Destination Guides

Where to go in Austria

Matching Austria's regions and cities to trip types — first-timers, beach weeks, food trips and family holidays.

6 min read · Updated 2026-08-01

Austria is an alpine, landlocked country that the Austrian National Tourist Office presents as a year-round destination: cities and culture, mountains and lakes, hiking and cycling in the warm months, and skiing and winter sports in the cold ones. Winters are cold with reliable mountain snow, summers are warm without being extreme, and spring and autumn are mild and quieter. It is a strong pick for culture, nature, families and active travel — not for coastal beach trips, though the Salzkammergut and Carinthian swimming lakes cover much of that instinct.

The places worth building a trip around

Each of these has its own page with timing, budget and getting-around notes.

Vienna (City) — Imperial capital of museums, coffee houses, music and grand boulevards.
Salzburg (City) — Baroque old town beneath a hilltop fortress, with the Alps starting at the edge of town.
Innsbruck & Tyrol (Region) — Alpine city ringed by peaks, and the base for Tyrol's hiking and ski valleys.
Salzkammergut & Hallstatt (Lake) — Lake district of swimmable water, steep shorelines and small heritage villages.
Graz (City) — Styria's relaxed second city: red rooftops, a food-led culture and lower prices.
Zell am See (Mountain) — Lake-and-glacier resort town that works for both summer water sports and winter skiing.