Vienna and indeed the rest of Austria is a massive attraction for visitors. Its beautiful architecture and centuries of history or music, art and culture stir even the most cynical of people. Although millions of tourists visit Vienna every year, with 19 million in 2019 and over 15 million in 2020, some might wonder where the Austrians go on their holidays. Here’s a little list that will tell you where the Central Europeans run away too and even may inspire you to plan a trip for next summer.
Vienna and indeed the rest of Austria is a massive attraction for visitors. Its beautiful architecture and centuries of history or music, art and culture stir even the most cynical of people. Although millions of tourists visit Vienna every year, with 19 million in 2019 and over 15 million in 2020, some might wonder where the Austrians go on their holidays. Here’s a little list that will tell you where the Central Europeans run away too and even may inspire you to plan a trip for next summer.
Austrians have been visiting Croatia since the 1800’s. It all started with the Austrian nobility who travelled to the Croatian coast in the 1880’s with Opatija being a popular spot among the imperial family and nobility. The first luxury hotel in 1884– Hotel Quarnero, today Grand Hotel Kvarner, was built according to the plans by Viennese architect Franz Wilhelm. The hotel Kronprinzessin Stephanie was opened in 1885. Crown princess Stephanie, after whom hotel was named, and her husband Crown Prince Rudolf appeared at the opening.
Today Austrians are among the most frequent visitors of the Croatian coast, with 1.37 million Austrian tourists visited Croatia in 2018, while Croats are frequent visitors of Austrian ski resorts. If you ever ask an Austrian where they’ll be going for their summer holidays, chances are they’ll likely make a short weeklong trip to the Croatian coast.
Top places in Croatia to visit: Zagreb, Opatija, Dubrovnik, Split.
This may sound like an obvious one as Italy is by no means a secret that just the Austrians know about. However, the people of Austria are wise to something else that those outside of the Alpine Republic are not. Much more north of the sweltering sun of Sicily, the grand architecture of Florence and the stunning grandness of Rome lie the roaming country of the very north of Italy.
South Tyrol, an Italian region bordering Austria, is home to many native German speakers. This is because the region used to be owned by Austria during its empire years before losing the First World War. Now, it serves as a place where many Austrians go to visit a place that feels like a home away from home.
Not to mention new ways of connecting the two countries such as a new cycle trail. An EU-supported project has placed a cycling network that connects the border between north-east Italy and Austria. The Eastern Alps Cycleway Network (ReCAO) allows travellers to use local train and bus services to link their journeys, which take in scenic landscapes and historic and cultural sites.
Emotion way brought together the regions of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Trento Alto Adige and Veneto in Italy and Carinthia, Austria. If you ever get invited to an Austrians home, no doubt you’ll probably see a photo of them, in maybe even just a picture, in Venice. This region and city are by far the most visited in Italy by Austrians. A weekend trip or stopping along the way on a road trip toward Croatia, Venice is a common place for Austrians and now perhaps for you too.
Although not just a common visiting place for the Austrians exclusively the Greek islands are a cheaper destination when flying from Vienna International Airport. Direct flights going to Rhodes, Crete and Corfu, there is little reason why Austrians shouldn’t go to the south islands for a week or two.
Crete is the largest island in Greece, and the fifth largest one in the Mediterranean Sea. Here, you can admire the remnants of brilliant civilizations, explore glorious beaches, impressive mountainscapes, fertile valleys and steep gorges, and become part of the island’s rich gastronomic culture.
For me, someone who lives in Vienna, you’ll usually find a few people who are going to the Greek Islands in the summer. Although, not as common as the other two places previously mentioned, there’s no doubt that the islands are a place that everyone, Austrian or not, should visit.
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