Travel Inspiration – Austria

     Today’s post is to inspire you to travel to Austria. It’s probably not the most famous country in Europe, but it’s certainly got plenty of things going for it, as you’ll hopefully see! I went for the first time during my university year abroad, to visit a friend of mine who was on her year abroad there. I stayed with her in Linz, and we also went on a day trip to Salzburg during my weekend there. The second time was during my Contiki trip through Europe, which stopped off in the capital, Vienna, and a little town in the Alps, Hopfgarten. Austria has a lot of historical sights, though I’m not much of a history buff, so I mostly took in the beautiful architecture and stunning views.

Austria’s capital, Vienna, is full of stunning architecture, particularly around the vast palace. I felt like there was another building to photograph around every corner.

While I’m not a very religious person, I’m fascinated by the designs of cathedrals. Having spent so long in France, Austrian design made a welcome change.

Next stop is Salzburg, which I think was the prettiest, and my favourite, Austrian city. You might recognise these gardens, as this is where parts of The Sound of Music was filmed.

Another cathedral, and I love the colours inside the dome on this one in Salzburg. The white stone was also very different to a lot of the darker cathedrals in Europe.

And what kind of pianist would I be if I didn’t include Mozart’s birthplace?

I love quirky little details like these, that capture the character of a place, not just its famous sights. There were a whole bunch of statues wearing winter gear that day, and we never figured out why.

And it’s not Austria without a jolly mountain dwarf, right?

Linz is Austria’s third biggest city. While not as famous as the other two, it was a lovely place to stay for a few days with my friend.

Finally, get away from the cities by visiting the Austrian Alps. I’m not a winter sports person, and have only visited this region in the summer months, but the mountains views are breathtaking at any time of year. And the towns are full of cute chalet-style houses or gasthofs.