Austria, officially the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. it is a small, modern country bordering 8 other European countries. To the west, it connects with Switzerland and Liechtenstein. On the Northside with Germany and the Czech Republic, To the east are Slovakia and Hungary. And finally the Slovenia and Italy to the south. Although it is a small country. Even then, it is much diversified and offers one of the best landscapes in the world.

• Official Name: Republic of Austria.
• Capital: Vienna.
• Population: 9M in 2021.
• Currency: Euro.
• Official Language: German.
• Visa Requirements: As Austria is a member of the European Union (EU) and Schengen area. So, anyone can visit it with a valid Schengen visa.
• Best Time to Visit: late Spring(April-May) to early Autumn(September-October) is the best time to visit Austria.

According to some sources, Austria is ranked 3rd on the list of safest countries in the world. Its robbery, assault, and car rates are among the lowest in the developed world. However, always stick to your common sense while visiting a new country or a strange place. While we heard a few cases of pickpocketing and bag snatching in tourist landmarks. Whereas these are less frequent. However, the Austrian Government is very vigilant regarding terrorism. Especially after the prevented terror attack in 2016 in Vienna.

Transportation Systems in Austria

Austria has an excellent and affordable local transportation system. Tram and bus services in most places run from morning till midnight. Austria is well connected with its neighboring countries by rail and bus system.

Train travel is the best option. There are also various rail passes that allow travel to 28 countries throughout Europe. Besides, there are regional passes that cover Austria plus a choice of neighboring countries like Germany or Hungary. Moreover, we can plan by RailEurope.com

Secondly, you can use Buses to go to remote regions and villages that can’t be reached by train. You can avail this system to go to nearby countries too. In 2019, I used a Flix bus to enter Vienna from Bratislava. After visiting Vienna, I went to Prague.

However, renting a car is not cheap in Austria.

Accommodation

All types of accommodations from budgeting about $10 to high end are available easily. We stayed in the downtown area and booked our stay by booking.com. However, it solely depends on your way of living. The other best sites to plan and choose your accommodation are Booking.com, Air BnB, Agoda, and Hostelworld. Therefore, when you’re looking for a hostel, do your research first. Then read reviews to get a feel for the place. And finally, book somewhere that suits you.

Food and local Dishes

Most of the Austrian dishes are similar to eastern European countries like Hungary and Czechia. As per my taste, I searched for vegetable options. Along with my Indian cuisine, I tried a few desserts like below.

• Apfelstrudel is a popular pastry. people take it as Austria’s National Food.
• Kasespatzle or simply The spaetzle is essentially soft egg noodles with cheese. We can find it in different shapes and varieties. It looks like little nuggets.
• Kaiserschmarrn is a meal fit for the kings. ‘Kaiser’ means King and ‘Schmarrn’ means to shred. So, it is a fluffy shredded pancake.
• Buchteln is delicious baked food. It is filled with jam, ground poppy, or sweet curds.
• Sachertorte is a pastery like dessert.
• Finally the Chocolate dip fruits from the Rathaus Christmas market. These are a must-try experience if you happened to visit it on Christmas.