How to Plan a Trip to Austria

Planning a trip to Austria is fun – but not nearly as much fun as actually going to Austria. And you wouldn’t think that planning a vacation to a European country roughly the size of Maine would be all that complex.  

Truth is, Austria is surprisingly diverse considering its size, and planning a trip there requires some serious planning. 

Planning A Trip To Austria: What You Need To Know 

Here are the things to consider when planning a trip to Austria: 

When To Visit Austria 

Austria has four full seasons, though in some regions of Austria they may not be as extreme as what people in the Upper Midwest and Northeast may be used to. 

Winter (December-February) 

Some regions of Austria have less-extreme seasons than parts of the U.S. But other regions are in the mountains, and winters can be quite snowy and cold. Ski vacations in Austria are wonderful. The mountains around Kitzbühel and Innsbruck have hosted several Olympics, and boast runs for skiers of all ability levels. 

The ski towns themselves are jewels; snug and charming, and priced like jewels, too. 

If you’re not heading to the mountains but want a quiet sojourn in Vienna, winters are a fine time to travel to Austria. Prices are lower, tourists are few, museums and concert halls are less crowded, but the coffee and Sachertorte are good as ever. 

Spring (March-May) 

Spring in Vienna conjures up images of walking down park lanes with the chestnut trees budding. Vienna can definitely deliver on that promise. 

Later spring is a time to explore the countryside, perhaps on a bike tour from Cycling Holidays Austria. The views are spectacular, the flowers are gorgeous, and everything is just about as you dreamed it would be. 

Temps are in the 50s and 60s, making biking comfortable and walking around fun and easy. 

Later spring is also prime river-cruise season. Danube tours are particularly popular, and while they’re not restricted to Austria, they spend a lot of time in the country, giving you hints as to places you’d like to visit next time. 

Summer (June-August) 

Summer is tourist season, with more people, higher prices, lines, ticket shortages, and pressure on lodging, but it’s still a great time to visit Austria. 

The festivals, such as Salzburg’s famed summer music festival, will be crowded and Switzerland levels of expensive. However, other parts of Austria, such as the region bordering Slovenia, are less traveled and worth exploring in summer, as they don’t lack for scenery or history. 

Summer is also a great (though touristy) time to visit the Tyrol. Austria’s western mountain region is home to numerous delightful villages, with festivals and events that celebrate the region’s unique heritage. 

Autumn (September-November) 

Another calmer time to visit Austria, autumn brings fall colors (late September-October in the lower altitudes, earlier September in the mountains) as well as cooler temperatures and more precipitation.  

It’s the time to ride the trains around the country. There are fast trains that connect the major cities as well as slower trains that traverse the countryside. A travel advisor can help you craft a fall train-centered vacation that includes stops in mountain towns as well as major cities. 

Types Of Austrian Trips 

As mentioned earlier, Austria is not particularly large. That’s good news if you’re taking a vacation of a week or less and want to see a lot of one country. 

That’s also good news if you want to combine an Austrian ski trip with, say, a couple of days in Vienna. What if your vacation is several weeks? Does sticking to Austria alone still make sense? 

Yes, under a couple of conditions: 

If that’s not you, then it’s a good idea to make Austria part of a multicountry vacation. Hungary, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy are all good choices for classic tourist travel; Czechia and Slovenia offer off-the-beaten-path charms. 

With either type of multicountry vacation Austria is a great central location for coming, going, and sightseeing. 

Regions Of Austria To Visit 

Austria is partially but not completely defined by its geography. 

Most of Austria is wooded; in fact, it’s one of Europe’s most heavily forested countries. “Tales of the Vienna Woods” is no joke – there really are Vienna woods. In summer every part of Austria is drivable. In other seasons, you should check road conditions before heading into the mountains. 

Things To Do In Austria 

Things you can do in Austria break readily into four areas: 

Cultural activities 

Vienna and all of Austria have historically been one of Europe’s great cultural centers. 

Part of the reason is Austria’s position as a crossroads of central Europe. Germany in the north, France in the west, Italy in the south, Hungary in the east – all their roads led to Vienna. 

The legacy of this is great music, great places to hear music, and wonderful museums. 

MUSIC FESTIVALS 

The Salzburg summer music festival is perhaps the world’s finest music festival. Mozart is always on the menu but all forms of classical music can be heard, right up to the most modern works. 

The festival is held in July and August, and tickets are almost impossible to get. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. 

Salzburg is a city of music festivals, much as it was portrayed in The Sound of Music. If you can’t swing the summer festival try the Easter Festival (held during Holy Week) or the Baroque-leaning Whitsun Festival (Pentecost weekend in late May or early June). 

Austrian music festivals aren’t restricted to Salzburg. There's also: 

CONCERT HALLS 

The Vienna State Opera is to concert halls what the Salzburg festival is to music festivals. The Vienna Philharmonic is not surprisingly one of the world’s great orchestras, and concert tickets are understandably hard to come by. 

Once again, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it if you truly love classical music. Shut out of the Vienna State Opera and the Philharmonic? Don’t despair. Consider: 

Befitting its status as a crossroads, Austria has had much art pass through its borders – and some of it came and stuck. 

The country’s best art museums include: 

You won’t hear Austria’s art museums spoken of in the same terms as the museums of Italy, France, or even the Netherlands. However, if you love art they’re worth visiting nonetheless. 

Culinary activities 

The food’s good in Austria. Italian, French and German influences combine with Austria’s imperial heritage to create a cuisine that’s high on spectacular dishes (and calories).
 

Some of the specialties include: 

Historical activities and sightseeing 

In the true European manner, virtually every Austrian city has a historical old town, a cathedral worth walking through, a central square, ideally with a market, cobblestone streets, small coffeeshops and restaurants, and book and art stores. 

As a result, a lot of Austrian sightseeing simply involves heading into a city, either by driving, taking mass transit or exiting an intercity train, and literally walking around and seeing the sights. 

There can and should be more intentional sightseeing, especially if you don’t have much time in Austria. 

Not-to-be-missed places include: 

Active activities 

You can stay very active in Austria just by walking; every city has so much to see. However, if you want to be more intentional about living the strenuous life the major activities are: 

HIKING 

Austria is a hiker's paradise, with more than 50,000 kilometers of marked trails, many in the Alps or Alps-adjacent regions. The expansive Hohe Tauern National Park features dramatic scenery centered on the Grossglockner, the country's tallest mountain, and the spectacular Krimml Falls – the highest in Europe. 

The Salzkammergut lake district is another hiker fave, where doable trails connect storybook lakes and villages. Hut-to-hut hiking is an Austrian tradition. Alpine huts (Berghütten) are spaced a day's walk apart, with meals, beds, and an unforgettable spirit of conviviality at trail's end. 

BIKING 

Dedicated bike paths, clearly marked cycle routes and respect for cyclists make Austria a great country to explore on two wheels. The Danube Cycle Path (Donauradweg) follows the river from Passau on the German border to Vienna and beyond. The terrain is on the less-challenging side – no Alps – and the towns and views can't be beat. 

The Innradweg, following the Inn River through the Tyrol, and the Salzach Cycle Path through the Salzburg region are likewise scenic and well-maintained. For Austrian mountain biking – as in careening down a ski hill, then taking a lift back up and doing it again – the Arlberg region and the Ötztal Valley can't be beat. 

Bike rentals are widely available, and e-bikes make this mode of transport available to just about everyone. 

SKIING 

Austria might be the world's greatest ski nation, though France and Italy would like a word. Its ski resorts combine challenging runs, charming atmospheres, and the OG après-ski culture. 

The Arlberg region, including St. Anton am Arlberg, Lech and Zürs, is legendary. Modern alpine skiing was basically invented here – including what you do after a day on the slopes. 

Kitzbühel is Austria’s most glamorous ski town. The skiing is excellent, the town is beautiful and the prices reflect it. Innsbruck has hosted the Winter Olympics twice and sits in the middle of an array of ski areas accessible by a single pass, making it a great base of operations. 

For families or less experienced skiers, resorts like Sölden, Schladming, and the SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser-Brixental offer gentler terrain and excellent ski schools. 

Packing For A Trip To Austria 

Unless you’re traveling only to the lowland portions of Austria in the summer, the watchwords are going to be: pack layers. 

Every other trip type or time of year presents you with a smorgasbord of weather possibilities – and even midsummer in the lowlands require you to pack rainwear and a light sweater or hoodie for evening strolls. For instance: 

Get more sample packing lists in our multi-cruise packing-list blog. 

Special Requirements For Travel To Austria 

There’s not a lot you need to travel to Austria than you might need to travel internationally anywhere else. 

Obviously, your passport needs to be in good shape. If it’s due to expire in the next six months, renew it. After it’s renewed, make several copies of it. Carry one with you and leave another at home with a trusted friend or relative. 

The Schengen Area 

Austria is part of the Schengen Area. We’ve covered this elsewhere, but the Schengen Area was created so most European residents can travel between countries without having to go through the whole customs-and-immigration thing. 

There is a Schengen Visa which covers travel to countries in the Schengen Zone, but Americans don’t need one ... yet. 

There’s also a fee that all visitors to the Schengen Area are supposed to pay, including Americans. The fee and its accompanying form have been promised since 2022, and it’s still not in effect. Maybe late 2026. Maybe. 

Buying Travel Insurance For A Trip To Austria 

As you can see, traveling to Austria isn’t necessarily fraught with danger, though things can happen to make your trip significantly more difficult. 

You could encounter travel delays or experience medical emergencies. You could lose your luggage. Or something could happen back home that would force you to cancel or interrupt your trip. 

Travel insurance can help lessen the impact of these travel mishaps. Travel insurance from Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection is available in many different forms to precisely fit your trip. 

With an easy quote process and a fast claims process, getting protected is easier than you think. Get a quote and see for yourself.  

Planning A Trip To Austria: The Bottom Line 

Austria may not get all the press of its neighbors France, Italy, and Germany, but Austria has everything you might want from a European destination in a slightly more compact package. 

If that sounds good to you, consult your travel professional, ask your favorite AI tool, read some reviews, or just dream. However you choose to get the process started, with our tips an unforgettable trip to Austria is in the bag.