Austria is one of the most relaxed countries I have visited but just under its soothful surface is a county bursting at the seams full of history, art and creativity. A country that now fits inside West Virginia but once was the second-largest country in Europe by area, after Russia. An empire of control, influence & shared monarchy that stretched over a vast territory in central Europe, encompassing modern-day Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, and parts of Italy, Poland, Ukraine, Romania, and Croatia (and debatably parts of Spain, France & Netherlands). A legacy solidified by the long reigning Habsburg dynasty, 700 years of one families wealth and influence (and questionable mismanagement) over every aspect of a country and a culture. So there is ALOT to see and do in Austria!!
I’ve only spent a little over 2 weeks in Austria visiting Salzburg, Vienna, Hallstatt and Bad Ischl, and my visit barely scratched the surface of this immensely interesting and beautiful country. But the tips and recommendations I’ve provided below you’ll find to be inspiring, budget friendly and time savers!
There is so much to discover in Austria. Layers of history from Bronze & Iron Age Celts, to Roman outposts, to the enormity of the empires to reign from then on – Bavarii , Frankish and then the Holy Roman Empire led by the iconic Habsburgs. The gorgeous architecture from Vienna’s Art Nouveau & Imperial, Salzburg’s Romanesque & Gothic, to the traditional European Spruce Bauernhofs (farmhouses) in the Alpine Valleys. And although the Habsburgs pretty much “Baroque’d” everything everywhere, if you look closely you’ll still discover earlier architectural treasures & intrigues.
Plan for at least 3-4 nights wherever you choose to stop in Austria. This gives you time to settle, relax, investigate and explore.
TIPS FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP:
USE THE TRAIN: The train & bus system across Austria is actually great and with the use of GoogleMaps you can even find full route options (listing trains & buses and times) to more out of reach destinations .
I downloaded the Austrian Train ÖBB App on my phone and it has been a flawless experience! It opens in English and I’m able to search trains and then my tickets are conveniently stored on my phone in the app.
GET FAMILIAR – DON’T GET OVERWHELMED: first thing I do when I get to a new city, I almost ALWAYS take a spin on the tram loop or a bus loop route. This helps me get familiar with the city, and from my window seat I check out neighborhoods while saving steps! I keep my Google map view with the “Transit” view selected which shows train routes in color, trams and bus stops too. It is almost always exact with pubic transport options, descriptions and times .
TOUR PASS: almost all major cities have a TOUR PASS or CITY PASS that will offer discounted and sometimes free entry to sites of interest, discounts on ticketed events and even options that include public transportation. So do a little research ahead of time to see if the offerings fit with what you were hoping to visit.
ACCOMODATION LOCATION: Don’t think you HAVE TO STAY in the old historic center!
IN SALZBURG… this city is much more compact and easily walkable than google map implies SO staying across the river EVEN A FEW BLOCKS FROM RIVER, can find you fabulous options and cheaper prices.
IN VIENNA… you can find a lovely and historic stay on the outside of the tram loop (which historically would have been where the ancient city wall was) and I recommend stay closer to the Naschtmarkt area, GREAT hotels and dining options and all the major transit lines are within a block or two walk!
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: DEFINITELY use public transportation!
IN SALZBURG… there is partnership with the city and the hotels will provide
you with a FREE Mobile Pass for all forms of public transportation across the entire Salzburg region!! Buses, trams and even the trains (for stops within the Salzburg region)
IN VIENNA… You can easily buy a cheap multi day transit pass to use on the tram , the U (underground train) and the buses. Just remember you need to validate it when getting on and off (little easy to find places on the trams or on the platforms to stick your ticket in for validation)
CITY CENTER DRIVING RESTRICTIONS: be aware that only certain taxis and drivers can drive into the historic city centers. So if you book a hotel in the historic center, inquire with them about the best way to get to their door (so you’re not dragging your bags for a mile unnecessarily!)
CHURCHES ARE FREE (& full of beautiful art & interesting history!): sometimes it’s a bit confusing at the church door, where signage is posted offering concerts or special access to tombs or towers for a ticket price and this can be a bit misleading . Know that all churches are FREE to enter in Austria and enjoy the beautiful architecture, art and relics or sit quietly and reflect BUT ALSO sometimes there are special bits more inside to explore and you can purchase a ticket for (historic crypts, scenic tower overlooks, musical concerts, to name a few)
Also please be respectful; be quiet while enjoying and comply if a church has a sign the says “NO PHOTOS”.
FREE TOURS? : Many hotels offer a “free” walking tour of the city as part of their amenities, check with your hotel front desk or read the in room information. All guides in Austria have to be trained and licensed so you are almost guaranteed as excellent experience! I stayed at a really great female hostel in Vienna and took their FREE 3 hour walking tour of the city with their guide Charles and it was AMAZING and answered a lot of questions for me after giving me many of his own personal recommendations, priceless “local” tips I relish in!! Of course you should always TIP the guide after! I tipped him 10€ as part of a 25 person group tour.
FOOD!
BREAKFAST: hotel breakfast seems a bit pricey for my liking but that’s ok because traditional Austrian breakfast appears to be just a cup of coffee and a pastry, so save the money and find a cafe before you start your day’s exploration.
SAUSAGE STANDS: YES – eat from a sausage stand, they are fabulous, many delicious options and it is very common.
CAFE PASTRIES & CANAPÉS: the sweets selection will be overwhelming in a positive way, so skip lunch and keep room for cakes and pastries!! AND late afternoon into happy hour find a cafe that offers the traditional little canapés/mini open faced sandwiches, grab a couple and a glass of wine and enjoy the passerby’s
CAFES & COFFEE CULTURE: across Austria there is a long tradition of cafes and the coffee culture has a few IYKYKs that you need to know!
- walk in and just quietly have a seat (unless there is a sign upon entering that says “wait to be seated”)
- Austrian cafes are meant as a refuge to relax and stay as long as you like, no one is going to rush you.
- Patience is a virtue… No need to try and get the waiters attention, he sees you and will get to you when he can. Service is relaxed and efficient so just enjoy the quiet moment sitting.
- Don’t just order “a coffee” be specific! Black coffee = Americano (and they will ask you if you want milk) Austrians love a Melange, which is close to a Cappuccino but I like better(order a Melange and you will sound like you know what you’re doing …lol) and here is a handy photo I took of a cafe’s coffee offerings !
- Every coffee comes with a small glass of still water and the water you get free refills.
- All cafes will have daily papers hanging on a rod for you to enjoy, often in multiple languages. Most cafes also have cards or chess and sometimes even a small billiards table in a separate room.
- Not all cafes have WiFi- many don’t
- Make eye contact with the waiter to get your check (eventually)
- I think Austrian coffee surpasses most coffee I’ve had in Europe, excellent cup. The barista school here is one of the best in the world so it goes without saying the coffee is going to be consistently wonderful across the country!
BEER: Austrians must be part of the “perfect beer” origin story – I will need to study this topic more… but trust me when I say the beer in Austria is magnificent! Expect lagers and pilsners mostly , they are cold crisp and refreshing and go down very smooth. They will ask you what size (basically large or small) and they expect you to know a bit about beer. For my first visit to the country as an amateur beer connoisseur, I always ended up ordering a small and politely asking the server if there is a local beer they recommend or to surprise me . Maybe not always the best method but for me on this trip it was a winner every time!!
EXPERIENCE THE CULTURE
Austria is the capital of classical music. It’s astonishing the amount of amazing performances you can find here! Some of them have hefty price tags or go quickly BUT there are ways to snag BARGIN tickets if you just do a little research and I often ask my hotel front desk if they have any “insider tips” on last minute tickets for performances or free performances.
VIENNA OPERA: seeing an opera is an amazing experience and although tickets range from 45€ to 240€ (and honestly sell out nightly!) they also have “Standing Room” tickets that are on 15€ . You get a designated spot with a rail (to lean on) and there is a little screw at each seat and standing position that displays the words being sung (you select your language) .
SALZBURG CATHEDRAL: the “Music at Noon”concert at Salzburg Cathedral is a free church concert that happens around 12:05 p.m. daily and features up to seven organs. You can also visit the morning (6:45am) and evening church service to hear the singing of nuns from the Nonnberg Abbey convent choir, not a formal concert but is a mass time.
CHRISTMAS MARKET TIME!
There is no more special time to visit Austria than at Christmas time! The Austrians offer an amazing amount of markets to choose from (Vienna has at least 16! Though some are tucked away in hidden courtyards)
I’ll share my two of my GoogleMap Lists for Christmas markets, but I recommend researching the individual towns you might visit and see exactly when their Market dates are as some are one weekend or weekends only or only around St Nicolas Eve or Day .
LOOKING FOR PERSONAL RECOMMENDATIONS?
If you are wanting to know my favorite places to eat, drink and shop in the Austrian Cities & Villages I visited, go subscribe to my Rucksack Foodie Substack Page for a big list of my favorites you’ll want to put on your own travel list for Austria! (To be live on 11/25/25)
But here’s a few to start with…
And if you’re looking for some help planning a trip to Austria I can also provide you a personalized Travel List to use on your own adventure to Austria. Email me at rucksackfoodie @ gmail.com or DM on the socials!
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