an independent travel guide about Austria
Globetrotting multilingual communications specialist born in Vienna, Austria – with passion for scuba diving, golf and culinary delights! 15 years of experience as a scuba- and travel reporter for among others: X-Ray Dive Magazine and Dykking.
Hochobir is a large freestanding mountain at 2139 meters / 7017 ft above sea level. The mountain is separated from the nearby peaks by deep valleys and rises almost 1800 m / 5900 ft above the Drau Valley in southern Carinthia. The starting point for the hike, Eisenkappeler Hütte, is located on the hillside in […]
Green Lake and its setting are stunning — a green emerald surrounded by the Hochschwab Mountains and forests. Consequently, the Green Lake (Grüner See) in Styria has become a very popular destination. During the main central European holiday period, it can be very crowded. Nonetheless, if you visit outside the busiest times in the summer, […]
Innere Stadt, Vienna’s historical city centre within Ringstrasse, is a delightful place to discover on foot. You find everything from narrow alleys, picturesque houses, and small idyllic squares to majestic palaces, sumptuous cathedrals and beautiful parks. The first of our Vienna city walks takes us from Schwedenplatz to Stadtpark. Schwedenplatz, where several buses, trams, and […]
Vienna is perfect for streetcar sightseeing. I discovered I could experience many of the city’s different facets within 2-3 hours with the D-line. You can experience imperial Vienna, busy shopping streets, workers housing estates, and the Nussberg wine district, to name a few. Streetcar line D takes you from the city’s central railway station (Hauptbahnhof) […]
With the mountains and lakes, castles and villages, historic towns and idyllic villages, Austria is bar none when it comes to the variety of holiday features. While the mountains are the main attraction in Austria, summer or winter, we would like to put the spotlight on the country’s wonderful lakes. Swimming, bathing, boat trips, water […]
In the 19th century, tourists wanted to climb mountain peaks more comfortably than hiking or climbing. Therefore, cog railway tracks were built in several places in the Alps, where narrow-track steam trains ferry people up and down the mountains to this day. The 5.8-kilometre-long trip up Schafberg (Sheep Mountain) takes approx. 35 minutes. The Schafbergbahn […]
The castle in Mauterndorf is not to be overlooked as it is located on a mountain cliff at the edge of the village. The site has been fortified since 326 A.D., guarding the Roman trade route crossing the Tauern mountain pass. However, the castle itself is first mentioned in written records from 1253. The castle […]
Both scuba diving and snorkelling are popular in Austria, despite not having a single centimetre coastline by the ocean. In return, you will find many large and small lakes scattered throughout the country. Not to mention that many of Austria’s lakes hold drinking water quality and have a great underwater fauna. In most places it […]
Its historic centre (Altstadt) has by no means lapsed into a tourist trap but still functions as a place where people live. Furthermore, you find lots of shops, restaurants, patisseries and other businesses to keep you busy for a few days. Although I have been here numerous times and know the town well, I never […]
Any historical town with respect for itself should have a castle, and Feldkirch has the Schattenburg. Although there has been documented a settlement on-site for more than 2000 years, the “town” Feldkirch was built together with the castle in the early 13th century. We found the Schattenburg well worth the entrance fee and learned a […]