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Hallstatt lakeside village with boat and mountains

Austria travel guide

Alpine peaks, old imperial cities and lakes, best seen in spring or early autumn

Best: May, Sep

Photo: Julius_Silver / Pixabay

Capital
Vienna
Language
German
Currency
Euro
Time zone
UTC+01:00
Plugs
Type C, F · 230 V
Driving
On the right
Emergency
112
Entry
EU and Schengen area

Why visit Austria

Austria suits travellers who want mountains, classical cities and lake towns without long travel times between them. Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck sit a few hours apart by train, and landlocked Graz, Linz and Klagenfurt add variety inland. May and September bring mild, settled weather for walking cities and hiking alpine trails. The honest limitation: with no coastline and a population of 9,217,573 spread across 83,871 km2, this is a trip built on mountains and cities, not beaches.

  • Shoulder-season travel

    September and May are the best months to visit Austria. Crowds thin out and temperatures sit in a comfortable range, making these months ideal for sightseeing in cities and hiking in the Alps without peak-summer congestion.

  • A mix of city sizes

    Austria offers more than just Vienna. Graz has a population of 306,971, Linz counts 211,944 residents, and smaller Innsbruck and Klagenfurt am Wörthersee give travellers a range of urban scales to explore, from lively regional capitals to compact alpine towns.

  • Salzburg in the best months

    Salzburg, home to 155,021 people, shares Austria's best travel window of September and May. Its baroque old town and surrounding hills are easier to enjoy when temperatures are mild and visitor numbers lower than in peak summer.

  • Alpine base in Innsbruck

    Innsbruck, with 132,499 residents, sits directly in the Alps, giving travellers quick access to mountain scenery without leaving a city of meaningful size. It works well as a base for combining urban stays with alpine excursions.

  • Lakeside and regional variety

    Klagenfurt am Wörthersee, population 101,403, sits by its namesake lake, while Gmunden, with 13,191 residents, offers a smaller lakeside alternative on Lake Traunsee. Together they show Austria's range from larger regional centres to quiet small towns.

Is Austria right for you?

Great for

  • Travellers who like mild days: May highs reach 18.5°C and September highs reach 20°C
  • Winter sports fans, since lows drop to -3.6°C in January and -2°C in February
  • Mountain and lake trips inland, with cities like Innsbruck and Klagenfurt am Wörthersee away from any coast
  • City breaks in mid-sized hubs, from Vienna the capital to Graz at 306,971 people
  • Visitors who want long summer daylight, with 11.5 sun hours a day in July

Less ideal for

  • Beach holidaymakers, since no Austrian city in the pack is coastal
  • Travellers who dislike rain, as May brings 19.2 rain days and 182 mm of rainfall
  • Sun-seekers in deep winter, when December and January sun hours fall to 4.6 and 4.8 a day
  • Those avoiding summer humidity-driven rain, since August still sees 170 mm of rain over 15.4 days

Austria right now: November

2.9/10
Avg high
10°C
Avg low
2°C
Rain days
13

Averages for Salzburg.

Weather by month

Based on data for Salzburg, May to September bring highs of 18.5–24.8°C and up to 11.5 hours of sun a day, with September standing out for warm afternoons (20°C) and drier spells (13.2 rain days). January and December are the toughest months, with highs near 5–6.5°C, lows below freezing, and barely 4.6–4.8 hours of sun.

Average highs and lows in Salzburg by month January: high 5°C, low -4°C , 16 rain days . February: high 8°C, low -2°C , 13 rain days . March: high 11°C, low 1°C , 14 rain days . April: high 15°C, low 4°C , 15 rain days . May: high 19°C, low 8°C , 19 rain days . June: high 24°C, low 13°C , 16 rain days . July: high 25°C, low 15°C , 17 rain days . August: high 25°C, low 15°C , 15 rain days . September: high 20°C, low 11°C , 13 rain days . October: high 16°C, low 7°C , 13 rain days . November: high 10°C, low 2°C , 13 rain days . December: high 7°C, low -2°C , 15 rain days . 5°C -4°C JAN 16d 8°C -2°C FEB 13d 11°C 1°C MAR 14d 15°C 4°C APR 15d 19°C 8°C MAY 19d 24°C 13°C JUN 16d 25°C 15°C JUL 17d 25°C 15°C AUG 15d 20°C 11°C SEP 13d 16°C 7°C OCT 13d 10°C 2°C NOV 13d 7°C -2°C DEC 15d
Best months Other months (low–high) Nd = rain days

Salzburg · averages 2015–2024

Best time to visit Austria: month-by-month weather →

Where to go in Austria

City guides with their own best months and weather.

Sample itineraries

7 days

Salzburg, Innsbruck and Graz in a Week

  1. Day 1–3

    Salzburg

    Spend your first days wandering Salzburg, a city of 155,021 people. September and May are the best months to visit, with milder weather and fewer crowds.

  2. Day 4–5

    Innsbruck

    Move on to Innsbruck, home to 132,499 people, set among the Alps. Use these two days to explore the old town and surrounding mountain scenery.

  3. Day 6–7

    Graz

    Finish in Graz, Austria's second-largest city with 306,971 residents. Spend your last two days exploring its streets before heading home.

10 days

Ten Days Across Austria's Cities and Lakes

  1. Day 1–3

    Salzburg

    Start in Salzburg, a city of 155,021 people, best visited in September or May. Take your time exploring the historic centre at an easy pace.

  2. Day 4–5

    Innsbruck

    Head to Innsbruck, population 132,499, surrounded by Alpine peaks. Spend two days here enjoying the mountain setting.

  3. Day 6

    Gmunden

    Stop in Gmunden, a small town of 13,191 people on a lake. Use the day to slow down and enjoy the lakeside surroundings.

  4. Day 7–8

    Linz

    Continue to Linz, Austria's third-largest city with 211,944 people. Spend two days exploring the city along the Danube.

  5. Day 9

    Klagenfurt am Wörthersee

    Visit Klagenfurt am Wörthersee, a city of 101,403 people by its namesake lake. Spend the day near the water and in the town centre.

  6. Day 10

    Graz

    End your trip in Graz, home to 306,971 people. Use your last day to explore before departing.

Where to stay

One good base in each main city and who it suits.

Altstadt

Salzburg

Good for first-timers, sightseeing

The Old Town on the left bank of the Salzach is the historic core, with Getreidegasse, the cathedral and the fortress above. You can walk to most major sights in minutes. Daytime crowds fill the narrow lanes, and cobbles plus car restrictions make arriving with luggage awkward.

Food to try in Austria

Wiener Schnitzel

A thin, breaded and fried veal or pork cutlet. It is Austria's most famous dish and appears on menus in Vienna and across the country.

Tafelspitz

Boiled beef served with broth, horseradish, and apple-chive sauce. It was a favourite of the old Austrian court and remains a classic Vienna dish.

Sachertorte

A dense chocolate cake with apricot jam, coated in dark chocolate icing. It was created in Vienna and is served with whipped cream in cafés there.

Kaiserschmarrn

A shredded, caramelised pancake dusted with sugar, often served with plum compote or apple sauce. It is eaten as a dessert or a sweet main course.

Apfelstrudel

Thin pastry rolled around spiced apples, raisins, and breadcrumbs. It is found in cafés and bakeries throughout Austria, usually served warm.

Glühwein

Mulled, spiced wine served hot. It is a staple drink at Austria's Christmas markets during the winter months.

Know before you go

  • Plugs and voltage: Austria uses plug types C and F, and the voltage is 230 V. Bring an adapter if your plugs are a different type. Check that your devices work at 230 V before you plug them in.
  • Driving side: Traffic in Austria drives on the right. If you come from a country that drives on the left, take extra care at junctions and roundabouts.
  • Emergency number: Call 112 for emergencies in Austria. Save it in your phone before you travel so you can find it quickly.
  • Currency: Austria uses the Euro. If you arrive from another Euro country, you do not need to change money.
  • Language: The official language is German. Learning a few basic German words for greetings and thanks is useful, especially outside Vienna, the capital.
  • Phone calls: The country calling code for Austria is +43. Use it before the local number when you call an Austrian number from a foreign phone.
  • Time zone: Austria's standard time is UTC+01:00. Check the time difference with home before you book transport or plan calls.

Austria: frequently asked questions

Is Austria good to visit in August?

Yes, August scores 7 out of 10 and is rated good. Salzburg highs reach 24.7°C and lows stay near 14.7°C, with 10.4 hours of sun a day. It still rains on about 15.4 days, bringing 170mm, so pack a light rain jacket alongside summer clothes.

What is the best time to visit Austria?

September and May are the top months, based on Salzburg data. September scores 7.4 out of 10, with highs of 20°C, lows of 10.6°C, and 8.8 hours of sun, plus fewer rain days (13.2) than summer. May scores 7, with highs of 18.5°C, though it's the wettest month with 182mm of rain over 19.2 days.

How rainy is Austria?

Rain is spread fairly evenly through the year in Salzburg, with 12.6 to 19.2 rain days a month. May is the wettest month by volume, at 182mm over 19.2 days. November has the fewest rain days, 12.6, though it still gets 97mm. No month is dry, so a rain jacket is useful year-round.

What is Austria like in winter?

Winter is cold and scores low: January rates 1.2 out of 10 and December 1.2, both marked avoid in terms of general sightseeing weather. Salzburg's January high is just 5°C with lows of -3.6°C, and December sits at 6.5°C high, -1.5°C low. These months suit snow and winter sports rather than typical sightseeing.

What plug type and voltage does Austria use?

Austria uses plug types C and F, with a standard voltage of 230V. Travellers from countries using different plug shapes or voltages, like the UK or US, will need an adapter. The emergency number across the country is 112.

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