Vacation Rentals in Austria

Whether music, art or history, Austria is a highlight for culture lovers. While fine spirits are drawn to Vienna's city centre with its numerous baroque buildings such as the State Opera House and the Burgtheater, art lovers are taken to the country's 42 renowned art museums, including the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, the Neue Galerie Graz, the Hundertwasserhaus and the "Artpark" in Linz. The offer is complemented by other museums such as the Hohensalzburg Fortress, the Vienna Hofburg, the Sisi Museum or the Red Bull Hangar-7, which provides technology highlights such as jet aircraft, stunt helicopters and Formula 1 cars for big eyes with technology fans.

Lace up your hiking boots and start alone, with friends or family into the beauty of the Austrian mountain and lake world. Explore the lonely mountain paths on theme hikes and reward yourself on spectacular viewing platforms such as the 1,933 metre high Airwalk with its glass floor and breathtaking views of the snow-capped peaks. Cyclists also get their money's worth in Austria. While racing cyclists try their hand at the demanding passes, mountain bikers plunge down the countless single trails. If you are looking for a little more adrenaline, climb the rugged peaks, try canyoning or book a rafting tour.

With mild temperatures averaging up to 16 degrees Celsius, the first hikers and cyclists are drawn to Austria in April, although the main season does not begin until mid-June. Up to the beginning of September, an average of up to 8 hours of sunshine and temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius are tempting, even heating the mountain lakes to bathing temperature. From December to March, the first snow is taken over by the winter sports enthusiasts, who feel great thanks to the snow guarantee. Cultural trips and city tours, on the other hand, are always worthwhile because of the charm that Austria's metropolises unfold even in winter.

Like Austria itself, the programme of events is characterised by art and music. Among the highlights of the year are the Mozart Week in Salzburg, the Vienna Opera Ball in February, the Nova Rock Rock Festival in June, the wachau GOURMET Festival and the world-famous Bregenz Lake Stage Festival, which attract more than 200,000 visitors to Austria every year in July and August. The sporting highlights in the form of the Ötztal Cycling Marathon in August, the Biathlon and Alpine Skiing World Cups as well as the Four Hills Tournament in January in Innsbruck and Bischofshofen set an antipole.

Anyone who is enthusiastic about culture and has moved into a vacation rental or chalet in the vicinity of Vienna should pay a visit to Schönbrunn Palace, because there are themed guided tours of the more than 100 state rooms and halls. Walk in the footsteps of Empress Sisi and let yourself be carried away into the courtly world of the 18th century.

For hardly anything is Vienna as famous as for its Konzerthaus, which is visited annually by many world stars. An absolute highlight, however, are the performances of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, which take place 110 times a year. Experience an unforgettable evening with the melodies of Strauss, Beethoven and Mozart as well as modern pieces, which are well known from movies like James Bond and Pirates of the Caribbean.

The fortress Hohenwerfen in the Salzburger Land was already to be seen in numerous Hollywood flicks like "Agents die lonely" with Clint Eastwood or in the Amazon series "The Man In The High Castle" and is worth a visit not least because of its impressive location. Medieval lovers can look forward to the falconry, a guided tour through the armoury and the castle dungeon as well as a rustic knight meal.

Austrian cuisine is much more varied than its reputation. Enjoy a real veal schnitzel baked in lard in a rustic restaurant in the old town or try a wide variety of dumplings, covering every taste from sweet to spicy. With variations such as liver, press and bacon dumplings, the variety in Tyrol is particularly large. The culinary offer is rounded off, how could it also be otherwise, by the classic Kaiserschmarrn, which tastes particularly good served with hot plums at the Après Ski.

If you have always been interested in secrets, conspiracies and hidden treasures, an excursion to Lake Toplitz in the Salzkammergut is ideal. According to local legend, the Wehrmacht sunk a treasure of gold in the lake used as a naval test site towards the end of the war. During an excursion you will marvel at the finds from the depths exhibited in a small museum. But so much in advance - the gold is still missing.