discover the best of austria.

Town Hall, Vienna MuseumsQuartier in Vienna Winter Polo Rock Climbing Golf
© Wien-Tourismus/Lois Lammerhuber
Finkenstein Castle Arena Salzburg Festival Vienna Boys Choir
© ANTO/Wiesenhofer
Culture
Vienna and Salzburg City are cultural cities with global reputations. Visitors
to Austria are spoilt for choice when it comes to artistic and cultural
attractions. The following sites and events are renowned for their crowdpulling
potential.
Top tips
• Culture without costs in Vienna: One of the summer highlights in Vienna
is the Film Festival in front of the Vienna City Hall. It presents free operarelated
films on a vast screen most nights. The Danube Island Festival is
a free three-day festival featuring performances on 27 stages, which takes
place annually every June. (www.donauinselfest.at)
• The MuseumsQuartier (MQ) in Vienna is one of the ten largest cultural
quarters in the world. In the former imperial stables in the old city, it
combines institutions of different art fields, restaurants, cafés and shops in
an area spanning 640,000 square feet. (www.mqw.at/news.en.html)
© ANTO/Markowitsch
© ANTO/Bartl
© Picture credit to go here
© Grand Hotel Vienna
• Operas, plays and concerts are performed for up to six weeks every
summer at the Salzburg Festival. The festival regularly attracts the best
conductors, stage-directors, orchestras, singers, actors and instrumentalists.
(www.salzburgfestival.at)
• With the opening of the Museum der Moderne, Salzburg is building a
major reputation for contemporary art. The museum’s mountain-top location
on the Mönchsberg is a masterpiece in itself and visitors can see the works by
entering through the rock via an ascending lift. (www.museumdermoderne.at)
• The Innsbruck Summer Dance Festival in June and July has a broad
cultural programme with contemporary dance from the US, passionate Flamenco
from Spain and a cross-section of European ballet. (www.tanzsommer.at)
• A breathtaking backdrop, unique atmosphere, and international stars make
an evening at Finkenstein Castle Arena in Carinthia a truly unforgettable
experience. The wonderful acoustics and setting resound to pop, rock and
opera concerts. (www.burgarena.at)
Sports
Skiing, water-skiing, golf, hiking, biking – the list of sports available in
Austria is as broad as it is long. The several hundred lakes throughout the
country are a haven for watersport lovers between July and August, when
water temperatures regularly top 25ºC.
Top tips
• The Europa-Sportregion Zell am See-Kaprun is a magnet for
skiers with 132 kilometres of downhill runs spread out over 59 pistes while
snowboarders can hone their skills on Schmittenhohe and the Funpark on
Kitzsteinhorn. The region also has 200 kilometres of trails for cross-country
skiers. (www.europasportregion.info)
• The Sports World of the Alpen Therme Gastein is a must-see for
sports lovers, with its modern fitness facilities and sports medical centre.
Personal trainers can help get you into shape and provide anti-ageing and
nutritional advice. (www.alpentherme.com/en)
• Experience the thrills of Olympic champions by taking a lightning-fast
bobsleigh run in Igls, Tirol. Even when the sun comes out in summer you
can still zip along on the asphalt run. (www.innsbruck.info/igls)
• The Kitzbühel Golf Festival is a blur of balls and clubs with 13
tournaments hosted in one week every summer. Golfers can unwind in the
historical town centre afterwards and enjoy the many shops, intimate bars
and restaurants. (www.kitzbuehel.com/golf/en)
• The Beach Volleyball Grand Slam Klagenfurt sees Austria turn on
the Brazilian style with athletic sportsmen and women showcasing their
hand-eye skills on the sand. Since 1996, the event has grown into one of
Austria’s most successful sporting occasions. (www.beachvolleyball.at)
Austria. You’ve arrived! Austria. You’ve arrived!
© ANTO/Niederstrasser A.
© ANTO/Fankhauser
Mountain Climbing
Beach Volleyball in Carinthia
© ANTO/Niederstrasser A. © ANTO/Fankhauser
© ANTO/Pigneter