It's the spectacular, snowcapped mountains of regions like the Tyrol that provide the most familiar images of Austria - a landscape of jagged peaks and rampaging rivers, giving way to green pastures studded with onion-domed churches. Yet Austria is by no means all alpine vistas: the country stretches across central Europe for some 700km, from the shores of the Bodensee in the west to the edge of the flat Hungarian plain in the east. Far removed from the archetype are the wetlands and reed beds of Burgenland, and the dramatic sequence of stopes that carve their way up the Erzberg in Styria. In Upper and Lower Austria in particular, a predominantly low-key landscape of gentle rolling hills and vineyards can come as something of a surprise to first-time visitors. Yet this fertile, low-lying northern half of the country is, in fact, where the majority of Austrians live and work, many of them within commuting distance of the capital, Vienna - the country's chief tourist destination after the alpine regions.
For all its bucolic charm and fondness for the days of empire, when Vienna sat at the centre of the vast, multinational Habsburg dynasty, Austria today is thoroughly modern, clean, efficient and eminently civilized, with uniformly excellent tourist facilities. Like neighbouring Switzerland, it's also a supremely law-abiding nation, where no one jaywalks or drops litter, and the trains and trams run on time. Whether you're staying in one of the popular skiing, hiking or spa resorts, or in an out-of-the-way Gasthof, you're likely to experience " Gemütlichkeit " - a typically Austrian term expressing a mixture of cosiness and hospitality - at some point during your visit.
Looking at the country at the close of the twentieth century - stable, conservative and wealthy - you wouldn't think that Austria had spent the first half of the century struggling to find a national identity. After all, it was only in 1918, when the Habsburg Empire disintegrated, that the idea of a modern Austrian nation was born. The new republic, with a population of just eight million reluctant citizens, was riven by left- and right-wing political violence and, as a result, the majority of Austrians were wildly enthusiastic about the Anschluss with Nazi Germany in 1938. The price of Austria's participation, and ultimately defeat, in World War II, however, was Allied occupation. For ten years the country was split, like Germany, into Soviet, American, British and French zones. As a gesture of détente, the Soviets finally agreed to withdraw their troops, in return for Austria's "permanent neutrality". At this point, Austria turned over a new leaf, and recast itself as a model of consensus politics, with an almost Scandinavian emphasis on social policy as the guiding principle of national life. Postwar stability saw the growth of a genuine patriotism, while the end of the Cold War put the country, and its capital, back at the heart of Europe.
In 1995, Austria became a full member of the European Union, a move that for many was a sign that the country had finally entered the mainstream of European politics. From time to time, Austria's more reactionary elements have attracted widespread media attention, most notably during the Waldheim affair, when the wartime record of the president was called into question, and in the recent rise of the Far Right under the charismatic Jörg Haider. But the reality is that the Socialist party retains the strongest influence in government, as it has for much of the postwar period, and the country's political stability, for the most part, continues intact
Austria, a favourite vacation spot in the heart of Europe, is not only a cultural hub, but also features a unique landscape from the Alps to the steep plains surrounding Lake Neusiedl.
All over the country tourists can encounter the heritage of Austria's history of a thousand years, the cultural heritage of the Habsburg family, who ruled the country for 650 years. Magnificent palaces and castles, impressive abbeys and churches, large collections of valuable works of art, untouched nature and unique mountain scenery- Austria offers something for every taste.
Austria also enjoys an international reputation as a country of music. Visitors to Austria can choose among a wide variety of events from concerts and musicals to performances on theatre stage or exhibitions of international renown. Apart from the major cities of Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Graz and Linz, many small towns also organise major cultural events various provincial exhibitions, the Carinthian Summer and the Bregenz Festival to mention just a few.
Austria's unique landscape from the snow-covered Alps covering large parts of the Austrian provinces of Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Salzburg, Styria and Carinthia to the lakes with crystal-clear water quality to vast meadows and dark forests where nature is still intact.
The variety of Austria's landscape also opens up many opportunities for sports fans from skiing to tennis, from golfing to riding, from hiking to cycling, from swimming to sailing, surfing and diving. Skiers find that there is a season for their favourite sport all the year around: a total of 8 glacial ski areas promise snow and high life from January to December.
Apart from the major Austrian cities other well-known vacation spots can be comfortably reached by rail: the Gasteiner valley with the famous spa of Bad Gastein, the sport region of Zell am See/ Kaprun, Kitzbühel, skiing resort of international renown and the Arlberg, a paradise for ski fans.
In summer the railway is also the optimum means of transport to visit the imperial city of Bad Ischl or the lakes Traunsee and Hallstätter See in the Upper Austrian district called Salzkammergut or the town of Velden at the Wörthersee in Carinthia.
The unique country offers a host of options for perfect holidays. Irrespective of your leisure time activities- extreme or easy going, sports or culture, rafting in wild waters or hiking past the hills in the Wachau, Austria's largest wine growing region.
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