The bells of Austria and Switzerland, whether they hang from the neck of milk chocolate- and cheese- producing cows, or from the towers of 13th-century churches, call to the traveler in everyone. Their peal echoes through the cool, forested valleys and along the narrow, cobblestoned streets, leading the voyager’s steps toward the diverse spaces Austria and Switzerland offer up for exploration. World-class cities like Vienna, Salzburg, and Zurich showcase many of Europe’s most prized artistic, musical, and architectural treasures. Nearby peaks, reflected in almost unnaturally blue lakes, stab at the stratosphere and serve as beacons for unparalleled natural adventures, ranging from time-tested mountain-climbing and glacier skiing to cutting-edge adventure sports like paragliding and canyoning. The incredible array of both man-made and natural attractions in Austria and Switzerland is complemented by a dense network of perfectly coordinated trains and carefully tended budget accommodations, allowing the budget traveler to experience everything on schedule and in comfort.
Austria Facts and Figures
Capital: Vienna
Population: 8,120,000
Life Expectancy: Men 74.3; Women 80.8
Land Area: 83,857km² (32,377 mi.²)
Language: German
Religion: 78% Catholic, 5% Protestant, 17% Muslim or other.
Switzerland Facts and Figures
Capital: Bern
Population: 7,444,000
Land Area: 41,285km² (15,941 mi.²)
Languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansch
Religion: 46% Catholic, 40% Protestant, 14% other.
When to Go
The best time to visit the Alpine states of Austria and Switzerland depends on what you’re looking for. November to March is peak ski season, while July and August are the favorite months for hikers. Lodgings tend to be slightly more expensive during these times, and rooms can be harder to come by if you don’t have a reservation. The cheapest time to go is in the shoulder season (May-June, September-October) when there is the added benefit of milder weather. However, many mountain towns in Graubünden and Valais in Switzerland, and a few towns in Tyrol in Austria, shut down in May and June between skiing and hiking seasons so that the hostel owners can take a break from providing vacation for others. If you’re a music or theater fan, be aware that the Vienna State Opera, the Vienna Boys’ Choir, and major theaters throughout Austria and Switzerland don’t have any performances during July and August.
Behind the sleepy rural facade of cowbells and chocolate, Austria and Switzerland teem with exciting opportunities for city slickers and nature lovers alike—all you have to do is partake. World-class cities Vienna, Zurich, and Geneva showcase many of Europe’s most prized artistic, musical, and architectural treasures. Stratospheric peaks overlooking temperate crystal lakes and lush valleys provide immediate access to unparalleled natural adventures, ranging from time-tested mountain-climbing and glacier skiing to cutting-edge adventure sports like paragliding and river rafting. The incredible array of man-made and natural attractions in Austria and Switzerland is complemented by a dense network of welcoming budget accommodations that counter the prevailing high-altitude prices, making the region ideal for budget travelers of all ages and constellations. Add centuries of complex history and prolific artistic production, and there is even more to Austria and Switzerland than meets the eye.
AUSTRIA FACTS AND FIGURES
Capital: Vienna
Population: 8,120,000
Land Area: 83,858km² (32,378mi.²)
Language: German
Religion: 85% Catholic, 6% Protestant
SWITZERLAND FACTS AND FIGURES
Capital: Bern
Population: 7,444,000
Land Area: 41,290km² (15,938mi.²)
Languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansch
Religion: 48% Catholic, 44% Protestant
THE HILLS ARE ALIVE...
It’s not for nothing that Austria and Switzerland are internationally famous for their natural splendor. Yet the diversity of earthly wonders is nearly matched by the number of ways to enjoy them. Every valley provides spectacular hikes, hundreds of glaciers invite skiers and hikers to cool off in summer, and nothing can compare to alpine skiing in the Alpine states. Both downhill and slalom skiing were invented here, and a vast array of ski towns keeps the tradition alive. Rather than resting on their laurels, however, Austria and Switzerland have developed a thriving adventure sport scene in recent years: Interlaken is a major center for adventure sports of every stripe, including paragliding, canyoning, sea kayaking, river rafting, skydiving, hang-gliding, bungee jumping, and glacier trekking.
It's not all about scaling peaks and careering back down again, though. As the keystone of the Hapsburg empire for centuries, Austria teems with outlandish Baroque architecture and high culture. The home of Mozart and Freud, Vienna is also home to many fine museums; the Hapsburg's massive collection, including haunting Caravaggios, fleshy Rubens, and busy Brueghel, waits out its days at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, while the Austrian Gallery assembles a Secessionist army, including Klimt’s “The Kiss”. On a more flippant note, you can admire eccentric toilets at the Klo und So Museum in Gmunden. Switzerland has more than its fair share of excellent exhibition halls as well, from the radical Kunsthaus Zürich, which juxtaposes unusual works by well-known masters with cutting-edge new art, to18th-century Jacquet-Droz automatons at the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire in Neuchâtel and the powerful International Red Cross Museum in Geneva.
All these attractions have made Austria and Switzerland backpacking havens, despite the high prices. You’ll discover pretty quickly that the backpacker’s world is a small one; large, centrally-located hostels in strategic locations throughout Austria and Switzerland serve as magnets for the footloose and fancy-free. If you want to follow the beaten path and go with the partying crowd, Switzerland’s backpacker mecca is Interlaken, which boasts a dizzying aggregation of hostels and young, high-on-life English-speaking travelers all year round. In Austria, nothing can touch Vienna and its vast array of accommodations for, though Innsbruck and Salzburg put up a good fight. But if you didn’t come to Europe to hear American pop music pumped at ear-splitting volume through crowded hostels with the same sweaty backpackers every night, don’t miss the handful of smaller, more personal backpacker getaways that are hidden in the hills of Austria and Switzerland. Not only are these out-of-the-way hostels generally more comfortable and service-oriented than mainstream ones, but they also give you the opportunity to get to know both the owners and the countryside well — and World Travel Direct gives you everything you need to find them.
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