Austria is a country with a distinct blend of urban environments and lush, green landscapes. With beautiful Alpine scenery, clean air, cosy restaurants, and charming towns, there's something for everyone here.
While planning to visit Austria, check the current currency exchange rate for the country. Ensure to carry enough money in Euros (EUR) to cover all your expenses during your stay.
Currency in Austria - The official currency in Austria is the Euro. 1 Euro is equal to 88.91 Indian Rupee as of 28 March 2023*
*The Currency rate will vary depending on market exchange rates.
Austria is a land of rich natural beauty. Tourists and travellers can consult this article as a complete guide to all the top 33 tourist places in Austria. This includes architectural sites, religious places, adventure spots, palaces, UNESCO heritage sites, and some natural spots in Austria.
You can visit the intricately built sites in Austria to witness their magnificence and beauty. While some have religious and historical significance, others are worthy of a visit of their architectural grandeur alone. Some of the best ones are listed here:
Stift Nonnberg or Benedictine Nonnberg Abbey is a monastery located a little above the city. This location is famous for its smaller works of art and Gothic architectural elements. The story of the famous "The Sound of Music" also begins at this place.
A visitor will find what Stift Nonnberg has in store fascinating. Apart from its magnificent architecture, it houses a famous wall painting and a crucifix that dates back to the 12th century. Furthermore, it is a curious fact that the nuns sing Gregorian Chorales each morning.
Hellbrunn Palace is located in the southern district (Morzg) of the city of Salzburg. It is a Baroque villa that the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg had built from 1613 to 1619.
The Hellbrunn Palace, very interestingly, has no bedrooms. However, it is due to the fact that the Archbishop had built this place as a day residence for summertime, and returning to Salzburg in the evening was generally the plan.
The magnificent Schloss Belvedere, also known as the Belvedere Palace, is another must-visit place in Austria. The Lower (Unteres) and the Upper (Oberes) Palaces are the two significant sections of the Belvedere.
While visiting the palaces, you will see an excellent array of artworks as well as one of Austria's best-kept architectural gems. Sala Terrena, the main hall, Carlone Hall, the two-storey Marble Hall, and the impressive Ceremonial Staircase are all highlights.
For centuries, the magnificent Palace of Hofburg in Vienna served as the seat of Austria's royal family, the powerful Habsburgs. The Imperial Silver Collection and a variety of dining services give an idea of the extravagant imperial feasts that once took place here.
The Sisi Museum, which focuses on the life and events of Empress Elisabeth, and the Colonial Apartments, a set of 19 rooms once inhabited by Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife, are also worth seeing.
From the initial years of Viennese Classicism through the early part of the 20th century, Vienna was a leading European music centre, and the Historic Centre of Vienna bears extraordinary witness to a consistent exchange of values throughout the 2nd millennium.
The Historic Centre of Vienna’s urban and architectural heritages illustrates the crucial times of European political and cultural development: the Middle Ages, the Baroque period, and the Gründerzeit.
The Baroque Schönbrunn Palace, located on the outskirts of Vienna, was constructed in the early 1700s. The royal residences, the Great Gallery, the Million Room, and Maria Theresa's salon are among the tour highlights through the palace's 40 public rooms. The entire palace and garden complex has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
During the late 1400s and early 1500s, Emperor Maximilian I made Innsbruck his primary residence and the seat of the Hapsburg government. In later years, Empress Maria Theresa remodelled this palace in the 18th-century Rococo and Baroque styles.
A tour of Innsbruck's Hofburg and Hofkirche includes viewing the exquisite royal residences, the gigantic marble hall (Riesensaal), and the decorated ceilings.
Goldenes Dachl, one of the oldest buildings in Innsbruck, is the symbol of the city. The Innsbruck town comprises brightly-painted historic monuments and buildings. However, the Goldenes Dachl is the landmark that outshines others with its 2,657 gilded copper tiles.
The Goldenes Dachl is a historic focal point of the 15th-century new court building and stands proud over Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse, making it one of the most important tourist places in Austria.
Constantin Walter and Johann Baptist Hagenauer, the designer and the sculptor built the arch in 1765, to honour the wedding of Maria Ludovica of Tuscany to Leopold is one of the best tourist places in Austria.
On one side of the arch it expresses the joy of the happy union of the married couple and on the other side the grief of the unexpected death of Francis I (Franz Stephan). In 1774, an architect named Balthasar Ferdinand Moll, on Hagenauer’s order created Sterzing marble the stucco reliefs of the arch.
Eggenberg Palace nestles at the edge of the city centre. The main Palace is set within a marvellous park and is laid out as an architectural allegory of the universe. Prince Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg commissioned this building to reflect a calculated and harmonious architectural skill.
In 1625, this Gothic structure and baroque work was the prince's response to the chaos of the then times.
This World Heritage centre is an extraordinary example of architectural consonance of successive periods. The castle and the city’s physiognomy brilliantly reflect the tale of their common cultural and historic development.
The City of Graz – Historic Centre and Schloss Eggenberg served as crossroads for architectural and artistic movements that originated from the Balkans, the Germanic regions, and the Mediterranean.
The Landeszeughaus, or Styrian Arsenal, is in the centre of Graz. The building, which was constructed in 1644, houses a magnificent collection of wholly preserved 17th-century weapons and armour - adequate to equip 32,000 men.
The Kunsthaus Graz, Graz Art Museum, or Grazer Kunsthaus was built in 2003 as a part of the European Capital of Culture celebrations. Since then it has become a centre of attraction to many and a landmark in Graz.
Sir Peter Cook and Colin Fournier designed this fantastic building. It is a fine example of blob architecture which breaks various traditional norms. That’s the reason why it is called the “friendly alien” by the locals.
Built between 1848 and 1854, the Semmering Railway is one of the greatest feats of civil engineering, being built over 41 km of high mountains. The building consists of magnificent viaducts, tunnels, and other sections that make the railway lines still functional.
The Semmering Railway starts at Gloggnitz station (altitude: 436 m), reaches its highest altitude of 895 m after 29 km over the pass, and ends at Mürzzuschlag station, 12 km away from the highest point.
Hallstatt is without a doubt one of the most beautiful places to visit in Austria. It's also a great starting point for exploring the remarkable Dachstein Salzkammergut region, which is also a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site.
You can also visit the nearby Hörnerwerk cavern's underground salt lake or explore the Dachstein Caves, one of Europe's greatest cave networks.
Several scared and religious places in Austria boast marvellous architecture and decorated relics. The top religious and spiritual sites are listed below.
Salzburg, the home of Prince Archbishops, has been a spiritual centre since the early years of Christianity in Europe. St. Rupert founded the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter in the heart of the Altstadt in AD 690, and it continued to serve as the Archbishops’mansion till the early 1100s.
Highlights include St. Peter's Abbey and its chapel and stunning cemetery and its catacombs.
Among the numerous Renaissance and baroque-style buildings and museums, of the city, St. Giles' Cathedral or Graz cathedral is a site to behold. It was built by Frederick III from 1438 to 1462 as the church of the court.
St. Stephen's Cathedral is at the heart of Vienna which also acts as the symbol of the city. It is the tallest church in Austria with a 136 metres south tower.
Apart from the side chapels and altars, viewers can see the exuberant cathedral treasure such as liturgical books and texts, gold and precious stone decorated relics, monstrances, etc., making it one of the most sought-after tourist places in Austria.
Melk Abbey is considered one of the best-known monastic sites in the world, with spectacular buildings arranged around seven courtyards. The west end of this 325-metre-long complex is most notable, with its twin-towered church surging above a funnel-shaped terrace range.
A flight of steps leads to the 12th-century St. Leopold's Chapel, where King Leopold III is laid to rest. It is also the location of the well-known Verdun Altar. The altar, possibly the best example of mediaeval enamel work still in existence, is of 51 frames of champlevé artwork on gilded copper, portraying Biblical scenes.
The Church of Maria Saal, also known as the Maria Saal Cathedral, is situated on a hill just above Zollfeld and serves as one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the southern Austrian state of Carinthia. Bishop Modestus consecrated a church here around 750 AD.
Austria has a wide range of options to please the adventure-lover in you. You can choose from skilling, cave exploration, hiking, and even horse riding.
The Bergisel Ski Jump is a ski jumping hill that annually hosts the 3rd competition of the Four Hills Tournament, a prestigious tournament in Austria.
This ski-jumping hill is one of the best tourist places in Austria and attracts several people. It provides a breathtaking view of Innsbruck, a ski jumping show. Additionally, one can admire views of The Restaurant 1809 and modern architecture and an Olympic past.
The Spanish Riding School dates back to Emperor Maximilian II's reign; constructed in 1735, the marvellous hall was intended for nobility to demonstrate their riding abilities. Today, it is one of the few places where the classical riding style preferred by the aristocracy is still practised.
AREA 47 is the largest outdoor adventure park in this country. The park houses several elements of adventure sports that include-Bungy jumping, rafting in the Oetztal, canyoning trips, high ropes course, mountain bike riding, and more.
The park promises to its visitors that the whole day of adventure will change their human selves and make them heroes.
The Zillertal Valley is famous for its Zillertal Arena, a winter sports area. It has 50 lifts that can take care of the transportation of 76000 people per hour. The 163 kilometres of piste make this the largest ski area in the Zillertal Valley.
Kitzbühel, Austria's most famous ski resort, spoils snow lovers with 170 kilometres of skiable groomed trails and slopes. This place is dotted with little hillside huts, where they may stop for customary Alpine treats and warming drinks. Kitzbühel's three different ski areas offer plenty of terrain for skiers of all skill levels, with the smallest, Bichlalm, dedicated to free riders.
The remarkable World of Ice Giants, situated on the western side of the Tennengebirge, is the world's biggest system of ice caves.
The caves, which cover approximately 30,000 square metres, were discovered in 1879 and opened to the general public in 1912, with an incredible 45 kilometres of the network explored to date. This makes it one of the most attractive tourist places in Austria.
Apart from sites that have major or minor human influence, Austria is rich with natural endowments where one can expect nature in its primal form. These are a few examples of such destinations:
Between 1930 and 1935, the Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse was built from Bruck in Pinzgau to Heiligenblut at the foot of the Grossglockner. It is one of Europe's most beautiful mountain roads, following the pathway of an old Roman road.
The Krimmler Ache falls plunge 380 metres in three massive cascades. It is a great day trip from the village of Krimml, situated just above Salzachtal in the countryside at an elevation of 1,076 metres. It is a fantastic destination to stop at if you enjoy hiking.
Stubai Valley is famous for its breathtaking view. Especially from some sections of the valley, the view is mesmerising. One can reach those portions of the Stubai Valley mountain range by attempting the Stubai High Trail. It is a challenging trail consisting of 100 kilometres of ascent and 8000 metres of descent. However, conquering this gruelling trail is equally rewarding.
People consider Lake Weissensee as the purest swimming lake in the Alps. The locals also believe that this lake has therapeutic qualities. However, apart from that, one cannot miss how arresting the beauty of the landscape is. A tourist cannot miss experiencing a swim in this lake.
Seasoned hikers find this range alluring as it presents the adventurer with a sprawling 400-kilometres mountain path covered with forest. However, it is also welcoming for hikers, who can reach the general area (80 kilometres from Salzburg and Innsbruck).
The district of Gmunden is located 700 metres above sea level and has rugged mountains, dense forests, and lively streams. One must not miss Lake Gosau and the glaciers this place offers. Apart from that, Gosau's Hot-Air Balloon Week (Jan 13 to 21) is also a sight one cannot miss.
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