Most people know Austria as the land of Mozart, one of the most famous classical composers of all time. However, Austria is also a country which boasts of a wealth of culture, history and natural scenery. Whether you're a student of classical music, architecture or film, a historian, or simply a tourist looking forward to a memorable vacation with your loved ones, you'll find plenty of reasons to spend your family holidays in Austria.
To make the most out of your trip to Austria, one of the things you should do is to pay homage to classical music. You can catch an opera being shown at one of the many opera houses around the country. Better yet, watch the opera at St. Martinstrum, the world's largest floating opera stage, for a truly unforgettable experience. You can also attend Sunday mass at the Hofburg Chapel so you can listen to the Vienna Boy's Choir sing - a tradition started in 1498, or simply buy a ticket to an orchestra concert.
You can even listen to the classical pieces of Mozart, Haydn, Schubert and other Austrian composers while watching the famous Lipizzaner horses perform dressage at its finest at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna or at a farm in Piber. If you're not a musical person, though, you can simply visit the houses where Mozart and his colleagues once lived. These places are now considered must-see attractions in Austria, particularly the Figaro House, where Mozart composed "The Marriage of Figaro".
Is "The Sound of Music" your family's favorite movie? If so, make sure you don't miss out on "The Sound of Music" Tour in Salzburg during your family holidays in Austria. You won't just get to see the Mirabell Gardens, Leopoldskron Castle and the Nonnberg Abbey where some of the movie's scenes were filmed. You're bound to learn something new about the movie, too.
The sightseeing doesn't stop there. To make your trip to Austria even more memorable, go hiking on the Austrian Alps. You can even go hang-gliding from one of the mountain peaks if you're adventurous enough. Visiting the Tirol province is recommended, too, so you can feast your eyes on Austria's majestic lakes, forests and alpine villages.
Another way to experience the beautiful scenery during your family holidays in Austria is to go cycling. There are many scenic cycling routes in Austria, the most famous of which is the one along the beautiful river Danube.
Finally, don't forget to take a tour of Austria's castles and baroque gardens. The Schonbrunn Palace, in particular, is a must-see attraction in Austria and is sometimes called Austria's Versailles. With 1,441 rooms and magnificent gardens, it is no wonder that this castle used to be the summer home of the Habsburg royal family. It was also chosen by Napoleon Bonaparte as his Austrian headquarters.
Once you've done all these, you're sure to leave Austria happy, although a part of you is guaranteed to be left behind. You'll want to come back and have another round of family holidays in Austria, too, so you can relive the sights, sounds and memories that make Austria one of the best travel destinations in the world.
Isabella Olsen is a travel writer who has toured major destinations worldwide, including Austria, by car. To book your car hire in Austria or learn more about car hire worldwide, visit www.zencarhire.com
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