By Gemma Tedaldi | Published: 2nd December 2018 | Updated: 4th December 2023
Austria is a land full of baroque architecture, delicious food, and of course vast mountains. After a trip there we were delighted with the sheer variety of life, cultures, and experiences you can have all around the country. So, we have put together a list of our must-see cities, towns and villages in Austria you should visit on a trip through Austria.
📍 Vienna
📍 Wachau Valley
📍 Salzburg
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5 must see cities, towns and villages of Austria
1. Vienna
Must see places in Vienna – The view from the top of Domkirche St Stephan, Hofburg Wein and the art trail along the Untere Weißgerberstraße
Must eat places in Vienna – Apple strudel from Cafe Central Coffee House
How to get to Vienna
By air – Fly into Flughafen Wien, Vienna International Airport, 15 minutes by public transport to the centre of Vienna.
By train – Wien Hauptbahnhof is one of a number of train stops through Vienna, all linked up with the underground network.
By car – As the capital of Austria, you can expect Vienna to be really easy to get to via car. We would however suggest not driving into the city centre but taking the underground instead.
How to get around Vienna
Getting around Vienna couldn’t be easier with the vast network of underground stations. It is also really easy to walk between various attractions on foot.
The capital of Austria is not to be missed. With its incredibly ornate cathedral, famous Viennese coffee shops and quaint side streets full to the brim with local eateries, there is something for everyone. Make your way to Cafe Central Coffee House for some traditional apple strudel before climbing to the roof of St Stephens Cathedral, from some stunning views of the city. There are also some pretty elaborate buildings designed by Hundertwasser which are well worth a visit to.
Where to stay in Vienna
2. Wachau Valley
Must see places in the Wachau Valley – Any of the wineries along the River Danube, Stift Dürnstein and Heuriger Weingut Hambock for the view.
Must eat places in the Wachau Valley – Apricot wine, apricot dumplings, apricot pancakes… anything apricot!
How to get to the Wachau Valley
By air – The nearest international airport is in Vienna. You can then take public transport for 2 hours to get to Krems an der Donau, or hire a car and drive for 1 hour.
By train – The Wachau Bahn operates from Krems through to Emmersdorf, taking in 13 stops through the Wachau Valley on route. Daily from June to October or on weekends outside of that.
By car – Follow route 3 through the Wachau Valley from Vienna, also known as the Romantic Road of Austria. (We’ve got a post on driving the entire route here).
How to get around the Wachau Valley
The easiest way by far is by car, (or campervan in our case). You can then pick and choose which stops you want to see and get out walking the surrounding areas brimming with vineyards.
After getting to grips with city life, what’s better than getting out and about into the countryside to walk and enjoy what the region has to offer in the villages in Austria? This is exactly what we did through the Wachau Valley along the River Danube. From Krems an der Donau to Dürnstein to Weißenkirchen in der Wachau and on to Wösendorf in der Wachau, each stop brimming with history, culture and of course apricots, (which by the way come in anything and everything you could think of!), who needs a better reason to visit!
Where to stay in the Wachau Valley
Planning your own trip to cities, towns and villages in Austria? Make sure you check out our Travelling Tedaldi Amazon Store Travel Guides for all your guidebooks and maps. (We’ve done the hard work for you and linked all the things we used to plan our trip!)
3. Salzburg
Must see places in Salzburg – Festung Hohensalzburg, Mirabell Palace and Mozarts Geburtshaus
Must eat places in Salzburg – Flammkuchen at Eleven 11: 11 Eleven
How to get to Salzburg
By air – Fly to Salzburg Airport, Salzburg Airport W.A. Mozart, it’s then 30mins by public transport to the centre of the Old Town of Salzburg.
By train – Salzburg Central Train Station lies on the east of the river a 20-minute walk from the centre of Salzburg New Town.
By car – Salzburg is reachable via the A1, 150, 156 and E55 in Austria. After arriving in Salzburg, we would highly recommend parking at CONTIPARK Tiefgarage Altstadtgarage on the west of the city. This garage in the mountain is the perfect place to walk into the city centre and up to the Hohensalzburg Fortress.
How to get around Salzburg
Salzburg is easy to get around on foot as it is relatively flat, (other than the hill with the fortress on but there is a cable car for that walk up or down if you would rather not walk lots of steps – Festungsbahn Salzburg!).
Salzburg is a city full of astounding architecture. From Salzburg Cathedral to Mirabell Palace and gardens, to Hohensalzburg Fortress, there isn’t a baroque building in Salzburg that you shouldn’t visit! In between all the sightseeing, make sure you stop for some Elsässer Flammkuchen in the old town and pop by Mozart’s birth house for some strudel.
Where to stay in Salzburg
Fancy your own trip through Austria? Check out our post on How to spend a week on the Romantic Road!
4. Hallstatt
Must see places in Hallstatt – Hallstatt Zentrum, Pfarrkirche Maria Himmelfahrt and the Seestraße
Must eat places in Hallstatt – Schaumrollen from Ofenfrische Schaumrollen on Seestraße
How to get to Hallstatt
By air – The nearest airport to Hallstatt is Salzburg Airport 55km away, so if this is your option, you’ll probably want to hire a car or take a few stops via public transport on route to Hallstatt.
By train – There aren’t any train stations that stop directly in Hallstatt, the nearest stop is Obertraun-Dachsteinhöhlen Bahnhof located on the other side of Hallstattersee. From there you can take the ferry up to Hallstatt village. From Vienna or Salzburg, this can take 2.5 hours.
By car – If you want to drive to Hallstatt the nearest main road is the 166. Then take the Hallstättersee Landesstraße south towards Hallstatt. You can’t park directly in Hallstatt, instead, you park in one of the Parkplatz to the south of the village. (Get here early if you want a space though!)
How to get around Hallstatt
The only way to get around Hallstatt is on foot. There aren’t any other options in this picture-perfect village in Austria!
This village that looks like it has been dropped right out of a fairytale, is one stop you have to make whilst in Austria. Even in the pouring rain, it was breathtaking! Wander along the lake edge, winding through the colourful village centre and markets, before walking up to Maria Am Berg Church for a wonderful viewpoint over Hallstatt. On a good day, you can also climb up to the skywalk. Make sure you grab a schaumrolle whilst wandering the markets, these gooey marshmallows wrapped in pastry delights are so good, if not a little unhealthy!
Where to stay in Hallstatt
5. Innsbruck
Must see places in Innsbruck – Goldenes Dachl, Herzog Friedrich Straße and Karwendel Nature Park
Must eat places in Innsbruck – Viennese Sacher-Torte at Café Sacher Innsbruck
How to get to Innsbruck
By air – Fly into Innsbruck Airport also known as Flughafen Innsbruck only 6 minutes by public transport to the centre of Innsbruck.
By train – Innsbruck Hbf which stops directly in the city centre.
By car – Get to Innsbruck from all over Austria via the A12, A13, 171 or 182.
How to get around Innsbruck
The best way to get around Innsbruck is on foot or via public transport.
Last but most certainly not least, is Innsbruck. This city literally stole our hearts and made us realise our love for mountains and being in the wilderness just as much as being in a city. You can go from walking through the historic old streets, taking in the Goldenes Dachl and the Stadtturm whilst eating Sacher torte chocolate cake, to riding the Nordkette cable car far above the city to climb up to the peak of Hafelekarspitze in a matter of minutes!
Where to stay in Innsbruck
Must see cities, towns and villages of Austria FAQs
Which Austrian village is famous?
The most famous Austria village is the tourist hotspot, (and possible inspiration behind the Frozen films), Hallstatt. It may be one of the most visited destinations in Austria, but it is still well worth a visit. Check out our post on Hallstatt here.
What is the nicest place in Austria?
Austria is full of wonderful places to visit, both tourist spots and locations off the beaten path. One of those, and our personal favourite in Austria, is the Wachau Valley. With the Danube River flowing through the centre, quaint villages and vineyards covering the hillsides, this little know destination is a great addition to any Austria road trip.
Why travel to small towns in Austria?
The small towns and villages around Austria are some of the most beautiful and historical locations you can visit. They more often than not also have some of the best local produce and delicacies that you simply have to try, (we will never get over the apricot wine in Krems an der Donau and the apricot dumplings we had in Dürnstein!).
What is the oldest Austrian village?
Hallstatt is the oldest Austrian village, with 16th-century timber alpine houses to wander through and historic churches to discover.
What is the smallest Austrian village?
Again, this falls to the wonderful Hallstatt. With a population of around 860 people, it is the smallest village in Austria. The next smallest in size is Durnstein with a population of 880.
Where is the most beautiful village in Austria?
There are numerous beautiful villages in Austria, but our favourites are along the River Danube in the Wachau Valley of Austria. This stretch of landscape between Melk and Krems is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for Cultural Landscape, ensuring that not only the landscape but the villages and towns throughout this area are protected due to their medieval preserved landscape famous for wine growing.
Conclusion: Must see cities, towns and villages of Austria
There you have it, our must-see cities, towns and villages of Austria. Let us know if you have visited any other cities, towns or villages in Austria that are well worth a trip!
Gemma Tedaldi
Gemma is the owner and author of The Travelling Tedaldi, a travel blog helping travellers to discover the best road trips and travel itineraries throughout the UK and Europe. When she isn’t writing about her favourite travel destinations, she can often be found out exploring local hikes or planning future trips.
