Welcome to Graz

 

Graz  is the second largest city in Austria and capital of the Steiermark province (Styria). The old town is one of the best preserved city centre in Europe and in 1999 it was added to UNESCO's list of World Cultural Heritage Sites, while in 2003 it became Cultural Capital of Europe for that year. With its six universities and 40,000 students, Graz has the tradition of being a student city.

The city has fine museums, interesting architecture, good dining, excellent shopping and minutes away from the city one can also find scenic countryside.

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Main attractions:

Schlossberg

This castle standing on a rock ledge of the hill more than 1000 years, gave the city its name. From the Slavic word “gradec”, meaning “little castle”, Graz derived. And the little castle was made a huge fortress.

 

Mur Island   - www.inselindermur.at

The Murinsel (Mur Island) is a construction of steel in the Mur river, located in the centre of Graz. It was built for the event of Graz being the cultural capital in the year 2003, and developed itself as attraction and a popular sight of Graz. The Mur Island was created by the New York artist Vito Acconci.

 

Uhrturm

The Grazer Uhrturm is the most important symbol of Graz. The clock tower is 28 meters high and stands since 1560 on the top of the Schlossberg hill.

 

Eggenberg Castle - www.museum-joanneum.at/en/schloss_eggenberg

Eggenberg castle is the most important castle complex of Styria. It is surrounded by a generous landscaped garden that is an allegory of the universe. It's centre is the planetary hall that is based on early Baroque style and features paintings by H.A. Weissenkircher.

 

Gemaltes Haus  - www.cusoon.at/gemaltes-haus-graz-at-4

Strolling through Herrengasse, you can cast a glance into the realm of gods. In 1742 the Baroque artist Johann Mayer painted frescos on the facade of the Gemaltes Haus which show gods of Greco-Roman mythology.

Visits & Excursions

Worth to do and visit:

… buy the black gold of Styria at the Bauernmarkt (at reasonable rates) – the “pumpkin seed oil”

… visit Landeszeughausmuseum where you can see more than 32.000 historical weapons

… go to The Graz Kunsthouse and afterwards make your shopping along the Kunstmeile

… enjoy an opera, a musical or a concert in the Graz Opera House

… go up and down on the famous double-spiral staircas

… gather for a nice spectacle in Glockenspielplatz. The Graz carillon chimes three melodies and in the gable windows a wooden couple in proper costume dances to the sound.

… taste internationally renowned Styrian wines at the producer's vineyard and buy fresh pumpkin-seed oil directly from the farmer to take back home with you.

 

Excursions:

… “White horses and colourful churches” – a visit to the Lipizzaner home in Piber and a stop at Barbara Church, designed by Hundertwasser  architect.

… take a trip to the Lurgrotte in Semriach.

… visit the Seggau Castle and taste the Styrian wines in a typical tavern along the south Styrian wine road.

… do you want to learn more about Arnold Schwarzenegger? He was born just a few km outside Graz.

… visit the Porsche Diesel tractor museum in Hitzendorf

… enjoy the Barenschutzklamm ravine - roaring torrents of water, bizarre cliff formations, rare plants and animals near Mixnitz  (north of       Graz)

* We can also offer you: hotels, restaurants, transfers, guides, assistants, etc

 

* For prices please click here and/or contact us.

Welcome to Innsbruck

 

Innsbruck , the old provincial capital of Tirol, lies in the wide Inn valley at the intersection of two important traffic routes, between Germany and Italy and between Vienna and Switzerland. The scenery around the Olympic city of Innsbruck is quite breathtaking and almost everywhere you look you will see distant, snow capped mountains and a true Alpine landscape.

 

Main attractions:

Golden roof - www.golden-roof.com

Amidst the charming Old Town, a classic Austrian hybrid of Gothic and Baroque, you will find Innsbruck's greatest tourist attraction and certainly its most characteristic landmark: The Golden Roof.

 

Imperial Palace at Innsbruck - www.hofburg-innsbruck.at

The Imperial Palace at Innsbruck - the Capital of the Alps - once was seat of the Tyrolean sovereigns...The Imperial Palace was erected by Archduke Siegmund the Rich in late Gothic style around 1460. It was rebuilt in the Baroque style between 1754 and 1773 on orders of Empress Maria Theresa.

 

Imperial Church - www.hofkirche.at

The Court Church in Innsbruck with the tomb of Emperor Maximilian I is the most important monument in Tyrol and the most magnificent emperor’s sepulcher in Europe.

 

Ambras Castle - www.khm.at/ambras

Ambras Palace is delightfully located above Innsbruck and is one of the city´s most noteworthy attractions. Its cultural and historical significance is inseparably linked with the personality of Archduke Ferdinand II (1529–1595), a true “Renaissance prince” who was an enthusiastic patron of the arts and sciences.

 

St. James Cathedral

The huge two-towered front of the Parish Cathedral St. James dominates the Cathedral square at the northwestern side of the Royal Court. Based on designs by the Baroque architect Johann Jakob Herkommer, this church was rebuilt between 1717 and 1724 on the site of an earlier Gothic church.

 

Pilgrimage Church of St. Peter’s and Paul’s

The church with its lavish murals and ornate plasterwork is a superb example of 18th century Rococo style architecture. The church's perfect acoustics draws much appreciative comment from visitors and is often proved within concerts. The parish church is the final resting place of martyr and parish priest Otto Neururer

Visits & Excursions

Worth to do and visit:

… take a cable car ride starting just in the city with Nordkettenbahn

… book a typical Tyrolean evening with folklore performance

… go to the Alpenzoo, home to over 2000 animals - 150 species which are or have been typical for the Alps, and you'll get also a panoramic view of Innsbruck and the surrounding mountains.

… visit Tiroler Volkskunstmuseum - The Museum of Tyrolean Folk Art , one of the most beautiful of its kind in Europe.

… go and see the Annasäule - the column was erected in 1706 to celebrate the withdrawal, on St Anne´s day (July 26) in 1703, of invading Bavarian armies during the War of the Spanish Succession.

 

Excursions:

… visit Igls (Olympic jump) Patsch, Aldrans and Lans

… visit the Sellrainvalley with Gries, Kematen and Kühtai

… visit the Innvalley with Rattenberg, Brixlegg, Jenbach and Schwaz (Silver mines)

… enjoy the Zillertal Valley with cheese dairy visit

… visit the Ötztal Valley and stop in Sölden

… visit Achensee - take a ride with the oldtimer train and / or make a lake cruise

… enjoy the Crystal world of Swarovski in Wattens - the world's leading manufacturer of cut crystal items.

… visit Seefeld and spend your evening at the Casino

… experience a ride on the fantastic scenic road to Kitzbühler Horn

* We can also offer you: hotels, restaurants, transfers, guides, assistants, etc


* For prices please click here and/or contact us.

Welcome to Salzburg

 

As the home of Mozart and the celebrated Salzburg Festival, as well as the setting for "The Sound of Music" in 1964, Salzburg  is known worldwide as a musical city. Nestled in between the Kapuzinerberg and Monchsberg mountains on the Salzach River, Salzburg is visually stunning — recognized as much for its concentration of high baroque architecture as it is for the surrounding Alpine scenery.

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Main attractions:

Mozart’s Birthplace and Mozart’s residence - www.mozarteum.at

The Mozarteum Foundation Salzburg owns two of Salzburg's most important sights: the house in which Mozart was born and the house in which he resided with his family as a child.The house in which Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on the January 27, 1756 is now one of the most frequently visited museums in the world.
No other place makes the person behind the artist Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his music as palpable as his birthplace. Mozart’s Residence was reconstructed after being destroyed during World War II and was opened to the public in 1996. The biographies of the family members and the authentic impressions of everyday family life fill the house to this day with their spirit and allow visitors to experience Mozart anew.

 

Hohensalzburg Fortress  - www.salzburg-burgen.at

Hohensalzburg Fortress offers visitors a stunning view of the city of Salzburg and its environs. The 900-year-old Hohensalzburg Fortress, the city's chief landmark, is the biggest and most fully preserved fortification in Europe. Built by Archbishop Gebhard during the investiture controversy in 1077, it served to protect the clergy and the population.

 

Hellbrunn Castle and Trick Fountains - www.hellbrunn.at

Hellbrunn Palace is a 400 year old Summer Palace located just outside of the city of Salzburg. It is well known for its water games that revolve around numerous trick fountains located in the palace grounds.

 

Salzburg Cathedral - www.salzburger-dom.at

Salzburg's Cathedral is probably the city's most significant piece of church architecture and its ecclesiastical center. With its magnificent façade and mighty dome it represents the most impressive early Baroque edifice in Northern Alps.

 

Salzburg Museum - www.salzburgmuseum.at

The magnificent New Residence on Mozart Square has housed the Salzburg Museum since the summer of 2007. The museum's fully new concept blends valuable objects of art, aesthetic presentations, interesting facts and multimedia installations into a harmonious whole.

 

Residence Gallery Salzburg - http://residenzgalerie.at

The Residence Gallery Salzburg, housing the State of Salzburg's painting collection, presents European paintings from the 16th to 19th century. The magnificent ambiance is the ideal setting for Salzburg's state collection and reflects the city's baroque character.

 

Salzburg Zoo - www.salzburg-zoo.at

Salzburg's Zoo keeping animals, both native and exotic, in an environment close to their natural surroundings has become the hallmark of Salzburg's Zoo. One of the zoo's main goals is to ensure a harmonious balance between the beauty of the local landscape in Hellbrunn and the natural environment of the animals.

 

Museum of Natural History and Technology - www.hausdernatur.at

The Aquarium, justifiably considered one of the most beautiful aquariums in Central Europe, is a particularly popular attraction for young and old.

Visits & Excursions

Worth to do and visit:

… stroll along the Getreidegasse, probably Salzburg's most famous shopping lane

… visit the Mirabell Palace and the gardens

… enjoy a meal in one of the brewery style restaurant, drink beer and do not forget to order the Salzburger Nockerl as dessert

… plan an exciting Salzach River Cruise

… take part to the Salzburg Festival (in the summer) or to the Easter Festival

… attend a classical Mozart concert at St. Peter Stiftskeller

… use the opportunity to see the locations in the city of Salzburg, where the film 'The Sound of Music' was shoot.

 

Excursions:

… enjoy an excursion to the lakes and mountains of the Salzkammergut region and plan a stop at Fuschl or St. Wolfgang

… visit the salt mines of Hallein, Berchtesgaden or Bad - Reichenhall, all located very close to the city

… combine a tour: Eagles Nest in Berchtesgaden and Konigssee Lake cruise

… make a trip to the Eisriesenwelt in Werfen – the largest ice caves in the world or go and see the Hohenwerfen Castle

… take the "Gaisberg" bus leaving from Mirabell Square and drive through the district of Gnigl up on the Gaisberg. The summit offers a wonderful panoramic view of the city of Salzburg, Salzburg's lake district, neighboring Bavaria and to the Göll massif and Tennen Mountains to the south.

… come along on a lovely ride to the top of the Untersberg mountain in a spacious cabin of our cable car.

… go to the Aiderbichl Animal Sanctuary- founded in 2001, is situated just 20 km outside the city of Salzburg.

… take the Austrian Romantic Trail which connects the most beautiful landscapes of Austria. All along this trail from Salzburg to Vienna fantastic lakes and mountain panoramas and especially worthwhile villages can be visited. The Austrian Romantic Trail offers cultural and culinary journeys between Salzburg and Vienna.

* We can also offer you: hotels, restaurants, transfers, guides, assistants, etc

 

* For prices please click here and/or contact us.

Welcome to Linz

 

Linz, European Capital of Culture in 2009, is both a brilliant cultural metropolis and an economic success story. The vibe is dynamic and modern and people enjoy a high quality of life. Linz has become a popular stage for theatre and music of the finest quality, but also for contemporary art, history and science in its many museums. With attractive architecture – from sleek modern glass structures to historic stucco facades – and fabulous gastronomy, there is much to please the eye and palate.

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Main attractions:

Ars Elrctronica Center - http://new.aec.at

The interactive experience. Exciting exhibitions of digital art and technology are at home here in the building with its brightly lit animated facade.

 

Linz Castle Museum - www.landesmuseum.at/schlossmuseum/

The greatest universal museum in Austria with permanent exhibitions on nature and technology as well as temporary exhibitions. Unforgettable: The view from the terrace over the rooftops.

 

Lentos - www.lentos.at

The museum of contemporary art. The most impressive, natural light equipped showroom in Austria with one of the best art collections in the Republic.

 

St. Mary’s Cathedral

The largest church in Austria. The neo-Gothic church impresses with its tower, which is only a few feet lower than the St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna.

 

Pöstlingberg

One of the landmarks of the city. The distinctive Wallfahrtsbasilika stands picturesquely above Linz, easily accessible via the steepest mountain railway on the continent.

 

Botanical Garden

This is one of the most beautiful in Europe. 10,000 different plant species can be seen on 4.2 ha. A unique collection of cacti and a remarkable collection of orchids, in all their splendour, are displayed in five greenhouses.

 

Main Square and Trinity Column

The impressive Trinity Column is 20 metres high nd made of white marble. A typical symbol of the age of the baroque, it was erected in gratitude by hose who had survived a variety of disasters and s protection against war, fire and the plague. The olumn is located in the centre of the main square Hauptplatz

Visits & Excursions

Worth to do and visit:

… go to Ars Electronica and prepare to be visually stunned with five levels of 21st-century technological wizardry

… a ride up to the top of the most prominent hill in Linz: Pöstlingberg, with a visit to the pilgrimage basilica should not be left out of a visit to Linz

… experience the underground fairy-tale world of the Grottenbahn

… taste delicious local specialty - Linzer Torte - at the Jindrak cafe (the house of the original cake)

… visit Brucknerhaus and enjoy a classical music concert

… go shopping - the pedestrian zone with its picturesque side streets is an ideal starting point for extended shopping tours

... take a walk in the Botanical Garden on the hill Gugl - considered one of the most beautiful in Europe.

 

Excursions:

… visit Dachstein Cave World and its three natural show caves that rank among the most significant natural monuments of Austria.

… follow the tracks of Roman legionnaires in Enns (the oldest town in Austria) and enjoy a visit to the Lorch Basilica or the splendid twin-bay St. Mary's Parish Church

… experience medieval Freistadt - the city of beer-brewing and culture

… go and visit the 1st Upper Austrian Schnapps Museum in St. Oswald near Freistadt.

… enjoy the scenic charms of the Salzkammergut region and discover Hallstatt – a UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Site since 1997

… take a trip to Steyr - the charming 1000 year old scenic city of Steyr is considered one of the most beautiful and picturesque historical city centers of Europe.

* We can also offer you: hotels, restaurants, transfers, guides, assistants, etc

 

* For prices please click here and/or contact us.

 Welcome to Vienna

 

Also described as Europe's cultural capital, Vienna  is a metropolis with unique charm, vibrancy and flair. It boasts outstanding infrastructure, is clean and safe, and has all the inspiration that you could wish for in order to discover this wonderful part of Europe.

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Main attractions:

St. Stephen’s Cathedral - www.stephanskirche.at

St. Stephen's Cathedral defines the city centre and has been the heart of Vienna for centuries. It is one of the most famous Viennese sights and was built in 1147 AD. Inside the Cathedral there are many art treasures like the tomb of Prince Eugene of Savoy (1754), the Altarpiece of Wiener Neustadt, the pulpit by Anton Pilgram (1514-15), the sepulcher of Emperor Frederik III by Niclas Gerhaert (1467-1513), the watchman`s lookout, a self portrait of the sculptor, and the Gothic winged altar.

 

The Imperial Palace (Hofburg) - www.hofburg-wien.at

The Vienna Hofburg is a must for anyone wanting to explore the world of the Habsburgs. Until 1918 the extensive palatial complex at the heart of Vienna was the political centre of the monarchy and today it is fulfills the same role for the democratic  Republic of Austria. You can visit the Sisi Museum, the imperial apartments, the treasury rooms, the National Library, the silver collection, the Spanish Riding School and much more.

 

Schonbrunn Palace  -  www.schoenbrunn.at

Schönbrunn Palace with its surrounding buildings and the huge park with numerous architectural features, fountains and statues and not least the zoo is one of the most significant cultural monuments in Austria. In earlier times it served as summer residence to various Habsburg rulers. From 1996 Schonbrunn was placed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list.

 

The Museum of Fine Arts  – www.khm.at

The Museum of Fine Arts was built from 1872 to 1891 and it ranks among the richest and most important art collections in the world. The Museum of Fine Arts houses paintings by Rubens, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Dürer, Raphael, Titian and Velazquez, as well as the most comprehensive collection of Bruegel's paintings in the world.

 

Albertina - www.albertina.at

One of the world’s finest art collections has been housed since 1805 in the Albertina, a grand Viennese palace in the Neoclassical style. The Albertina has the largest and valuable graphical collections in the world, an architecture and photographic collection.

 

Belvedere Castle - www.belvedere.at

The Belvedere’s two palaces, the Upper and Lower Belvedere, were built in the 18th century. The palaces with their extensive gardens are considered to be one of the world’s finest Baroque landmarks. The Upper Belvedere houses the impressive collection of Austrian art dating from the Middle Ages to the present day.

 

Kunst House Hundertwasser  - www.kunsthauswien.com

Kunst House Hundertwasser, founded in 1991 has two exhibition areas: the Hundertwasser Museum and the exhibition rooms devoted to international temporary exhibitions. The Hundertwasser Museum presents a unique cross-section of the oeuvre of Friedensreich Hundertwasser, including key paintings as well as graphic works, applied art, architectural designs and example of the artist’s ecological commitment.

 

Mozarthouse Vienna - www.mozarthausvienna.at

Domgasse 5 is the only one of Mozart’s apartments in Vienna that still exists today. The composer lived in Mozarthaus Vienna from 1784 to 1787 in grand style, with four large rooms, two small ones and a kitchen. The life and works of this musical genius are presented in and around this apartment on four exhibition levels. In addition to the historical Mozart apartment visitors can find out about the times in which Mozart lived and his most important works.

Visits & Excursions

Worth to do and visit:

… enjoy Vienna going around in the first district in a Fiaker or join a guided tour in an oldtimer bus or tram.

… take a ride with the Vienna Heurigen Express that will bring you to the best Heurigen in Vienna.

… visit the Vienna Prater, take a giant wheel ride and afterwards enjoy a Wiener Schnitzel or a typical Viennese sweetie.

… enjoy a river cruise and check yourself if the Danube is blue.

… rent a bike and explore the Danube Island.

… visit the special exhibitions held in Vienna.

… go and see the Hermesvilla – the dream castle of Empress Sisi in the Lainzer Tiergarten

… are you a music lover? Then don’t miss to visit the Strauss Museum, the Beethoven House, the Figarohaus, and the Haydn – Schubert House or enjoy experimenting at House of Music

 

Excursions:

… do not miss to visit the charming Wachau (Unesco World Heritage) with Krems, Durnstein and Melk

… an excursion to the Vienna Woods is nearly a must when you are in Vienna – visit the medieval abbey of Heiligenkreuz, the former hunting lodge Mayerling, the Seegrotte and the roman city of Baden.

… get the taste of Hungary visiting the city of Sopron (close to the Austrian border)

… take a day excursion to Burgenland and Eisenstadt

… visit Bratislava and take the chance to travel with the Twin city liner

… you love the nature? Then we recommend you the Danube National Park and the roman city of Carnuntum

… go to Semmering / Rax / Schneeberg zone – one of the oldest Austrian tourists areas

… you want a wine tasting in Austria’s oldest estate? Visit Klosterneuburg Abbey or Gottweig!

 

* For prices please click here and/or contact us.

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