Travel to Austria:

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Austria?

Someone will say a Viennese ball, someone will say a schnitzel the size of a plate or an apple strudel, someone will remember one of the many ski resorts or a summer holiday by a lake surrounded by picturesque mountains, and someone will probably generalize and express everything with the words “comfort, service, impressions”. Despite its small size, Austria is so diverse and multifaceted that the list of associations can fit on more than one page of a notebook. It is not for nothing that the reports of tourists who have visited this country are always distinguished by their volume, and the photos are colorful. And a family holiday in Austria is always a success: children are interested here, and parents appreciate the carefree atmosphere and safety. Yes, it is not cheap, but it pays off in full.

Where is Austria?

Austria (official name – the Austrian Republic) is a country in Central Europe. It borders the Czech Republic in the north, Slovakia in the northeast, Hungary in the east, Slovenia, Italy and Switzerland in the south, and Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Germany in the west. The area of ​​Austria is 83.88 square kilometers, and the population is 8.823 million people. The capital is Vienna. Austria has the Schengen law. This means that EU citizens have the right to visa-free entry to Austria. Ukrainian citizens who have received a biometric passport can also visit Austria without a visa. Citizens of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and some other countries must obtain a Schengen visa.

What deserves the greatest admiration?

1. Beauty. This simple word applies to everything: the exquisite architecture of Vienna, palaces and castles, alpine landscapes, and the lakes of Carinthia. Whether you want to show your child St. Stephen’s Cathedral or go hiking in the mountains, it will leave an equally powerful impression.

2. Comfort. And again, a multi-valued concept. First of all, we are talking, of course, about hotels – impeccable service does not depend on the number of stars. The resorts have everything to forget about everyday trifles and fully relax with your child. But comfort is also about modern transport, and about play areas in restaurants, and about playgrounds. Those who travel with a baby especially appreciate the mother-and-child rooms in shopping centers and other public places. Even if there is no such room, all toilets have changing tables with diapers and wet wipes.

3. Ski resorts. A long season, modern ski lifts, extensive ski areas, high-quality varied trails, a rich “après-ski” program – these are the main features of Austrian winter resorts. Many tourists come to Austria with their children to instill in them a love of skiing. Usually it works out: the lessons in ski schools are so exciting that the kids themselves hurry to the lessons.

4. Excursions. The list of attractions in Austria will take more than one page, and what is important is that many excursions will be interesting for children, and entrance to large museums is free for children. Moreover, there are special museums for children in Austria.

5. Food. Austrian cuisine cannot be called exquisite, but the dishes here are hearty – after skiing or winter walks, there is nothing tastier than hot stewed beef tafelspitz or roast beef with onions zwiebelrostbraten. And some famous desserts – for example, candied violets or marzipan candies Mozartkugel – can be brought back as a souvenir.

6. Weather. Austria’s climate is suitable for traveling at any time of year. Vienna and other cities usually have quite hot summers and mild winters without frost or snow. In the mountains, winter frosts are not too severe, and there is no heat in the summer. You just need to take into account that at high-altitude resorts, acclimatization of a child can take up to a week.

When is the best time to go?

Is it possible to definitely name the period when it is best to go to Austria? The choice is not easy, because you have to choose between Christmas markets and parks in spring bloom, between skiing and relaxing on the lakes, between the colorful whirlwind of the summer season and leisurely autumn walks. The tourist season in Austria, by and large, never ends. From December to April, life is in full swing at the ski resorts, from mid-spring to mid-autumn, waves of tourists roll in, and then comes the time of magical fairs, creating a festive atmosphere a month before Christmas.

The peak tourist influx is summer, the pre-Christmas period, February and the first half of March (at ski resorts).

Housing and flight prices during this period increase very significantly, and only early booking helps to save. But there are times when a vacation with a child brings special pleasure.

March is ideal for a trip to winter resorts, when there is no frost and the number of vacationers is declining. For excursions to Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, it is better to choose the end of spring and the beginning of autumn – this is a chance to avoid queues at museums and amusement parks.

The most pleasant time to relax on the lakes is in July-August: at the height of the beach season, the lakes warm up to +26-28°C. And although the swimming season in Austria is relatively short, the two summer months give real pleasure. Autumn holidays can also be used for a trip to Austria.

At this time, as a rule, amusement parks are no longer open, but at some high-altitude ski resorts (in Sölden, Zell am See, Stubai) skiing is in full swing, and you don’t need to squeeze through the crowd to get to the sights of Vienna and Salzburg. It is best to go to Austria with a baby in the off-season, if you are planning a vacation in Vienna, or in the summer, if you are going to the mountains.

Weather and climate:

Austria’s climate is varied. In the east, in the flat part of the country, and in the south, in the lake district, there are very mild, little snowy winters and hot summers. In the mountains, winters are frosty, very snowy, and summers are rainy and cool. Severe frosts are not uncommon at high-mountain resorts, and snow lies 8-10 months a year. The resort season in Austria – if we are talking about excursions – opens in May and lasts until the end of September. The weather at this time is sunny, warm, sometimes hot. Summer is not without rain, but it is relatively rare. For skiers, the opening of the season comes in December, when the mountain slopes are wrapped in a blanket of snow. Severe frosts can be in January-February, and by March it warms up in the mountain resorts – this is the time for the best holiday in Austria with children.

Severe frosts are rare during the day, but at night the temperature can drop to -20-25 ° C.

Summer is best suited for outdoor recreation. In the lake Carinthia in the summer you can even swim – the water warms up to + 23-27 ° C. Mountains are also often chosen for a summer vacation in Austria, but you need to be prepared for the fact that heavy rains will force you to adjust your plans, and the weather can be autumnally cold.

Food:

Light dishes are not about Austria. The food here is plentiful, fatty, high-calorie, but very, very tasty. Not every dish of the local cuisine is suitable for children, but Viennese schnitzel, Viennese sausages and Viennese salad can be offered to a child who has already switched to adult food.

Sacher cake, strudels with different fillings and Mozartkugel candies are the same specialty as schnitzel and sausages. Coffee is offered with desserts in Austria, but children can be offered traditional herbal lemonade Almdudler.

For Christmas, Austrians bake aromatic stollen and gingerbread, and for Easter – Reindling rich cake and Godnküpfi braided croissant.

Transport:

Public transport in Austria can be praised in every possible way, but the main praise from travelers with children is: convenience.

In the Vienna metro, for example, there are no turnstiles, you can go down to the platform in an elevator, and there are places for baby strollers in the carriages. The same places for parents with babies are provided in buses, trolleybuses and trams. In large cities, low-floor buses and trams are common, it is easy to roll a stroller with a child into them. The complex public transport system of Vienna and other large cities works flawlessly. The metro, buses, trolleybuses, trams, city trains run frequently and do not deviate from the schedule. Most routes operate from early morning until late evening, at night they launch special routes.

In small towns and villages, there are usually only buses that run several times a day. The cost of tickets on public transport in Austria usually depends on the duration of the trip and the zone of validity of the ticket. The approximate price of a single ticket is 2.50 euros. In large cities, it is more profitable to buy travel cards for one or several days. Children under 6 travel free of charge, the price of tickets for children aged 7-15 is half the price of adult tickets.

To save on excursions and travel, you can buy tourist cards. For example, a 24-hour Vienna City Card costs about 17 euros and gives you free travel on public transport and free entry to many attractions. One card can be used by an adult and a child under 15.

Similar cards are valid in Salzburg and Innsbruck. Ski resorts have their own system of discounts on trips and excursions. To use a taxi, you need to call a car by phone or find the nearest taxi stand. The cost of the trip is from 1.50 euros for each kilometer, with about 5 euros added for boarding. The price of the trip is calculated according to the meter, but if you have a long journey ahead, it is advisable to agree on the price with the driver in advance.

The most convenient way to travel around Austria and to travel to neighboring countries is by train. Long-distance trains are marked with the letters EC, IC, D, ICE. The letters E and R denote regional trains, and the letter S denotes suburban trains. Buses are less popular in Austria: usually you only have to travel by bus in small towns and villages. However, there are several international bus carriers operating in the country.

What to do with a child?

A family holiday in Austria is a kaleidoscope of impressions. Of course, it’s not just about visiting the main attractions: excursions are good to alternate with walks, fun in amusement parks, getting to know animals in zoos. Here are some ideas on how to spend time with a child.

1. Take a walk through ancient parks. The most famous, perhaps, is the park near the walls of Schönbrunn Palace with a green labyrinth, a Japanese garden and the oldest zoo in the world. In summer, the gardens of the Mirabell Palace in Salzburg are buried in flowers, and hundreds of varieties of roses bloom in the Volksgarten Park in Vienna.

2. Listen to the opera. The Vienna Opera has children’s performances that last an hour and a half. But you can come to any performance with children, especially since a child’s ticket is much cheaper than an adult’s.

3. Visit the best zoos. It is advisable to set aside at least half a day for the Vienna Zoo: you can spend a whole hour at the panda enclosure alone. Innsbruck Zoo gives you the opportunity to get acquainted with the inhabitants of the Alps, and the Salzburg Zoo has animals from all continents.

4. Go on an unusual excursion. When vacationing with a child in Austria, take the chance to see the silver mine in Schwaz and the salt mine near Salzburg, visit the Dachstein Ice Palace, walk around the tiny Hallstatt commune, or even travel back in time – the Time Travel attraction in Vienna serves as a time machine.

5. Have fun in amusement parks. The first to remember is the Prater Park in Vienna, but Fantasiana in Salzburg and Familienland in the federal state of Tyrol are almost as good. Small amusement parks operate in the ski resorts in the summer.

6. Relax in water parks. Water entertainment centers are located mainly in mountain resorts. In winter, you can warm up there after a whole day on the slopes, and in June-August, there are open-air pools with slides.

7. Play on playgrounds. Playgrounds are available in both large cities and small resorts. Their advantages are original design, room for imagination and safety. A particularly popular place to relax with small children in Austria is water playgrounds.

Outdoor recreation:

What to do in Austria with a child when the summer heat comes and you want to escape somewhere outside the city? You can bask on the beach and not suffer from the heat inherent in seaside resorts on the lakes.

The warmest place in Austria is Carinthia, where crystal clear lakes lie surrounded by mountains. In summer, even children can swim in them: the water in Wörthersee, Klopeinersee and Millstättersee warms up to +26-28°C.

Summer holidays at ski resorts are also popular, but you need to prepare for cool, often rainy weather. The mountains are good for active recreation: hiking, cycling, rafting on mountain rivers. All resorts have a program for children and teenagers – it combines entertainment and outings into nature.

Alpine skiing in Austria:

Winter holidays in Austria with children are, first of all, alpine ski resorts. A wide choice of trails of varying difficulty, some of the best children’s ski schools in Europe, a high level of equipment and safety, specialized resorts for holidays with children (for example, the well-known Serfaus) – all these are arguments in favor of a family trip to Austria.

Definitely, this is one of the best places to put your child on skis.

The SkiWelt region, the Stubai Valley, the Kitzbühel Alps, Seefeld and Serfaus have long established themselves as the best resorts for family skiing. But even if you are traveling with a child who is still too young to learn the basics of skiing, there is no need to worry: for such guests, most children’s ski schools have kindergartens or clubs where children can have fun, eat and relax under the watchful eye of educators.

Another advantage of a ski holiday in Austria with children is a large selection of accommodation for every taste and budget. Whether it is a five-star luxury hotel or apartments, a guest house or a mini-hotel, they are all focused on living with children, and you will definitely be offered additional services for your children (for example, a playroom or toys, a swimming pool, a children’s menu, a crib).

What to see?

Sightseeing Austria is a separate page in the history of every tourist. Majestic Vienna, fabulous Salzburg, “crystal” Innsbruck abound in attractions, and even small mountain villages have their own museums and natural beauty. What to see with children in Austria?

Famous museums

The museum center of Austria is, of course, Vienna. Famous art galleries are located here – Belvedere, Albertina, Leopold Museum. In the Technical Museum, you can show your child ancient technical inventions and unique modern developments. The Natural History Museum has a particularly interesting hall with dinosaur models, and the World Museum has artifacts of ancient cultures.

The Habsburg treasury will definitely be an interesting place for children, where you can see knights in gilded armor, ceremonial weapons, ceremonial vestments and crowns of the royal dynasty.

The most popular attractions in Salzburg are the Hohensalzburg Fortress and the Hellbrunn Palace. But the symbol of the city is rightly called the small Mozart House, which now houses the museum of the great composer. And if during your vacation in Austria with children you are going to Innsbruck, be sure to visit the wonderful Swarovski Museum. The underground labyrinth is often compared to Aladdin’s cave, full of treasures.

There are other approaches to choosing what to see in Austria. For example, if you do not like queues, you can visit small museums, such as the Clock Museum or the Globe Museum in Vienna. You can also follow your child’s interests: those who are interested in languages ​​will love the Vienna Esperanto Museum, and future psychologists and psychotherapists will want to see the Sigmund Freud House Museum. Excursions for children

Excursions for children:

You can visit almost every museum in Austria with your child – fortunately, admission to large museums is free for children and teenagers. But there are places where children will be especially interested.

Among them is the Zoom Children’s Museum in Vienna, where play and learning go hand in hand. Excellent interactive exhibits in the House of Music will take children on a journey through the world of sounds.

In Salzburg, we recommend taking children to the Toy Museum, where there is space for fun, and in Graz – to the Frida and Fred Children’s Museum. And even the Vienna palaces of Schönbrunn and Hofburg have separate sections aimed at young visitors. In the Children’s Museum of Schönbrunn, the tour is accompanied by the kind ghost Poldi, and in one of the halls, children learn to dance a quadrille. And in the Hofburg, children really like the Butterfly House. Instead of a museum, you can visit a coffee shop or a culinary show in Austria with your child. The Viennese confectionery “Sacher” serves the famous cake of the same name, the cafe “Demel” treats you to candied violets, and in the Schönbrunn Palace, confectioners tell and show how to make a real Austrian strudel.

Where to go?

A family trip to Austria can look different. But in the capital, and in small towns, and in mountain villages you will find a comfortable, full-fledged vacation. And the decision on which Austrian resort to choose depends only on your preferences and the purpose of the trip.

Vienna:

The capital of Austria, a powerful, beautiful and majestic city. Vienna pleases with a rich excursion program, an abundance of family entertainment, a large number of parks and playgrounds. In the summer and pre-Christmas period, the capital is flooded with tourists, and in the spring and autumn you can calmly relax here with children. The choice of accommodation in Vienna is huge, the price depends on the level of the hotel, the area of ​​the city and the time of vacation.

Salzburg:

The main city of the federal state of Salzburg, one of the ski regions of Austria. Salzburg has a large airport, from where you can get to the winter resorts of Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Zell am See-Kaprun, Gastein, Salzburger Sportwelt, Schladming-Dachstein. The city is rich in attractions, and family hotels provide rest after excursions.

Innsbruck:

The administrative center of the federal state of Tyrol, another popular region of Austria for holidays with children. In Tyrol there are ski resorts of Kitzbühel, Alpbach-Wildschönau, Mayrhofen, Sölden, Serfaus, Seefeld, Stubai and others. In Innsbruck and near it there are interesting museums and ancient castles.

Carinthia:

One of the best options for where to go in Austria with a child in the warm season. The lake resorts of Carinthia are calm, and the climate without excessive heat is suitable for families with children. Klagenfurt has its own international airport.

Salzkammergut:

When listing options for which Austrian resorts are suitable for holidays with children, it is necessary to mention the historical region of Salzkammergut. Here, in the Traun Valley, on the shores of the lakes, there are summer family resorts. One of the resorts, Bad Ischl, is famous for its mineral waters and therapeutic mud.

Hotels and apartments:

The debate about where it is better to stay with children – in hotels or apartments – is endless. But one thing can be said about Austria: the tourist service here is top-notch, regardless of the star rating of the hotel or the prestige of the apartments.

In large cities, where the excursion and entertainment program is very rich, there is no big difference where to stay with children.

In resorts where there is less entertainment, family hotels will be a good help. They organize the leisure of young guests, take care of their comfort, and sometimes offer a children’s menu.

It is necessary to find out in advance what is being prepared for children: pizza, French fries and sausages are often called children’s menus. Apartments can be rented for independent holidays in Austria with children. Most resorts, not to mention large cities, have supermarkets with a wide selection of familiar products and baby food. It is also easy to find restaurants with local and international cuisine.