I first visited Austria on a 16-hour layover in Vienna in 2019. While Vienna is undoubtedly charming and full of rich history, it wasn’t until I visited other parts of Austria on a summer trip that I truly fell in love with the country. Austria is known as being one of the most beautiful countries in Europe, and after having visited the majority of western European countries and several in the east, I can confirm this testament.
If you want to get out of the capital and explore some other parts of Austria, here are five destinations, aside from Vienna, to visit.
1. Patscherkofel
“The hills are aliiiiive!” — if you’re anything like me, that’s what you’ll be singing when you roam, or dance, through the hills of Patscherkofel. Patscherkofel is the quintessential destination for the Austrian Alps, ideal for hiking and taking in the majestic views of the snow-capped peaks in all directions. If you want to experience climbing up the mountains without breaking a sweat, take the gondola up. At the top, you’ll see plenty of cows and will have a few options to buy a bite to eat or a beer.
2. Innsbruck
I went to Innsbruck as the first stop on a mystery trip I signed up for with Competitours, and admittedly, I wasn’t excited for our starting point. I thought Innsbruck felt like an extremely random choice, but when I exited the train station to see I was in a city completely surrounded by mountains, my skepticism quickly began to fade. In Innsbruck, I stayed at Dollinger, which was a fine option, but I’d recommend staying closer to the center of town.
In Innsbruck, the number one thing to do is take the Nordkette cable car up into the mountains. You’ll also want to roam Maria-Theresien-Strasse, a colorful lined street that is what really sealed the deal on my love affair with Innsbruck. Make sure to get some classic Tyrolean cuisine, like knödel. My favorite spot in town was die Wilderin. Innsbruck is also ideal for a day trip from the Dolomites, or vice versa. I personally traveled there after staying at La Roccia Wellness Hotel.
- For a centrally located hotel, I would recommend The Penz Hotel.
3. Lake Neusiedl
Austria isn’t only about big mountains and historically fascinating cities; it even touts itself as a wellness destination, and nowhere is more relaxing than Lake Neusiedl. I loved my time in Lake Neusiedl so much that I actually spent my 33rd birthday here going in for a dip!
Lake Neusiedl is the largest endothermic lake in Central Europe and resides in both Austria and Hungary, though Austria claims much more of it than Hungary does. It’s especially an ideal destination if you want to do some country hopping in Eastern Europe; as mentioned, it leads into Hungary, and if you hang out near the northeastern part of the lake, you’re just a hop skip and away from Slovakia.
- St. Martins Therme & Lodge is a prime spa hotel to take your Austrian wellness getaway to the next level.
4. Salzburg
Not a hidden Austrian destination by any means, but some might argue that Salzburg is even better than Vienna. I’m not here to confirm nor deny that allegation, but I do believe Salzburg is well worth the visit, especially for music lovers. The Sound of Music was filmed in and around Salzburg, and you can take a Sound of Music tour. Salzburg is also the home to Mozart, and you can attend a concert at Mirabell Palace. If you want to do it all but are limited on time, this two-hour walking tour including history about Mozart and visiting the Old Town is a great way to see the city’s highlights on a hunch.
5. Halbturn
Not too far from both the Slovakian and Hungarian borders is a town called Halbturn. If you want to feel like royalty, Halbturn is the place to be. The town’s biggest attraction is Schloss Halbturn, which is a castle. There is a hotel within the premises of the castle called Knappenstöckl, so really, when I said if you want to feel like royalty, you can sleep on the same grounds as a castle here. Best of all, Halbturn is an easy day trip from Vienna if you need to get out of the city.
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