Travel guide Austria

In Austria, there is no sea, but lakes! You can easily swim in the Carinthian lakes from May to September. You will appreciate their transparent water, but their freshness may surprise you. The locals are used to it. Take it easy and get used to it! In addition, there are many hot springs which can be enjoyed all year round.

This is the typical place - mainly in Vienna - where authentic, popular Austrian cuisine is served. Vintage, old-fashioned, even faded, the decor of a Beisl is anything but sophisticated. Lunch menus are very affordable, with simple, hearty dishes of the day. A friendly atmosphere and many local regulars.

These are the traditional Austrian costumes. The Dirndl, worn by women, consists of a long or short skirt with a corselet over a short shirt and an apron. The men wear the famous Lederhose or "leather breeches". These outfits are still worn with pride, during festivals and for the service of traditional houses.

This white downy alpine flower, nicknamed Snow Immortelle, is dear to the hearts of Austrians and is one of the country's emblems. In the past, giving an edelweiss as a gift was a great sign of love, given the risks involved in fetching it from the high mountains. Now rare, it is protected and harvesting is forbidden.

You'll have to get used to it: when you walk into an Austrian store, there's no need to say the impeccable "Guten Morgen" that you'd been polishing up before setting off. This perfectly correct phrase has been replaced by the cheerful and sonorous Grüss Gott, "God bless you".

It's the guinguette of the wine regions. Ideal for tasting local wine and dishes. They serve Sturm, a type of cider, and G'spritz, a white wine mixed with sparkling water. Heuriger restaurants are open mainly in summer, and there are many around Vienna. You can eat on large tables on the terrace, sometimes to the sound of a small orchestra.

It can be translated as "pastry" but it is more than that! It is a must in Austrian gastronomy, the little cake that accompanies hot chocolate, coffee or tea, at the end of a meal and at any time. From the simplest to the most sophisticated, Mehlpeises offer a wide and varied range. A real paradise for gourmets.

The country's biggest celebrity! A child prodigy born in Salzburg in 1756, Mozart wrote his first composition at the age of 6. A thousand works followed, 70 of which were published before his death at 35. His childhood home has become a place of pilgrimage. And Mozartkugeln, marzipan-filled chocolates bearing his likeness, are a classic.

It's hard to forget: Austria is the cradle of psychoanalysis and the home of the great Sigmund Freud (1856-1939). This Austrian doctor and neurologist is world-famous for his discoveries about the unconscious, which were the basis for psychoanalysis. You can visit his Viennese apartment-cabinet, now a museum of psychoanalysis.

Whether mirabelle plum, quetsche or pear, this eau-de-vie is best drunk at the end of a meal. In the past, families owned their own stills; nowadays, artisanal distilleries have taken over. After three glasses, the language barrier is a thing of the past: you'll have no trouble talking to your neighbors!

Along with Mozart, she is the country's other most famous figure. The wife of Franz Joseph^I, Empress Elisabeth of Austria (1837-1898), known as Sissi, is a historical figure who has become a myth and Austria has taken advantage of this. Her palace is much visited and her effigy is endlessly displayed on mugs and boxes of chocolates.

Austrians love Wurst (sausage), whether filled with cheese, grilled or boiled, with mustard or tomato sauce. The Würstelstände, small kiosks located on many street corners, remain open all night, at least in the city. Night owls can be found there.