“You need some reason why Beethoven, Mozart, and Haydn in the 18th century all flocked to Vienna. What was it about Vienna? They must have known on some level that that is where they would flourish. It’s what biologists call selective migration.”

–Eric Weiner

Prior to visiting in 2022, three things popped into our mind when dreaming of Austria. Big mountains, skiing, and The Sound of Music. Unfortunately, our trip was much shorter than we would have liked, but we are happy to say that Austria has all three of those things, and a whole lot more as well. One of the things that surprised us the most was just how family friendly the country was. Never did we feel unwelcome bringing small kids along, and many of the attractions (i.e. the Swokorski crystal factory) had huge kids play areas that were completely unexpected.

We barely scratched the surface of what Austria has to offer, but we absolutely loved what we did get to experience. Future trips are definitely in the works, however, so let us know if you have some Austrian can’t misses to pass along!

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Tips on Austria/

  • Unlike a lot of other European countries, tipping at sit down restaurants IS generally expected in Austria. Depending on what you read, most Austrians normally add 5% to 15% to the bill.
  • Nearly everything is closed on Sunday, including supermarkets (a lot like Spain) and a lot of the major stores. Plan ahead if you are planning on shopping and making your own food.
  • If you are road tripping (or renting a car in Austria), make sure you have the proper Toll Sticker.  All passenger vehicles need to have one displayed on the windshield (or have a digital sticker). These can be purchased online beforehand. A Ten-day toll sticker costs € 9.60 for a regular passenger car.

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