting international winter sports events, the ski-jump tower affords a spectacular panoramic view of Innsbruck and the surrounding Tyrolean mountains.

Salzburg’s Alter Markt, or Old Market Square, has been a feature of the city since the 13th century. In its heyday the square was a destination for town dances, the midsummer festival, and other civic events. Curiosities on the square include Number 10, the smallest house in Salzburg at just 4.6-feet (1.4-meters) wide. For a taste of some of the local produce that would once have been sold at the market, join a guided foodie tour of the city.

The Hallein Salt Mine (Salzwelten Hallein) is an ancient salt mine carved into Mt. Dürrnberg, just south of Salzburg, in Austria’s Salzkammergut region. Perched above the town of Hallein, the mine is around 2,500 years old and open to visitors who explore the tunnels and learn how “white gold” contributed to medieval Salzburg’s wealth.

The Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien (MUMOK is one of the largest museums of modern and postmodern art in Central Europe. Founded in 1962, the museum features 10,000 pieces by 1,600 different artists, including some of the biggest names in 20th- and 21st-century art, like Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, and Yoko Ono.

Modest from the outside but extraordinary inside, St. Anne’s Church (Annakirche) is one of Vienna’s hidden treasures. Sitting discreetly on a downtown side street, the 16th-century church is resplendent with baroque artwork and frescoes painted by artist Daniel Gran adorning the ceiling. Culture lovers can also enjoy classical music concerts here year-round.

From sedan chairs to ceremonial state coaches, the Imperial Carriage Museum showcases the dazzling carriages used by the Viennese court over the centuries. The collection includes 600 vehicles—170 of which are on display—including two lavishly gilded 18th-century imperial carriages, as well as ornate saddlery, courtly robes, and livery.

Towering 167 feet (51 meters) over the northern mouth of Maria Theresien Strasse, Innsbruck City Tower (Stadtturm) is one of the city’s most recognizable monuments. Built in 1450 and topped with a striking green dome, the historic clock tower is best known for its open-air observation deck, affording views over the Old Town.

The state-of-the-art Hungerburg Railway (Hungerburgbahn) is a hybrid funicular connecting Innsbruck to the mountain suburb of Hungerburg. More than just a transport link, it’s also an architectural landmark—the Zaha Hadid–designed stations are space-age masterpieces that draw as many visitors as the railway itself.

The largest imperial residence outside Vienna, Schloss Hof impresses with its 18th-century baroque façade and sumptuous marble and gilded interiors, all meticulously restored in recent decades. Visit the palace and its sweeping formal water gardens to glimpse the wealth and power of the Habsburg Empire at its peak.

As the world's most famous waxworks museum, Madame Tussauds needs no introduction. And where better to rub shoulders with movie stars, music icons, and historic figures than Vienna? Snap a selfie with everyone from Brad Pitt to Barack Obama, take a walk through Austrian history, and entertain the whole family with fun, interactive exhibitions.

One of the world’s largest ice caves, this network of frosty caverns and tunnels extends for more than 25 miles (40 kilometers) through the Tennen Mountains in the Austrian Alps. Discovered in 1879, this subterranean wonderland encompasses vast blue-tinged chambers, sculptural ice formations, and frozen waterfalls.

Vienna's Museum Quarter (MuseumsQuartier ranks among the world's largest cultural complexes, housing over 70 facilities. Visit the Leopold Museum, with its sizable collection of Austrian art; the Museum of Modern Art (MUMOK); and the Kunsthalle Wien, which holds international contemporary photography, video, and film exhibitions.

A gleaming steel and glass structure, shaped like the wing of a plane with two cylindrical towers, Hangar-7 shimmers over Salzburg Airport. It’s the home of Red Bull’s aerobatics team, and houses the brand’s eclectic collection of aircraft, Red Bull racing team cars, and other high-adrenaline memorabilia, plus drinking and dining venues.

Graz Art Museum—aka Kunsthaus Graz, the Friendly Alien, or the Spacelab—sparks as much interest for its striking exterior as its collections inside. Designed by British architects Peter Cook and Colin Fournier for the city’s 2003 European Capital of Culture title, the site features changing art exhibitions, often themed around political and social issues.

Constructed in the late 1950s, this massive concert hall was designed specifically to host the annual Salzburg Festival, and is still the venue for that major summer event as well as performances throughout the year. As the name suggests, the Festival Hall is huge, with a round stage that measures 328 feet (100 meters) wide, and seating for 2,179 guests.

As Vienna's oldest church, it's no wonder that St. Rupert's Church (Ruprechtskirche is among the city's top attractions. The structure is nothing if not historic: it dates to the eighth century, and is made of stone taken from a Roman settlement. The evolving architecture here marks history—the building is Gothic, but the tower is Romanesque.

Even in a city packed with great museums, the Kunsthalle stands apart with globe-spanning contemporary art designed to spark conversations. Locations in both the Museumsquartier and Karlsplatz mean there’s a lot to see, and wide-ranging exhibitions ensure the experience varies from one visit to the next.

Vienna's Theatermuseum holds an unrivaled collection of stage sets, props, and costumes spanning three centuries of theater production in Austria—plus thousands of theatrical images dating back to the early 20th century. Step into the baroque confines of Lobkowicz Palace to explore this theatrical wonderland.

Historical weapons abound in the Styrian Armoury, home to some 32,000 objects, making it the largest collection of weaponry in Austria—if not in the world. Covering the period between the 15th and 18th centuries, the exhibits are spread over four floors with knights’ armor, mortars, muskets, swords, and sabers among the finds.

With its eccentric facade of colorful ceramic and tile; irregular glass, brick, and metal; and greenery cascading from the roof, the Kunst Haus Wien is one of Vienna’s most remarkable buildings. Home to Europe’s only permanent collection of artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s work, the museum is a must for modern art and design buffs.

This unassuming apartment in Vienna’s Heiligenstadt suburb holds special meaning for many musicians. Here, Ludwig van Beethoven composed a handful of his famous works and the Heiligenstädter Testament, a letter in which he despaired over his advancing deafness.

Set adjacent to Vienna’s historic Schönbrunn Zoo (Tiergarten, the Desert House (Wüstenhaus is a habitat showcasing cacti and other succulents from arid regions across the world and populated by a number of animals and birds native to desert regions. Spot lizards, tortoises, hummingbirds, snakes, desert mole rats, and other species.

The Augarten Porcelain Manufactory (Porzellanmanufaktur Augarten was founded in 1718 and is the second oldest porcelain manufacturer in Europe. This factory that has been turning out fine porcelain for nearly three centuries today is also home to the Augarten Porcelain Museum, dedicated to the history of Augarten and Viennese porcelain.