Austria tourists' overnight stays increased in 2022

City Breaks in Austria. Now for real. #realAustria

Castles and palaces that take us straight back to former times in history, lively theatre plays and musical performances and paintings of some of the world’s greatest: Not even the best photograph could ever replace the experience of standing in front of medieval Hohensalzburg Fortress or masterpieces by Rubens, Rembrandt, and Dürer in imperial halls. Luckily, Austria’s cities and their sights are open again this summer, allowing visitors to experience their charm first-hand, away from phone screens and Zoom backgrounds. Pack your bags and get ready for your next city break!

SALZBURG: MOZART’S BIRTH TOWN CELEBRATES ITS 25TH UNESCO ANNIVERSARY

Salzburg celebrates its 25-year-anniversary as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2022, making it a must-visit this year. Austria’s fourth-largest town (155,400 inhabitants) owes its elegance to the prince-archbishops: Their architectural, artistic, and social heritage is omnipresent to date. Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich zu Raitenau (1559-1617) dreamt of transforming Salzburg into a magnificent “Rome of the North”, creating landmarks such as Mirabell which helped the city earn its UNESCO title.

To mark the anniversary, see for yourself why Mozart’s birth town is a World Heritage Site: Visit Mirabell Palace and explore its stunning imperial rooms, its parks, fountains and hidden faces, then head to the 1,300-year-old DomQuartier. The Museums at Hohensalzburg Fortress, the Hellbrunn Palace, Cathedral Museum and Museum at St. Peter’s Abbey all have special exhibitions this year. And of course, no visit to Salzburg is complete without seeing Mozart’s birthplace in the famous Getreidegasse.

Need a rest in style? Pop into Café Tomaselli, a family-run institution that has been around for over 150 years, visit Salzburg’s oldest bakery Stiftsbäckerei St. Peter dating back to the 12th century or watch puppet versions of “The Magic Flute”, “The Sound of Music” or “The Little Prince” at the Marionette Theatre.

GRAZ: A HIP MEDITERRANEAN TOWN AND AUSTRIA’S FOODIE HOTSPOT

Graz is like an invitation to all senses: the Mediterranean lifestyle, the stunning viewpoints, architectural gems, numerous sights, museums and art spaces, trendy festivals and other events, hip design shops, bars and restaurants for culinary pit stops – there is no way you would ever get bored in this city.  

In Austria’s second-largest city (292.533 inhabitants), the past merges into the future, especially visible in architecture. Elegant courtyards, jaw-dropping houses, porticos, cupolas, cobblestone alleys and unique, red roof-tops, all protected by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site: the charismatic historic old town and Schlossberg hill blend perfectly into the city’s contemporary architecture of international fame. Right in the city centre, you will find the Island in the Mur, a futuristic viewing point, bar and meeting space, showing off bright colours at night.  

Thanks to its numerous farmers‘ markets, small bars, street cafés, excellent restaurants, outdoor bars and deli shops, Graz is also known as Austria’s Capital of Culinary Delights, where you can enjoy excellent Austrian and international dishes made of only the highest quality ingredients on every corner. Events like the Graz Food Festival, the Long Table of Graz, various foodie tours and the Truffel Festival are an integral part of the city.

VIENNA: GET LOST IN WORLD-FAMOUS ART AT THE ALBERTINA MUSEUMS

Austria’s capital city Vienna (1.931.830 inhabitants) stuns with a mix of Imperial tradition and vibrant metropolitan flair, top-notch art, and its coffee house culture. World history has been written here for half a millennium – and yet Vienna’s modern sides are just as fascinating.

ALBERTINA museum is your go-to place for the best art experience in town. Is it a museum inside a palace, or a palace inside a museum, you might wonder upon arrival? The gallery, attracting visitors from all over the world, is housed in a magnificent building just a stone’s throw from the Viennese State Opera and belonged to the Habsburg family. Think of it as an art experience and a palace tour (including the original staterooms!) both in one. And have we mentioned the sun terrace where you can have a coffee or even attend a yoga session?

The current main exhibition at ALBERTINA museum is Edvard Munch: In Dialogue, showcasing 60 masterpieces by the Norwegian painter until 19 June 2022. The first tribute in Vienna to Liverpool-born artist Tony Craigg will follow from 7 July to 20 October along with an exhibition of Italian American Francesco Clemente (1 July – 25 September 2022).

ALBERTINA modern has Gustav Klimt: The Drawings on until 26 June 2022, celebrating the Viennese artist. Ai Weiwei: In Search of Humanity, dedicated to the Chinese artist, activist and poet is scheduled until 26 June 2022.