Five Reasons To Add Austria To Your Bucket List
Deciding on where to take a holiday can be frustratingly difficult – if only for the incredibly rich tapestry of incredible places out there for you to explore. With such a wide world, how could anyone choose?
Europe is a no-brainer choice on account of its relative closeness to us in the UK, and on account of the relative cheapness with which you can get over there. Europe itself contains multitudes too, from sunny Mediterranean beaches to the Northern Lights. In the middle of it all, there’s a small landlocked country with a lot more going for it than many might be inclined to think: Austria. There are a great many reasons why Austria should be on your bucket list, but here we’ll do our best with just five.
About Austria
Before we delve into the specifics of what makes Austria such an excellent destination to visit, let’s look at the broader picture. Austria is a Central European country, nestled between Germany, Switzerland and Italy; it is a country of over nine million people, incredible culture, even more incredible history, and which incorporates some of the Alps’ better-kept secrets too. Many will visit Austria for the quaintness of its bustling capital Vienna, and they would be right to do so as well – but there’s more to love about Austria than its capital.
The Architecture
Let’s start with the architecture. If you’ve ever been to a Christmas market, you may have some familiarity and expectations with regard to Austrian architecture and design: wooden cabins, chalets and sheds that wear European folk-history on their sleeve. Austria, though, was an historic seat of royalty, and one with its own continental-European contributions to regal architecture.
Simply put, the land is stippled with palacial retreats and edificial monuments that range from Baroque to Art Nouveau. Contemporary injections into Austria’s urban destinations are just as striking too; look no further than Graz for some foundational examples of Austria’s forward-thinking infrastructure.
The Nature
Austria is better-known for its landscapes and rural destinations than it is for its urban centres, arguably – giving much of its land to the Alps, and to some incomparable views in the process. But to the south of the country, Austria sheds its icy demeanour in favour of warmer, near-Italian weather patterns; Villach, a river-borne city in Carinthia, sits next to the balmy (at least, in summer) Naturpark
The Winter Sports
One of the major reasons for which anyone travels to Austria is, of course, for the winter sports. The ski holidays Austria offers are unparalleled, with thanks to the unforgettable slopes of Zell am See and Solden. Innsbruck is a must-visit too, even if only to settle into the city lights after your day of skiing.
The Cuisine
Austria’s cuisine is another huge bucket-list reason to visit, even if only for its fame sweet treats – from pretzels to silky-smooth chocolates and beyond. Austria’s heartland cuisine is an underdog contender in its own right, though, with Tiroler Gröstl and Beuschel both hearty and mouth-watering local specialities.
The Culture
Lastly, but by no means in the least, we come to the culture. Austria contains multitudes, just as Europe does; its cities and towns are thriving cultural organs of their own, with bustling creative industries and cultural scenes well worth exploring all of their own. Meanwhile, Austrian hospitality on the fringes of these urban centres is second-to-none.
