Top events in Austria

June
01

A great event that always creates a buzz in this magical city, the annual Vienna Jazz Festival is a popular musical extravaganza that attracts...

June
27

Artists from over 40 countries come together to create their art on the moving canvases of human bodies. The beautiful mountain and lake backdrop...

July
01

Hosted by this prestigious organisation, the Chamber Concerts at the International Mozarteum Foundation presents a performance programme that...

Travel Deals

Pin This

Wilder Kaiser region, Austria

© 123rf.com

Austria Travel Guide

Key Facts

Geography

Area: 

83,858 sq km (32,378 sq miles).

Population: 

8.4 million (2010).

Population density: 

100 per sq km.

Capital: 

Vienna (Wien). Population: 1.7 million (2009).

Government: 

Federal Republic.

Head of state: 

President Heinz Fischer since 2004.

Head of government: 

Chancellor Werner Faymann since 2008.

Electricity: 

230 volts AC, 50Hz. Round two-pin European plugs are standard.

Austria is a country of startling contrasts, from the soaring Alps to the verdant swathes of the Danube Valley. This European beauty is noted as much for its historical buildings, awe-inspiring museums and galleries, as for its world-class skiing conditions and breathtaking mountain scenery.

Groundbreaking cultural figures pepper Austria's history, from the composing geniuses of Mozart and Schubert, to the great mind of psychologist Sigmund Freud.

Glorious architectural riches include reminders of the once-powerful Habsburgs, who dominated central Europe for seven centuries; the capital of Austria, Vienna, is magnificent with its ornate Opera House and the imperial Hofburg, while many other cities are similarly infused with historical magic, notably Mozart's birthplace, Salzburg, with stunning baroque churches set before a backdrop of snow-covered peaks.