Austria for Natural Wine and Food Lovers!!

Bars Restaurants Wine shops

A queen of nature, a melting pot of culture, elegantly combining the heritage of the past with the boldness of the future, Austria is beautiful, diverse, and invigorating. If it's so attractive, it's because all the lovely surprises it offers are within easy traveling distance, all year round. You'll see, it's always a good time to visit Austria and experience its legendary hospitality...

Discover Austria's recommendations by Aleks Zecevic

The Historic and Cultural Center of Europe

Austria holds the dual distinction of being at the center of the Old Continent and the heir to a great history. As the heart of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria embraced many cultures, traditions, and ethnic groups over the centuries. The former melting pot of Europe served as the intersection of some of the most significant trade routes. For this reason, many battles took place on its territory, but that all changed after 1955 when the country signed the law of permanent neutrality. Since then, Austria has been one of the most welcoming countries in Europe, if not the world, where one can safely travel and enjoy all the country has to offer.

The epicenter of it all is Vienna, where you would most likely land if traveling by plane. Home to over 2 million people, the capital city is so rich in history and culture that its center made the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001.

One can feel the cultural and aristocratic heritage simply by walking through the streets of Vienna. After all, it is home to baroque architecture, opera, and waltz. Here, famous composers Mozart, Strauss, and Liszt first performed their masterpieces. Beautiful architecture is evident in many neighborhoods. Wandering around town reveals well-preserved old buildings, churches, monuments, palaces, and other historic landmarks. Even the little alleyways will lure you in with their ornamentation.

From Stephansplatz, where you will see the stunning Stephansdom or St. Stephen’s Cathedral, to Karlsplatz and Karlskirche to Votivkirche, just visiting the many medieval, gothic, and baroque churches will leave you in awe. Then, exploring the Hofburg, Belvedere, and Schönbrun palaces, you will be taken aback by the city’s royal influences. Also, don’t miss the Volksgarten, especially in the spring, or walking along the Danube canal. As for museums, there are so many to visit. It is a city with more museums and theaters per square foot than cafés and restaurants. You would need a few days to take in the MuseumsQuartier. Albertina is another monumental museum to visit (including paintings and drawings by famous Austrian painters Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele and Oscar Kokoschka), and then there are, of course, MAK (Museum of Applied Arts), the Jewish Museum, Kunst Haus (for photo exhibitions and works by artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser), and many others.

About two hours south of Vienna, you will come to Graz, the second biggest city in Austria. It is the capital of Styria, and apparently, the happiest people live in Graz. In 2003, it was designated the Cultural Capital of Europe and became one of the “Cities of Design” according to UNESCO. The city is super close to some of the most beautiful vineyards in the world, which surge up on steep, green hills and, in most cases, provide divine views of the area.

Also, about two hours northwest of Vienna, you will find Linz, the third largest city and home to the country’s biggest port (although Austria is landlocked, both Linz and Vienna are big ports as they lie on the Danube). Visitors can enjoy the majesty of the medieval constructions, especially the Castle of Linz. A bit further, southwest of Linz, is Salzburg, the musical capital of Austria. Salzburg’s historical center is also on the UNESCO World Heritage List with its mesmerizing baroque appeal. It is where one of the largest untouched medieval castles in Europe is – the Hohensalzburg Fortress. Salzburg is also the hometown of Mozart. For many Austrians, this is the most beautiful town in the country. About one hour from Salzburg (and three and a half from Vienna) is the majestic town of Hallstatt, another UNESCO World Heritage site. This iconic landmark of Austria is on many screensavers, so you have definitely seen the photograph of a chapel on the bank of a lake surrounded by mountains.

As you can see, nothing is ever too far away in Austria. In a single day, you could be exploring Carinthian castles, biking around the scenic green hills of Styria, or skiing on one of many Alpine slopes in the west of the country. And 24 hours later, you could be strolling alongside the Danube in the scenic regions of Lower Austria.

A Big Bowl of Nature

You can't talk about Austria without mentioning the Alps (which cover 2/3 of the country), its snow-capped peaks, its skiing, and its cozy chalets! Innsbruck, the capital of the state of Tyrol, is a historical mountain town, the former capital of the Holy Roman Empire, and host to three Olympics. From there, you can visit many ski resorts, which isn’t surprising given that Austria is the home of modern skiing. The first manual was written in the country in the late 19th century, and Rudolph Lettner from Salzburg invented the first steel edge ski. Bad Gastein, Kitzbuhel, and Mayrhofen are among the most notable ski resorts. More generally, Austria is truly a country of nature. Lush green forests, crystal-clear lakes, high altitude trails, spectacular waterfalls, beautiful national parks... make up a fascinating, well-preserved landscape. It's a vast playground for lovers of nature in its wild state and those who enjoy outdoor activities, especially hiking and mountain biking. Take a trip to the Hohe Tauern National Park, famous for its unique ecosystem and the Krimml waterfalls, the highest in Europe. Or the Kalkalpen National Park, home to Austria's last great primeval forest. If you're with the family, you can also relax and enjoy water sports on one of the country's many lakes, such as Lake Neusiedl or Attersee.

Gastronomical Heritage and Viennese Cuisine

Austrian cuisine is most often associated with Viennese cuisine, but there are significant regional differences. Since Austria was the melting pot of many different cultures for centuries, its cuisine is very diverse. The Austrians were adventurous enough to explore new spices and ingredients, adapting the recipes to fit their taste. Allegedly, they were the first to introduce coffee to the rest of Europe as it arrived through the refugees of the Ottoman Empire. Speaking of Austrian cuisines and not mentioning Wiener Schnitzel would be a sin. The dish features boneless veal meat thinned with a mallet (escalope-style preparation) and fried with a coating of flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, making it world-famous. Another local dish is goulash, a beef stew in many countries formerly under the Austrian crown. There's also Spätzle (which you can also find in Strasbourg!),