Windmill Apartments

About Windmill Apartments

Although it was one of the countries in the title of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, today's Austria is a small player on the large European stage. It is often overlooked by its neighbors - Italy, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Germany - but it is worth a visit on its own. The country is geographically placed to be something of a bridge between Western Europe and Eastern Europe, and Austrians often showcase the blend of those regions as well.

The capital of Vienna (it's Wien locally) has a beautiful historic center (which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and a modern flavor. The charming city of Salzburg makes people think of Mozart and The Sound of Music but offers much more to people willing to stay awhile. About half of the country is covered by Alpine peaks and meadows, so it's no surprise that there's plenty for outdoors enthusiasts to do in Austria. Austrians might be a little more reserved than some of their neighbors, but that doesn't mean they aren't friendly. Throughout Austria, to live like a local you'll need to enjoy dining and drinking with friends - shouldn't be too hard, right?

Hotels in Austria tend to be expensive no matter where you go, so you'll save money by staying in hostels. Staying in hostels is not only a great way to save money, though - they'll give you a better sense of the local culture and allow you to meet fellow travelers as well. It's rare these days that hostels have any kind of age limit, so don't worry about the "youth hostel" moniker. To search the Austria hostels listings, just choose the city that you'll be visiting and peruse the hostels listed there. You can also let the computer do the work for you - just put your travel information into the box on this page and the computer will tell you only what hostels are available when you're going to visit. You may also want to see the Vienna hostels and Salzburg hostels pages for more information.

For the rest of your trip planning, you can search for international airfare to Austria and read about what to do and see in our Austria Travel Guide.