Choose from 59 Fun Things to Do in Austrian Alps
ShowingFilter 41-59 of 59 listings.
Schladming
Schladming is cradled between the lush alpine tarns and valleys of the Dachstein massif and the Schladminger Tauern range in the Styrian Alps. Life started in this remote alpine spot back in the 14th century, when Schladming was a mining village, but today it is known as one of Austria's premier ski resorts. The Schladming-Dachstein region is best for intermediate skiers, offering long and scenic tree-lined runs. There are nine mountains to ski, all connected by a state-of-the-art network of lifts and cable cars, and with plenty of trails for cross-country skiers and snow shoers plus plenty of options for mountain restaurants and après ski.
Summertime pursuits in this family-friendly resort include hiking and mountain biking, tobogganing and go-carting; one of the area's most popular (and nerve wracking) attractions is the Sky Walk up at Dachstein Glacier, where the panoramas include a sea of snowy alpine peaks and lurching drops of 250 meters (820 feet) straight down to the valley floor.
Practical Info
Schladming is 50 minutes' drive from Salzburg and its tourist office is at Rohrmoosstrasse 234. Ski hire and lessons can be organized close to all the main ski lifts.
Address: Schladming, Austria
From $ 86
Panorama Museum
The Salzburg Museum incorporates seven branches, including the Toy Museum (Spielzeug Museum) and Museum of Natural History (Haus der Natur), but its main branch is at the Neue Residenz and is connected by subterranean tunnel to the adjacent Panorama Museum. The underground passage itself features a section of Roman wall covered with murals and models of the city at important points in its development but the main attraction of the Panorama Museum is the cyclorama of the city. Painted in 1829 by Johann Michael Sattler, the masterpiece painting-in-the-round is supremely impressive for its fine architectural and topographical detail and is 26 meters (85 feet) in diameter. Visitors stand on a central platform, from here telescopes and computer screens highlight various areas of the city, providing detailed descriptions of 19th-century Salzburg.
Practical Info
Residenzplatz 9. Open daily 9am"“5pm; single admission adults €3, seniors €1.7, students €1.60, under 16 €1. The Panorama is in the city center close to many major attractions and is easily accessible on foot.
Address: Residenzplatz 9, Salzburg, Austria
Hours: Open daily 9am"“5pm
Admission: Adults: €3
From $ 29
Swarovski Crystal Worlds
Themed around one of Austria’s best-known exports, Swarovski Crystal Worlds (Swarovski Kristallwelten) is a dazzling attraction devoted to sparkling crystals. Twinkling exhibitions created by contemporary artists and designers, together with a playground, play tower, and hand-shaped hedge maze, make for a family-friendly day out.
The Basics
Swarovski Crystal Worlds is dedicated to all things crystal. Visitors are greeted by The Giant, a large head built into the green hillside with a waterfall cascading from its mouth. Inside the Chambers of Wonder are 16 separate installations, each built using Swarovski crystals and designed by a different artist. The verdant garden also has crystal displays including the vast Crystal Cloud, as well as a hedge maze and a playground.
You can pre-purchase a Swarovski Crystal Worlds admission ticket and make your own way to the site or go as part of a guided day tour from Munich, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, or Salzburg. Most organized day tours also include time in nearby Innsbruck.
Things to Know Before You Go
- This crystal-themed attraction is a must for lovers of sparkle.
- Free Wi-Fi is available at the site.
- The attraction is home to Daniels Café and Restaurant and a store selling crystal creations.
- All interior exhibition spaces and most of the grounds, with the exception of the Alpine Garden, are accessible to wheelchair users.
How to Get There
Swarovski Crystal Worlds is located in Wattens, about a 20-minute drive from Innsbruck. A shuttle bus (also wheelchair accessible) departs central Innsbruck to Swarovski Crystal Worlds 5–6 times daily.
When to Get There
One of the best times to visit is during the Festival of Light, in late January and early February, when the garden is illuminated with lights after dark. Summer is also a good time to come, with extended opening hours and a Summer Festival program that includes open-air yoga classes, outdoor movie screenings, and other special events.
Chambers of Wonder
Among the glittering, fantastical displays of the Chambers of Wonder, there are several standout installations. Look for the Alexander McQueen–designed crystal tree in the Silent Light installation; South Korean artist Lee Bul’s mirror and crystal Into Lattice Sun; and Eden, by the British avant-garde duo Fredrikson Stallard, which evokes the sounds, shapes, and sights of the forest environment.
Address: Kristallweltenstrasse 1, Wattens 6112, Austria
Admission: Varies
From $ 22
Toy Museum (Spielzeugmuseum)
Housed in the elegant Renaissance Bürgerspital, which was once a hospital, the Toy Museum was founded in 1978 and surrounds one of the most beautiful cloistered courtyards in Salzburg. It is an offshoot of the Salzburg Museum, which incorporates seven branches, including the Museum of Natural History (Haus der Natur) and the Monatsschlössl ethnology museum at Schloss Hellbrunn as well as its main branch at the Neue Residenz. Exhibits include antique dolls’ houses and puppet theaters among its collection of historic toys, but the museum is largely given over to interactive displays for children. It is a joy to visit for families with young kids as there are many games to play and puzzles to solve as well as Teddy bears to cuddle, dolls to dress up and a maze to get lost in. Model trains and racetracks are found on the second floor along with lots of costumes to dress up in and possibly the world’s biggest collection of Barbie dolls.
Practical Info
Bürgerspitalgasse 2. Open Tue–Sun 9am–5pm. Admission is adults €4, seniors €3.50, students €2, aged 4–15 €1.50. Take the bus 1, 4, 10 or 22 to Herbert von Karajan Platz.
Address: Bürgerspitalgasse 2, Salzburg, Austria
Admission: Adults: €4
From $ 29
Werfen Ice Caves (Eisriesenwelt)
One of the world’s largest ice caves, this network of frosty caverns and tunnels extends for more than 25 miles (40 kilometers) through the Tennen Mountains in the Austrian Alps. Discovered in 1879, this subterranean wonderland encompasses vast blue-tinged chambers, sculptural ice formations, and frozen waterfalls.
The Basics
Access to the Werfen Ice Caves (Eisriesenwelt), nicknamed the World of Ice Giants, is by guided tour only. During the cave tour, visitors are led through the interior to sights including the gigantic Eispalast (Ice Palace) chamber and the sculpture Frigga's Veil, also known as the Ice Organ, formed by rows of icicles.
Visitors often explore the ice caves as part of organized excursions from Salzburg, which typically include transfers as well as entrance to the cave. Some full-day tours combine a visit to the caves with a trip to Golling Waterfall (Gollinger Wasserfall), the Salzwelten Hallstatt salt mines, and the medieval-era Hohenwerfen Castle.
Things to Know Before You Go
- Werfen Ice Caves is a must for nature lovers and the adventurous.
- Though the tour takes just 1 hours 15 minutes, allow at least 3 hours for your visit as the journey to the cave’s entrance takes additional time.
- Wear sturdy hiking shoes and warm clothes. The temperature inside the caves will be below freezing.
- Getting to the ice caves involves an uphill hike, and tours include ascents up many steps, so this attraction is best suited to reasonably fit travelers.
- Leave your camera behind—photography is not allowed inside the caves.
How to Get There
To get to the caves, drive or take the train to the town of Werfen, Austria, situated about 24 miles (40 kilometers) south of Salzburg. From there, follow the 3.5-mile (6-kilometer) signposted access road to the parking lot near the visitor center. If you don’t have a car, buses are available, departing from Werfen Station and more frequently from the Gries parking lot, a 5-minute signposted walk from Werfen Station. From the visitor center, it’s a 20-minute uphill hike to the cable car. Once you disembark, it’s a further 20-minute climb to the cave entrance.
When to Get There
The caves are open May–October and are busiest during July and August. To avoid the busiest times, go in early morning (8am–9am) or later in the afternoon (3pm–4pm).
The History of the Caves
Because of their remote setting, the caves remained largely unknown to outsiders up until the late 19th century when explorer Anton von Posselt-Czorich entered them. Posselt-Czorich only got about 650 feet (200 meters) into the caves, but his research inspired further exploration in the early 20th century. The addition of wooden planks, climbing aids, and an access road—followed by an aerial cable car in 1955—granted access to more and more visitors.
Address: Eishohlenstrasse 30, Werfen 5450, Austria
Admission: Varies
From $ 31
Untersberg
A bluff, flat-topped peak in the Berchtesgaden Alps, Untersberg is close to the Austrian border with Germany and rises up to 6,473 feet (1,973 meters); it is the highest mountain in the Salzburg area. In summer it is the destination of hikers for its well-marked trails; paragliders for spectacular alpine views; expert climbers for tough ascents; and tours around the Schellenbergerice cave. In winter local skiers flock to the mountain for the demanding 4.75-mile (7.5-km) run back down to the village of Grödig.
Today the summit of Untersberg can be reached all year around (weather permitting) by a panoramic cable-car ride from the village of St Leonhard; the alpine views are spectacular as the Rositten Valley and snow-flecked alpine peaks spread out far below. The year 2015 sees the 50th anniversary of the releases of The Sound of Music and excursions will run out to the foothills of Untersberg to the spot where the Von Trapp family sang Climb Every Mountain as they escaped across the Alps to safety from Nazi Austria.
Practical Info
The Untersbergbahn cable car reaches the top of the mountain in around 10 minutes; it is open all year with closures for maintenance in April and November-December. Opening hours are dependent on weather and are roughly 9am"“5pm daily. Prices vary seasonally but average €22 for a return trip.
Address: Austria
From $ 29
Trautenfels Castle (Schloss Trautenfels)
Sitting high on a cliff above the Enns River in Austria, Trautenfels Castle is home to the regional landscape museum of the Universalmuseum Joanneaum, also known as the agricultural museum. The castle dates to the 13th century and features an impressive marble hall and colorful frescoes from the 16th century. Twelve rooms with different themes showcase more than 1000 exhibits relating to the natural and cultural history of the Enns Valley, Palten Valley and Aussee Lake District. One room focuses on the forest and the work of lumberjacks in the area, while another focuses on the natural landscape of the surrounding valley. Other rooms show off items ranging from mining tools to knitting work to sets of antlers and objects made from antlers. The State Rooms and their elaborate furnishings are also open to visitors, and the castle’s viewing tower offers superb views of the entire valley.
Also worth a stop are the ruins just west of the palace of the Protestant church of Neuhaus. Once the most important religious center in the valley, they were excavated in 1991 and today serve as a memorial.
Practical Info
Trautenfels Palace is located near the towns of Purgg and Stainach, most easily accessible from the city of Linz. Take the train from Linz to the Purgg Bahnof and walk 30 minutes to the castle from the train station. You can also take bus 900, 940, 941 or 6889 to the Schloss Trautenfels stop.
The palace can be visited as part of the Universalmuseum Joannean 24 or 48 hours ticket. Guided tours cost extra.
Address: Trautenfels 1, Stainach-Purgg, Austria
Hours: April-October, daily 10am-5pm
Admission: 9 Euro
From $ 15
Mönchsberg Lift
Zipping up to one of Salzburg’s most impressive viewpoints, the Mönchsberg Lift makes easy work of the 60-meter climb to the top of the Mönchsberg plateau. From the 523-meter-high viewing terrace, the views span Salzburg’s Old Town, with its hilltop Hohensalzburg Fortress, striking cathedral and scenic riverside, and it’s a perfect spot for photos.
Hop on the lift from Anton-Neumayr-Platz in the Old Town, then jump out at the top of the hill, where you can visit the Museum of Modern Art or hike along the plateau’s woodland trails all the way to the Hohensalzburg Fortress.
Practical Info
The Mönchsberg Lift is located on Anton-Neumayr-Platz in Salzburg Old Town and is open daily in July and August from 8am-11pm, and the rest of the year, Mondays from 8am-7pm, and Tuesday to Sunday from 8am-9pm. An adult return ticket costs €3.60.
Address: Gstättengasse 13, Salzburg 5020, Austria
Hours: July-Aug daily 8am-11pm; rest of the year Mon 8am-7pm, Tues-Sun 8am-9pm
Admission: Adult single €2.30, return €3.60; Child single €1.20, return €1.80
From $ 3
Marionette Theatre
Salzburg's acclaimed Marionette Theatre was founded back in 1913 and its debut performance Bastien and Bastienne "“ the comic opera by Mozart "“ proved an instant hit with audiences. As its fan base expanded, so the theatre's repertoire increased, taking in operas by Rossini and Strauss, Shakespearian plays and also developing shows especially adapted for children, including Alice in Wonderland and Peter the Wolf; The Sound of Music was also added to theater's body of work in 2007.
The theater was awarded its own base in 1971, an ornate Baroque theater with a seating capacity of 350 that is tucked between the Mozarteum and the Landestheater. An extraordinary level of detail goes into the crafting of the puppets "“ each head is hand-carved in wood "“ and costumes and stage sets are individually designed for each show, while the characters are sung by some of the world's greatest opera stars.
Practical Info
Schwarzstrasse 24. Ticket office open Mon"“Sat 9am"“1pm and two hours before performance; prices vary according to performance but average around €18"“35.
Address: Schwarzstrasse 24, Salzburg, Austria
Admission: Varies
From $ 29
Salzburg Salt Mines (Salzkammergut)
Beneath the glittering lakes and snow-dusted mountains of Austria’s Lake District, the subterranean world of the Salzburg salt mines spreads out in a network of underground mines and tunnels. Used to mine “white gold” since the Bronze Age, the historic salt mines at Hallstatt and Berchtesgaden are now popular attractions. Here you’ll find fascinating insights into the region’s salt-mining heritage, as well as fun activities such as slides, train rides, and boat cruises.
The Basics
The Berchtesgaden salt mines can only be visited as part of a guided tour. Exploring the salt mines is a blast for the whole family. At Berchtesgaden, visitors can tour the mines by train, brave a 118-foot-long (36-meter-long) miners’ slide, cruise across a subterranean salt lake (the “Mirror Lake”), and marvel at the Salt Cathedral. At the Hallstatt salt mines, visitors can walk through underground tunnels, learn about the science of salt in a subterranean classroom, see a prehistoric wooden staircase (the oldest of its kind in the world!), and shop for innovative salt products in the gift shop. Journey to the mines on a half- or full-day tour from Salzburg, Austria, or Munich, Germany.
Things to Know Before You Go
- The salt mines can only be visited on guided tours, and it’s best to book in advance, especially during high season in July and August.
- Wear warm clothes and comfortable shoes, as it can be chilly underground. Overalls and protective clothing are provided for most tours.
- Some parts of the salt mine tours are wheelchair accessible, but it’s best to check with your tour operator in advance.
How to Get There
The main salt mines are located in Berchtesgaden and Hallstatt, about 16 miles (25 kilometers) and 43 miles (70 kilometers) by road from Salzburg, respectively. It’s easiest to visit as part of a guided tour, but buses also run from Salzburg to Berchtesgaden and Hallstatt, as well as other locations in the Salzkammergut region.
When to Get There
Most salt mines are open year-round, but fewer tour times are usually available in low season. July and August are the most popular months to visit; during this time it’s a good idea to book an early time slot to avoid crowds.
Combo Tours with the Salzburg Salt Mines
Salt mine excursions are often combined with a trip to Adolf Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest atop a sub-peak of Hoher Göll mountain, or a boat cruise around Lake Königssee in Germany. Alternatively, opt for a private tour to Hallstatt and discover the underground world of the Hallstatt salt mines, ride the funicular—a steep cable railway—to the Five Fingers Viewing Platform at Krippenstein, or take a boat tour of Hallstatt Lake.
Address: Salzwelten Hallstatt, Salzbergstrasse 21, Hallstatt 4830, Austria
Hours: Varies
Admission: Adults: € 17
From $ 61
Schloss Ambras
The 16th-century Renaissance castle of Ambras perches in the foothills of the Alps just south of Innsbruck. Once the home of Archduke Ferdinand II, the majestic Renaissance building houses collections of armor, fine paintings and one of the most important examples of German Renaissance architecture in Austria in the shape of the Spanish Hall. Finished in 1572, this vast banqueting room is 157 feet (48 meters) long, with an inlaid marble floor and an intricate wood-paneled ceiling but the stars of the show are undoubtedly the 27 full-length portraits of the Habsburg Imperial Family.
The armories are located in the Lower Castle and were collated by Ferdinand II; they include suits of jousting armor, knights on horseback and rare weaponry. Here there’s also an eccentric Cabinet of Curiosities full of oddities such as coral crucifixes and stuffed sharks, all laid out as they were in Ferdinand‘s time. The Upper Castle houses the Portrait Gallery, in which 300 paintings cover 400 years of Habsburg history and include works by Titian, Anthon van Dyke, and Cranach the Elder.
Outside there are English-style box gardens and sunken baths to explore plus a pretty courtyard bar for drinks in summer.
Practical Info
The Sightseer tourist bus (free with the Innsbruck Card, which also gives access to several Innsbruck museums and galleries) takes 30 minutes to Schloss Ambras from central Innsbruck; taxi rides are 10 minutes long.
The castle is open daily (but closed throughout November) and both audio guides and guided tours are available in several languages. Entry is free with the discounted Innsbruck Card. Classical concerts are often held in the Spanish Hall.
Address: Schloßstraße 20, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
Hours: Open daily from 10am - 5pm
Admission: €10 (USD$13) for adults; free for children and teens
From $ 8
Salzburg Museum
Located in the gloriously ornate Neue Residenz in Mozartplatz, the Salzburg Museum opened in 2007 to great acclaim and won European Museum of the Year two years later. It serves as an informative and educational museum of art and history, scanning aspects of the development of Salzburg as a city.
A museum of several parts housed in fine marble apartments, it features temporary art exhibitions, highlights the lives of prominent Salzburg movers and shakers, and examines the history of the city through a series of artwork in the permanent exhibition "˜The Myth of Salzburg'. A one-man exhibition on the third floor spotlights the mesmeric paintings of famous contemporary Austrian artist Gottfried Salzmann.
The Salzburg Museum is partnered to the adjacent Panorama Museum and they are connected by the subterranean Panorama Passage, which reveals a section of Roman wall covered with murals and four models of Salzburg at pertinent points in its development. The undoubted star of the Panorama Museum is the 85-foot (26-m) cyclorama of the city painted in 1829 by Johann Michael Sattler; it is supremely impressive in its fine architectural and topographical detail.
Practical Info
Salzburg Museum is in Mozartplatz, easily accessible on foot. There are parking facilities close by. Opening hours are Tue-Sun 9am-5pm. Admission is €8.5, 16-26 €4.5, children 6-15 €3.5. There are free guided tours on Thur 6pm. Admission free with Salzburg Card.
Address: Mozartplatz 1, Salzburg 5010, Austria
Admission: General: €8.5, 16-26 year olds: €4.5
From $ 29
Salzburg Zoo
Allow at least three hours to explore Salzburg Zoo, opened in 1962 in a dramatic setting adjacent to the Schloss Hellbrunn estate. While not the biggest zoo in Europe, there’s still a lot to pack in: rare white rhinos, hippos and sleek antelopes in the African Savannah enclosure; great scavenging birds of prey, pink flamingos, brown bears, lynx kittens and mischievous monkeys.
There are more than 1,200 animals at the zoo, consisting of some 140 species, including endangered animals. The zoo covers 34.5 acres (14 hectares) and there has been considerable expansion and improvement in the standard of its facilities since 2006, with new enclosures built for wolves, alpacas and rheas, the completion of a petting zoo for kids and the opening of the South America House, featuring tapirs who recently had a baby. Other additions include a new lion house as well as cheetah and jaguar enclosures. Conditions have upgraded for human visitors too; the Mahlzeit im Zoo restaurant has had a facelift and offers typical Austrian cuisine – schnitzels and strudels – along with comfort for children.
Salzburg Zoo takes advantage of the light summer nights to open late between the end of July and the beginning of September, with the last admission at 9.30pm.
Practical Info
There is free parking outside the zoo and bus No 4 stops a five-minute walk away. Opening hours are daily 9am-4.30pm, with later closing in summer. Admission is €10.10, aged 15-19 €7, aged 4-14 €4, family €23. Entrance is free with the Salzburg Card.
Address: Anifer Landesstrasse 1, Salzburg 5081, Austria
Admission: Adults: €10.10; Youth 15-19: €7
From $ 29
Styrian Armory (Landeszeughaus)
The Styrian Armory in Graz is the world’s largest historic army, holding 32,000 pieces of weaponry, tools and suits of armor. Built between 1642 and 1645, the armory stood on the front lines for Austria’s battles with the Ottoman Empire and Hungarian rebels for the next few centuries. One of the most visited of the dozen museums that comprise the Universalmuseum Joanneum, the Armory features exhibitions on four floors, arranged in a way reminiscent of a 17th century arsenal. On the first floor, visitors will find cannons, mortars and muskets from the 16th to 18th centuries, while the second floor focuses on helmets, suits of armor and pistols. The third floor shows off more armor, including German-made armor and equestrian armor for nobles. Finally, the fourth floor is home to staff weapons such as morning stars, halberds and pikes used by foot soldiers, as well as swords and sabres once used by horsemen.
Practical Info
The Styrian Armory is located in Graz’s Inner City, just a few steps from the Hauptplatz (Main Square). Get there by taking the tram to the Hauptplatz/Congress stop or by taking a bus to the Busbahnof, just a few block away. There are no signs or text accompanying the exhibitions, but visitors can rent an audioguide or take a guided tour, offered in English daily at 1pm.
Address: Herrengasse 16, Graz, Austria
Hours: April to October, Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-5pm. November to March, Tuesday to Sunday, 11am-2pm, by guided tour only.
Admission: 9 Euro
From $ 11
Michael Haydn Museum
The museum featuring the work of Michael Haydn, younger brother of the much-more-famous Baroque composer Joseph Haydn, is found in the Benedictine Abbey of St Peter, parts of which date back to 696 AD, making it the oldest abbey in Austria.
Johann Michael Haydn lived between 1737 and 1806; arriving in Salzburg in 1763 he was a close contemporary of Mozart but rather than leaving Salzburg for the bright lights of Vienna, he forged a successful career as a court musician by remaining in the city. He was incredibly prolific, composing more than 350 pieces of work, including 40 symphonies and 37 masses as well as 19 operettas and during his lifetime he was considered as bright a talent as both his brother and Mozart. Samples of Hadyn's melodies can be heard in the museum, which is a must-see museum for devotees of Baroque music and showcases manuscripts, sheet music and paintings reflecting his life and times. Chamber music performances of Hadyn's works take place in the evening at the abbey between July and September (daily except Wednesday) and he is buried in the Stiftskirche (abbey church).
Practical Info
Located at St-Peter-Hof, the museum is open Thursday through Tuesday from 10am to noon and from 2 to 4pm. Admission costs €2.50 for adults, while those under 18 can enter for €1. Buses 8 and 10 can be taken to the Rathaus (Town Hall).
Address: Salzburg, Austria
Admission: Adults: €2.50
From $ 29
Hangar-7
Located at the Salzburg Airport, Hangar-7 is a one of-a-kind aircraft hangar and transport museum that comes in at 44,130 square feet and offers ever-changing exhibitions in addition to upwards of five restaurant and lounge options. In addition to the aircraft and cars on display, there are also contemporary art exhibitions and air shows on occasion.
Though its main attractions are Flying Bulls historical aircraft and fleet of Formula 1 cars, many visitors come to the hangar simply to admire its architecture, the work of Salzburg architect Volkmar Burgstaller. The landmark's exterior can look like a glass aircraft wing when admired from the outside, and Hangar-7 also has a sweeping 131-foot (40-meter) entrance with two cylindrical towers. There are 1,754 panes of glass of different sizes, providing a view of the nearby mountain panorama.
Practical Info
Hangar-7 is open daily from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m., but opening hours for the gift shop, restaurant and bars may vary. Admission to the hangar is free. It is easy to reach both by public transport and car, using bus line 2 or by taking the highway toward the airport and turning left on Wilhelm-Spazier-Str.
Address: Salzburg Airport, Wilhelm-Spazier-Str. 7A, Salzburg 5020, Austria
Hours: Open daily from 9 am-10 pm
From $ 463
Tiroler Landesmuseum
The Tyrolean Cultural Museum was founded in 1823 and consists of a group of museums set up to showcase Tyrolean culture; it includes the Tyrolean State Museum Ferdinandeum, the Zeughaus (Armory), the Volkskunstmuseum (Museum of Tyrolean Folk Art), and the Hofkirche (Court Church).
The Ferdinandeum offers a journey through 30,000 years of art and history; major draws include a collection of major Dutch paintings by Brueghel and Rembrandt, an exhibition of Biedermeier furniture, and masterpieces from Klimt and Kokoschka. The Hofkirche, containing the flamboyant German Renaissance tomb of Maximilian I plus his 28 marble guards, is accessible through the museum.
The Zeughaus is found in the 16th-century former weapons depot of Emperor Maximilian I; today it offers an insight into the cultural history of Tyrol, looking at how the region has been affected by local silver and salt mining, both World Wars, and the advent of mass tourism. Tyrolean customs and festivals are showcased at the Tiroler Volkskunstmuseum (Museum of Tyrolean Folk Art), and the Tyrol Panorama at the Bergisel Ski Jump Stadium is now also under the auspices of the Tiroler Landesmuseum.
Practical Information
The Tiroler Volkskunstmuseum, Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum (Museum of Folk Art), and Hofkirche are in Innsbruck’s Altstadt (Old Town), a few minutes’ walk from Innsbruck’s main parking garages. The Hofkirche (Court Church) can be accessed through the Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum.
The Zeughaus is a ten-minute walk along Dreiheiligenstrasse from the Volkskunstmuseum, while the Tyrol Panorama is at Bergisel, a 20-minute walk from the center of Innsbruck or five minutes on Tram No 1.
Multi-language guided tours of all the group’s museums are available, with a bus connection between them all. Admission is free with the Innsbruck Card, which permits discounted entry to the major Innsbruck museums and galleries. The Volkskunstmuseum is open daily, as is the Hofkirche, which is closed for services on Sunday morning; the Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum and Zeughaus are both closed Monday.
Address: Museumstraße 15, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
Hours: Open daily except Mondays from 9am - 5pm
Admission: €10 (USD$13) for adults; €7 for students and seniors; Free under 19 years old
From $ 124
Schloss Leopoldskron
A short stroll from the historic center of Salzburg, the lakeside palace of Schloss Leopoldskron is one of Austria’s most acclaimed works of architecture, built in 1736 by the Prince Archbishop of Salzburg, Leopold Anton Freiherr von Firmian. The masterwork of architect Pater Bernhard Stuart, the Rococo-style palace is renowned for its elaborate stucco works, the handiwork of Johann Kleber, and a series of striking interior paintings, including Andreas Rensi’s Four Seasons in the Festsaal hall and Franz Anton Ebner’s Wedding of Atalante, which adorns the ceiling of the chapel.
Changing hands several times throughout its over 200-year history, Schloss Leopoldskron has amassed a fascinating history, once belonging to King Louis I of Bavaria, hosting the engagement ceremony of Emperor Franz Josef of Austria and Empress Sissi, and being purchased by Max Reinhardt, co-founder of the Salzburg Festival, who used the dramatic setting as a backdrop for the festival’s main events. Perhaps most famous though, is the palace’s starring role in the iconic ‘The Sound of Music’ – the lakeside gardens were one of several original filming locations dotted around Salzburg.
Address: LeopoldskronstraBe 56-58, Salzburg 5020, Austria
From $ 38
Silent Night Chapel
Silent Night is arguably one of the world’s best-loved Christmas carols and its words were written in 1816 by a priest called Josef Mohr, who lived locally to Salzburg in the rural village of Oberndorf. Its sentimental but catchy tune was composed two years later by Franz Xaver Gruber and the carol was performed for the first time on Christmas Eve 1818 in the village’s St Nicholas Church. This church destroyed by heavy flooding at the end of the 19th century, only to be replaced by the white-washed, many-sided neo-Baroque Silent Night Chapel in 1937. Since then a whole local industry has grown up around the carol, which has been translated into more than 300 languages, and life in Oberndorf has changed forever.
Although a visit to this idyllic little village is a joy any time, and it has a small museum where there are copies of the original manuscript and score, Oberndorf really comes into its own at Christmas. A traditional market takes over its main square and hundreds of visitors from across the world come to hear Silent Night being sung at Midnight Mass in the chapel on Christmas Eve.
Practical Info
Oberndorf is a 20-km (12.5-mile) drive from Salzburg along the A1 and B156. In summer cyclists can follow the Tauern bike path along the River Salzach directly to Oberndorf.
Address: Stille Nacht-Platz 2, Oberndorf, Austria
From $ 52