Top 10 tourist attractions you should not miss when traveling in Austria

1

Belvedere Palace, Vienna

One of the most visited palaces in Austria - and one that should definitely be on your Vienna travel itinerary - is the spectacular Belvedere Palace (Schloss Belvedere). Often referred to simply as "The Belvedere", this important historic site is divided into two main parts: the Upper (Oberes) and Lower (Unteres) Palaces.

If you only have time to explore one, make it the Upper Palace. Here you'll find the largest part of the attraction's impressive artwork collection, as well as the chance to see one of the country's best-preserved architectural gems . Highlights include the main hall Sala Terrena, notable for its statues and stucco vaulted ceilings; Carlone Hall, with frescoes on the ceiling; The two-story marble hall, with many sculptures and paintings; and the impressive Ceremonial Stairs.

Highlights include the Marble Gallery, with its collection of statues; Grotesque hall with numerous beautiful murals; and a second Marble Great Hall, which is known for its attractive ceiling frescoes.

If you're here for the day (you should plan!), the Palace boasts a great cafe and restaurant, three shops, and a great Christmas Market for those traveling during the off-season months. winter.

2

Vienna Hofburg: Austria's Imperial Palace

The spectacular Hofburg Palace in Vienna was for centuries the seat of the Austrian monarchy, the mighty Habsburgs. The President now conducts state business in the very rooms that once belonged to Emperor Joseph II. Nearly every Austrian ruler since 1275 ordered additions or alterations, resulting in a variety of architectural influences, including Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, and Classicism.

Along with many attractive squares and gardens, the entire 59-acre Hofburg complex includes 19 courtyards and 2,600 rooms. Highlights of a visit include the Royal Silver Collection and a range of catering services that give a taste of the lavish royal banquets that once took place here.

Also worth seeing are the Sisi Museum, which focuses on the life and times of Empress Elisabeth, and the Royal Apartments, a series of 19 rooms once occupied by Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife.

3

Salzburg Altstadt, UNESCO World Heritage Site

Home to the Prince Archbishops, Salzburg has been a spiritual center since the earliest days of Christianity in Europe. Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter, in the heart of Altstadt (Old Town) founded by St. Rupert in AD 690 and was the residence of the Archbishops until the early 1100s.

The Prince Archbishops hired some of the finest artists and architects of their time to build and decorate their churches, mansions and monasteries, and despite these works Having been "updated" to the tastes of subsequent centuries, the Medieval and Baroque buildings combine to form a beautiful old town to explore.

The highlight is St Peter's Abbey and its church, which, along with its pretty cemetery and crypt, are instantly recognizable as a filming location for The Sound of Music.

Nearby is the cathedral, and wandering among its colorful Baroque houses you'll find charming squares and attractions including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's birthplace, now a museum. Above the beautiful spiers and soaring spiers of Salzburg's Hohensalzburg castle, you can reach it by funicular.

4

Spanish Equestrian School, Vienna

The Spanish equestrian school dates back to Emperor Maximilian II, who was responsible for introducing the famous Lipizzaner horses into Austria in 1562.

Today, it is one of the only places that still practice the classic equestrian style favored by the aristocracy. Watching the famous equestrian shows in the Baroque Winter Equestrian School - held here since the time of Charles VI - is one of the top things to do in Vienna.

Built in 1735, the magnificent hall was designed for the nobility to show off their equestrian skills. Tickets to see these stunning animals perform ballet are highly sought after, so book your tickets online as much in advance as possible.

5

Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna

Located on the outskirts of Vienna, the Baroque Schönbrunn Palace was completed in the early 1700s and later converted into a summer residence by Empress Maria Theresa.

Highlights of a tour through the palace's 40 rooms open to the public are the Royal apartments, the Grand Gallery with its ornate ceiling paintings, the Room of the Million, and Maria's beauty salon. Theresa with carved and gilded rosewood panels. You'll also see the spectacular Hall of Mirrors, with its mirrors framed in Rococo gold. Behind the 1,441-room palace is a 500-acre park and garden, also in the 18th-century Baroque style.

Your visit to Schönbrunn should include the many attractions that span these grounds: the formal gardens; a maze; Palm House filled with tropical and exotic plants and butterflies; an Alpine garden with a farm; Europe's oldest zoo; and the Classic Gloriette, a large marble structure perched on a hill above the gardens.

A carriage museum in the former Winter Riding School displays dozens of historic state coaches and snowmobiles. The entire palace and garden complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.