Austria’s six national parks protect a total of 2,395 km² of significant natural areas—around three percent of the country’s land area. The network encompasses a range of landscapes. The contrast is clear in Kalkalpen National Park, which protects Austria’s largest area of wilderness forest, and Donau-Auen National Park, which preserves Central Europe’s last large floodplain landscape.
National parks and alpine landscapes
The Austrian Alps alternate between rugged peaks and gentle alpine pastures; clear mountain streams and trails are ideal for hiking and cycling. Austria’s ski resorts offer modern cable cars and well-groomed slopes amid impressive mountains. In some regions, it is also possible to ski under the open sky at night; availability varies by region and season.
Accessibility may also play a role when choosing a nature destination: Austria’s national parks offer accessible hiking trails and all-terrain wheelchair power attachments. Specific facilities vary by park.
The Krimml Waterfalls have a total drop of 380 metres and are considered Europe’s highest waterfalls. The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is one of Europe’s most impressive high-mountain roads.
Culture and city life
Salzburg’s historic city centre has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. Schönbrunn Palace offers a different perspective on history: the Baroque palace, with its magnificent gardens, was the Habsburgs’ summer residence. A historic city centre and a former residence with gardens thus represent different cultural highlights.
Swarovski Crystal Worlds combines art installations, crystal chambers and an expansive garden park to create an immersive experience. The options offer distinctly different interests: a historic city centre, a Baroque residence, or a combination of art, crystal and gardens.
Vienna’s Danube Island offers opportunities for swimming, boating, cycling, skating and beach volleyball. Vienna is also home to the world’s oldest zoo, one of Europe’s most visited zoological gardens. Opera and ballet are also part of the city’s cultural scene: a renowned Viennese opera house hosts performances with an international reputation.
The Kneipp method is practised and passed on at Austrian health resorts and spas, as well as by associations and organisations.
Regional traditions and culinary delights
The Danube shapes the Wachau, a landscape of picturesque towns, vineyards, orchards, forests, castles and monasteries. Apricots are processed there by specialist producers, restaurants and inns. The landscape, historic buildings and apricot products offer different ways to explore the region.
In Austria’s wine-growing regions, vaulted cellars in castles and monasteries welcome visitors for guided tours. Numerous culinary hikes lead to alpine pastures, along lakes or through wine regions, with opportunities to stop for refreshments. This offers a way to combine scenery and exercise, while a tour of the vaulted cellars provides a different focus.
The Fuhren on Lake Hallstatt are flat wooden transport boats, also known as Plätten. They have a long tradition of transporting both goods and passengers.
Discover more destinations: Burgenland, Carinthia, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Vienna.
