Austria
Republic of Austria
Central Europe · AUT
Editorial Snapshot
Why Go To Austria
Austria is one of Europe's easiest culture-and-scenery combinations for travelers who want imperial cities, alpine landscapes, and a polished rail-friendly trip. It works for short first visits built around Vienna and Salzburg, as well as longer itineraries that add lakes, mountain regions, or a winter sports base in the Alps.
Popular For
Things To See
- Vienna
- Salzburg
- Innsbruck
- Hallstatt
- Wachau Valley
- Tyrol
Best Months
Best Months For Winter Travel
Know Before You Go
- Late spring and early fall are strongest for city-and-scenery trips, while winter is the better season for alpine villages and skiing.
- Austria is compact enough that multi-stop itineraries are easy to execute by train.
- Vienna pairs naturally with Salzburg or an alpine region, so most trips do not need to cover the whole country to feel varied.
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Flights
Hotels & Accommodations
Compare stays across major booking options
Open hotel and accommodation options for Austria.
Guidebooks
Rick Steves Vienna, Salzburg & Tirol
Rick Steves
Expert guide to Vienna, Mozart's birthplace, and the Alpine regions with insider recommendations.
View on Amazon →
Lonely Planet Austria
Lonely Planet
Comprehensive Austria guide featuring Vienna's palaces, Salzburg culture, and mountain destinations.
View on Amazon →
The Rough Guide to Austria
Rough Guides
Travel guide to Austria with offbeat destinations, cultural experiences, and practical tips.
View on Amazon →Tours & Activities
Country Data
Stats At A Glance
Practical travel, safety, climate, and quality-of-life stats for Austria.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Vienna
- Population
- 9,200,931
- Area
- 83,871 km²
- Region
- Central Europe
Languages
- German
Currency
euro (€)
EUR
1 USD = 0.85 EUR
Cost of Living (World Bank)
76.9
Price level index (US = 100)
- Groceries
- 72.6
- Restaurants
- 71.5
- Rent
- 25.1
Safety & Peace
higher score = safer everyday environment · derived from World Bank homicide data
lower score = more peaceful · 1.0–3.5 scale
Monthly Climate Averages
These weather averages are based on data for Vienna (48.20°N, 16.37°E).
LGBTQ+ Friendly
83/100
Traveler LGBTQ score
- Legal protections
- 90/100
- Lived safety
- 71/100
This traveler-facing score is lower than the legal protections score because lived-safety context is weaker, based on broader traveler safety and development conditions.
This score blends legal protections with lived-safety context so strong laws alone do not automatically push a country to the top of the ranking.
- Homosexuality legal✅
- Relationship recognitionMarriage
- Adoption recognition✅
- Anti-discrimination laws✅
- Employment protections✅
- Legal gender recognition✅
- Conversion therapy ban❌
Human Development Index (UNDP)
0.930
Very high human development
- 5-year change
- +0.005
- 10-year change
- +0.015
- Trend
- stable
- Data year
- 2023
- Gender Dev. Index (GDI)
- 0.985
- Gender Inequality Index (GII)
- 0.033
- Planetary-adjusted HDI (PHDI)
- 0.757
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (12)
- 🏛️
Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Danube Limes (Western Segment)
Inscribed 2021
- 🏛️
The Great Spa Towns of Europe
Inscribed 2021
- 🏛️
Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps
Inscribed 2011
- 🌿
Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe
Inscribed 2007
- 🏛️
Fertö / Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape
Inscribed 2001
- 🏛️
Historic Centre of Vienna
Inscribed 2001
- 🏛️
Wachau Cultural Landscape
Inscribed 2000
- 🏛️
City of Graz – Historic Centre and Schloss Eggenberg
Inscribed 1999
- 🏛️
Semmering Railway
Inscribed 1998
- 🏛️
Hallstatt-Dachstein / Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape
Inscribed 1997
- 🏛️
Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg
Inscribed 1996
- 🏛️
Palace and Gardens of Schönbrunn
Inscribed 1996
Natural Beauty (World Bank)
- Protected land area
- 29.6%
- Forest cover
- 47.2%
Source: World Bank.
Wildlife & Birdwatching
- Threatened mammal species (IUCN)
- 5
- Threatened bird species (IUCN)
- 13
Source: World Bank / IUCN Red List. Higher counts indicate richer biodiversity, typically in tropical rainforest, island, and savannah ecosystems.
Food & Cuisine
68/100
Food and dining score
Built from two layers: dining-scene breadth and open prestige signals. We combine restaurant density, cuisine diversity, distinguished restaurants, and gastronomy-city recognitions from open data sources.
Winter Sports
84/100
Ski infrastructure & alpine pedigree
Combines ski resort depth, ski resort density, and Winter Olympic skiing results. Separate from climate comfort.
Luxury Infrastructure
93/100
Luxury & premium accommodation score
Based on OpenStreetMap luxury hotel density and World Bank international tourism receipts.
US Travel Advisory
Reissued after periodic review without changes. Exercise normal precautions in Austria. Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Austria. If you decide to travel to Austria: Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. Follow the Department of State on Facebook and X/Twitter. Review the Country Security Report for Austria. Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel. Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist.
Read full advisory →Data current as of May 2026 and subject to change. Travel advisory information is sourced from the U.S. State Department and reflects conditions at the time of data collection, not real-time conditions. Do not rely solely on this information for travel decisions. Always check current government advisories for your nationality. Terms of Use · About our data