AUSTRIA

A RT + ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN
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ART + ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN
I PHOTO: Egon Schiele, Self-Portrait with Chinese Lantern Plant, 1912; 32.2 x 39.8 cm, oil,
f you’ve never been to Austria, you have no idea what
you’re missing. Yes, you’ll find all the picturesque
landscapes you’re expecting—from charming villages to
breathtaking Alpine vistas—but beyond Austria’s quaint
cobblestone streets are phenomenally designed contemporary
buildings, innovative wares and collectibles, and world-class
art collections just waiting to be discovered. It is the unique
combination of the traditional and the modern that
makes exploring Austria’s cultural landscape such
a fascinating experience.
Although it is best known as an old and historic European
city, Vienna has waltzed quite gracefully into the 21st century.
The 2004 enlargement of the European Union placed Austria at
the center of the continent’s cultural scene, making Vienna one
of the great contemporary-art centers of the world. The city’s
MuseumQuartier (www.mqw.at)—one of the ten largest cultural
complexes in the world—encompasses more than 60 different
institutions. With its cafés and shops, the cultural district is not
only an art space but a bustling hub of urban life. It is home
to the Leopold Museum (www.leopoldmuseum.org)—which
houses major works by Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka, and
Richard Gerstl, and the world’s largest collection of works by
Egon Schiele (including Self Portrait with Chinese Lantern Plant,
opaque color on wood © Leopold Museum, Vienna
image A)—as well as the Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung
Ludwig (MUMOK) and the KUNSTHALLE wien, both of which
specialize in contemporary art.
If you’re interested in graphic arts, Vienna’s Albertina
(www.albertina.at; image B) is a can’t-miss. With about
50,000 drawings and watercolors as well as 900,000 works of
graphic art, the Albertina’s collection is one of the world’s most
valuable. It contains many important pieces—including Claude
Monet’s Water Lilies—as well as lesser-known but equally
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SALZBURG

MUST SEE
MdM Salzburg:
Museum Der
B Moderne Salzburg
T: 011 43 662 842220-403
W: museumdermoderne.at

In the center of Salzburg’s

old city lies the Museum
der Moderne Rupertinum,
a Baroque palace filled with
contemporary masterpieces.
Designed by the Munich
architectural firm Friedrich
Hoff Zwink, the museum’s
second, more modern
building—the Museum
der Moderne Salzburg
Mönchsberg—is meant to
represent the conjunction
C of the natural and urban
landscapes.

The two Museum der

Moderne buildings provide
more than 30,000 square
feet of gallery space for
international thematic
exhibitions of art from the
20th and 21st centuries.
They also house the Austrian
Gallery of Photography, as
well as works by Gustav
Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka, and
Alfred Kubin. The Museum
der Moderne also features
the work of more recent
Austrian artists, such as
A D Hubert Schmalix, Siegfried
Anzinger, and Erwin Bohatsch.
PHOTOS: Albertina © WienTourismus/Lois Lammerhuber; Austrian National Library in

impressive works, such as a moving portrait of children by Linz it is not far to Salzburg, where a Baroque cityscape is the
Vienna © Austrian Tourist Office; Olafur Eliasson, The Mediated Motion, 2001 © KUB

Auguste Renoir.
Fans of the literary arts will want to stop by the Austrian
National Library (www.onb.ac.at), which is home to 200,000
books dating from 1501 to present day. Its Baroque State
Hall (image C) features a 100-foot-high cupola with a fresco
depicting an allegory on the construction of the library.
Throughout the year, the State Hall features several exhibitions
highlighting different sections of the library’s vast collection.
From Vienna, travel to Graz, where, through mid-January
2010, the Kunsthaus Graz (www.kunsthausgraz.at) will host
“Warhol Wool Newman—Painting Real,” an exhibition highlighting
the revolutionary spirit and influence of Warhol’s oeuvre. In
Upper Austria, the Lentos Museum of Art (www.lentos.at) in Linz,
built by Zurich architects Weber & Hofer, is known equally
for its breathtaking design and its exciting exhibitions. From
backdrop for stunning exhibitions of modern art at the Museum
Self Portrait with Chinese Lantern Plant
der Moderne and an ever-increasing number of art galleries.
(image A), completed in 1912,
Finish your art tour of Austria farther west, in Bregenz. is just one of Egon Schiele’s works
on display at the Leopold Museum,
Olafur Eliasson’s 2001 exhibition at the Kunsthaus Bregenz
which has 44 oil paintings and
(www.kunsthaus-bregenz.at; image D) is a prime example of 180 gouaches and watercolors
by the artist. Starting in fall 2010,
the museum’s concept of creating a dialogue between the art
the Albertina (image B) will host a
installations and the exhibition space, which results in a unique temporary exhibition that comprises
more than 100 of Michelangelo’s
experience of contemporary art. Eliasson transformed the
drawings. The Austrian National
rigorous concrete and glass architecture with scent, fog, water, Library (image C) holds expansive
collections of maps, historic
soil, and plants. This October the museum will mount another
documents, and antique books, as
innovative exhibition, of the work of Tony Oursler, one of the well as museums of papyrus and
globes. The Kunsthaus Bregenz is a
best-known American video artists, in his first large-scale solo
temporary studio and research and
show in Austria. production site for such artists as
Daniel Buren, Santiago Sierra, and
Olafur Eliasson, whose work was on
view in 2001 (image D).

www.austria.info/art
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MUST SEE

VIENNA
MuseumsQuartier
Contemporary art and culture converge in the
MuseumsQuartier Wien, home to more than
60 cultural institutions. The world-renowned
art space—which offers stunning examples
of architecture, children’s culture, digital
displays, fashion, literature, and music—is
also an urban living space and meeting point
for international aficionados of culture. Enjoy
the world’s largest collection of Egon Schiele
works at the Leopold Museum as well as
exceptional contemporary exhibitions at the
Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig and
the Kunsthalle Wien. In the midst of
it all, you’ll also find bars, recreational
areas, shops, and terrace cafés to
round out your experience.

www.mqw.at

VIENNA
Albertina
In the heart of Vienna, the Albertina—the largest Habsburg residential
palace—blends Imperial splendor and Austrian history with unrivalled
masterpieces of art in a world-class modern museum. A visit to the
Albertina promises a cultural experience like no other. Alongside its
impressive permanent collection, the Albertina offers a rotation of
can’t-miss special exhibitions.
www.albertina.at
VIENNA
LIECHTENSTEIN
MUSEUM
The LIECHTENSTEIN MUSEUM, together with the Princely Collections,
is an institution of premier national and international importance.
Drawing on one of the largest art collections in the world, it showcases
masterpieces from the early Renaissance to the Baroque period,
including paintings by Rubens, Rembrandt, and van Dyck, as well as the
Badminton Cabinet, the most valuable piece of furniture in the world.
www.liechtensteinmuseum.at
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BURGENLAND
Where Modern
meets Classical
Situated on the shores of Lake Neusiedl in the ancient region of
Pannonia, Burgenland is lush, green, and wonderfully alive. Summers
here are generally warm and the winters cold, making it an ideal wine-
producing region. Many local wineries have commissioned Austria’s
talented architects to create fabulous buildings, making a tour of
Burgenland like a stroll through a design gallery.
GRAZ
THE BEGINNING
OF A NEW PASSION
The second-largest city in Austria, Graz is a hotbed of culture. With
its jaw-dropping architecture, world-class entertainment, beautifully
landscaped parks and gardens, and peerless museums, Graz was the
first Austrian city to be named the European Capital of Culture. Although
that crown was passed on after a year, the atmosphere of Graz remains
very much that of an international cultural capital.

After a day full of wonderful activities, you can rest your head in any www.visitgraz.com
number of Pannonian houses, which range from lovingly restored
countryside cottages to revamped estates and even renovated palaces.

www.austria.info/wine

SALZBURG
A BAROQUE JEWEL
While parts of Salzburg remain much the same
as they were when Mozart spent his childhood here,
the city is full of exciting contrasts between
the old and the new. Its picturesque streets
are packed with modern-art galleries, music
clubs, and theaters. Every summer, the annual
Salzburger Festspiele draws countless opera
lovers—as well as tastemakers from the realms
of culture, society, and fashion—from around
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT (BURGENLAND): © Steve Haider

the world. Visitors gather to enjoy unforgettable

performances and rub elbows in the city’s
elegant hotels and cafés. Just be sure to
take a break from it all: A quiet stroll through
Baroque squares, narrow passageways, and
pedestrian-only streets might be the most
delightful part of your trip.

www.salzburg.info

www.austria.info/art
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ART + ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN
L
ook beyond Vienna’s behemoth Baroque palaces
and you’ll find that Austria’s capital, like much of the
nation, is pushing the envelope, creating forward-
thinking architecture and taking its place at the
forefront of the sustainable-building movement. For a view that
straddles the city’s past and its future, catch a glimpse of the
awe-inspiring St. Stephen’s Cathedral (www.stephanskirche.at)
—Vienna’s most revered architectural monument—reflected in
the windows of Hans Hollein’s glass-and-stone Haas Haus, the
Postmodernist commercial center facing it.
A trip to Vienna is not complete until you’ve climbed the
steps of St. Stephen’s Cathedral’s south tower and enjoyed the
panoramic cityscape from the viewing platform, but for a more
modern visual experience, take the time to visit lesser-known
houses of worship, as well. Heinz Tesar’s Christus Hoffnung
der Welt (www.donaucitykirche.at) is a study in contrasts:
A dark, stoic exterior gives way to a light-filled birch-lined interior.
PHOTO: Hangar-7, Salzburg © Ulrich Grill / Red Bull Photofiles
The Church of the Most Holy Trinity (www.georgenberg.at),
which represents sculptor Fritz Wotruba’s single foray into
architectural design, has an exterior composed of more than
150 concrete blocks, each encompassing narrow panes of glass.
Two hours south of Vienna in Graz, along the banks of the
Mur River, British architects Peter Cook and Colin Fournier tested
the limits of architecture with the contemporary Kunsthaus Graz
(www.kunsthausgraz.at). Fondly known as the Friendly Alien, the
building appears to undulate among the neighboring Renaissance
apartment buildings. Last March, Graz added another
architectural jewel to its crown: One of Europe’s most dynamic
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VORARLBERG

MUST SEE
Kunsthaus Bregenz
T: 011 43 5574 485940
W: kunsthaus-bregenz.at

Last May, Swiss architect

Peter Zumthor was awarded
the 2009 Pritzker Prize
B
for his work, including the
design of the Kunsthaus
Bregenz, next to Lake
Constance in Vorarlberg.
Visually stunning both inside
and out, the Kunsthaus
Bregenz was conceived as
a “daylight museum.” Its
façade is covered in a skin
of glass shingles, which
serve to diffuse the sun’s
light. Depending on the time
of day or of the year, the
light is refracted differently,
C creating an ever-changing
atmosphere. “From the
outside, the building looks
Farther west, amid Salzburg’s Baroque extravagance, like a lamp,” says Zumthor.
“It absorbs the changing
the contemporary Hangar-7 (www.hangar-7.com; image A)
light of the sky, the haze of
houses a fleet of aircraft and several racing cars owned by the lake; it reflects light and
Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz, the founder of Red color and gives an intimation
Bull. It also contains an art-exhibition space, which is free to of its inner life according
the public, as well as the award-winning Restaurant Ikarus. to the angle of vision, the
daylight, and the weather.”
The massive dome that covers Hangar-7 was built with
1,754 custom-made glass panels.
As part of a typically Austrian design movement to make
the everyday extraordinary—perhaps best exemplified by Mpreis,
the chain of “sexy supermarkets” (www.mpreis.com)—the
flowing lines of the new Hungerburg Funicular Station (image C)
A D in Innsbruck, Tirol, are at once striking and unobtrusive against
the mountain backdrop. Another architectural attraction in Tirol
is the Aqua Dome in Längenfeld: the only thermal spa in western
Hadid © Innsbruck Tourist Board/ Stefan Dauth; Mumuth, Graz © Christian Richters
PHOTOS: Stift Admont, Styria © Austrian Tourist Office; Hungerburg Station by Zaha

performance spaces, the innovative House of Music and Music
Drama (MUMUTH; image D), features high-tech acoustics that
can be adjusted to ensure ideal sound quality for any production.
The visionary building is the work of the Dutch architectural
office UNStudio of Ben van Berkel, which was selected for the
commission from among more than 200 designers.
About an hour from Graz, and centuries from MUMUTH,
you can step back in time at the Monastery of Admont
(www.stiftadmont.at). Its library (image B) is widely regarded as
one of the country’s most important cultural treasures. The Late
Baroque hall, finished in 1776, is a remarkable Gesamtkunstwerk,
a unique synthesis of frescoes, delicate woodcarvings, sculptures,
and an expansive collection of books, maps, and other cultural
objects dating back to the eighth century.
Austria (www.aqua-dome.com). Through ample use of wood,
The Hangar-7 hall (image A) is
stone, and light, the futuristic building reflects the impressive almost 350 feet long, 225 feet wide,
and nearly 50 feet high. There are
mountain landscape that surrounds it.
roughly 70,000 printed works in the
Beyond Tirol lies Vorarlberg, where contemporary white-and-gold bookcases of the
Monastery of Admont (image B); a
buildings don’t just look modern—they subscribe to the very
separate, climate-controlled secure
latest ideas in eco-architecture. The region, which encourages depository houses about 1,500
valuable manuscripts, more than half
low energy consumption and the use of environmentally
of which date from the Middle Ages.
friendly building materials, boasts almost 300,000 square The Hungerburg Funicular Station
(image C) is one of four designed by
feet of solar panels and an ever-growing number of passive-
London architect Zaha Hadid, who
energy homes. What makes the local building style unique is may be best known in Austria for
her design for the Bergisel ski jump.
its emphasis on traditional materials and methods paired with
As one of the most advanced
innovative design, resulting in the perfect balance between performing spaces in Europe, the
House of Music and Music Drama
sleek modernity and warm craftsmanship that is the hallmark
(image D) also includes a high-tech
of the Vorarlberg Group of Building Artists (www.vorarlberg.travel). acoustic laboratory.

www.austria.info/art
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WHERE TO GO

TIROL
ALPINE SOPHISTICATION
If you want to see Austria as Mother
Nature intended it, then a visit to Tirol
is a must. Set against a glorious Alpine
backdrop, this western province invites
visitors to relax and enjoy the warm
local hospitality in what is guaranteed to
be an unforgettable Austrian experience.

No matter where you travel in the

21st century, you’ll find that many of
the driving forces behind design and
fashion are creating modern work
by reinterpreting time-tested craft
practices. In Tirol, the marriage of
classic local materials, folk-art décor,
and modern architecture is attracting
design aficionados from around the
globe. Informed by the mountain
landscape, regional weather conditions,
and locally available materials, the
architecture in Tirol—a synthesis of
tradition and innovation—is unlike that
of anywhere else in the world.

www.visittirol.com

A visit to Tirol would be incomplete

without a day at the Swarovski Crystal
Worlds near Innsbruck. Under the art
direction of André Heller, innovative
crystal renditions of works by renowned
artists ranging from Pablo Picasso to
Keith Haring create a kaleidoscopic
sensory experience. Inside the friendly
Giant (left) are the underground
Chambers of Wonder, where the
multifaceted wealth of crystal’s colors
and forms are on display. You can also
find the highest-quality crystal right in
Innsbruck’s Old Town, where the elegant
Swarovski shop offers an almost infinite
variety of crystalline objects in the
“Winter Wonderland” exhibition.

www.swarovski.com/crystalworlds
www.swarovski.com/innsbruck
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VORARLBERG
EYES ON THE FUTURE
At the corner where Austria, Germany, Switzerland,
and Liechtenstein meet lies the province of Vorarlberg.
Here you’ll find a unique juxtaposition of the traditional
and the modern, the rural and the urban.

Deemed “the most progressive part of the planet when

it comes to new architecture” by Wallpaper magazine,
Vorarlberg’s landscape is dotted with innumerable
strikingly designed modern buildings. Nowhere else in the
world do new and old architecture mesh so seamlessly,
giving the region a firm foothold in both the past and the
future. The state’s love of the audacious and unusual
extends to its cultural scene, including the spectacular
operatic productions of the Bregenz Festival on the
floating stage of Lake Constance (www.lakeconstance.eu).

Another of Vorarlberg’s biggest draws is the Kunsthaus in

Bregenz (www.kunsthaus-bregenz.at). Designed by Pritzker
Prize–winning architect Peter Zumthor, the exhibition hall
has gained a prestigious reputation by opening its doors
to contemporary artists of international renown.
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS (Top to Bottom): Antony Gormley Horizon Field planned for 2010; photomontage “KUB at night with an installation

In 2010, 100 life-size cast-iron figures of a human

by Paul Renner”, 2007 Photo: Rudolf Sagmeister; Kunsthaus Bregenz, Jeff Koons, installation view 3rd Floor, 2007, Photo: Markus Tretter

body will be installed across a 39-square-mile stretch

of Vorarlberg 2,039 meters above sea level, comprising
Antony Gormley’s Horizon Field. From afar, all 100 figures
will create an astonishing view in this Alpine region.
The exhibition will be exposed to the elements, different
lighting conditions, and the turning of the seasons,
creating ever-evolving new perceptions and impressions.

www.vorarlberg.travel

www.austria.info/art
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ART + ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN
R
ooted in decades-old design, the household goods,
furniture, fashion, and fabrics that are coming out
of Austria today nonetheless evince a fun, fresh
aesthetic that makes passersby stop and take
notice. With clean lines, unusual shapes, and striking color
combinations, Austrian-designed objects warrant a second
glance—and then a third.
Pieces like the “Liquid Skin” drinking bowl (image A)
by Austrian designer duo LUCY.D, Barbara Ambrosz and Karin
Stiglmair (www.lucyd.com), encourage viewers to reconsider
their surroundings. With a shape that’s meant to mold itself
to your palms, the bowl allows you to mimic the gesture of
drinking from a fountain with your bare hands.
Every year nearly 20,000 visitors flock to Vienna
Design Week (www.viennadesignweek.at) to enjoy similarly
conceptual pieces, as local and international designers and
almost 100 partners come together for dozens of imaginative
exhibitions and exciting events. The third annual Design
Week (October 1–11) promises to fill the city with more
examples of cutting-edge design than ever.
After the event wraps up, there’s still plenty of stunning
design to enjoy in Vienna. The Wiener Werkstätte—founded
by Josef Hoffmann and Koloman Moser in 1903—was
formed to encourage design that embodies elegance,
precision, and functionality. Through the efforts of the
Neue Wiener Werkstätte (www.neuewienerwerkstaette.at),
the founders’ ideals are still being promoted in modern-
day Austria. Pay a visit to their Vienna showroom for an
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VIENNA

MUST SEE
Swarovski Vienna
T: 011 43 1 324 0000
W: swarovski.com/vienna

In the pulsating heart of

B Vienna, a new source of
inspiration by the Swarovski
brand is coming to life.
unparalleled display of both classic and modern furniture. Even
Starting this December,
if you don’t want to ship a sofa home, you can still pick up the center on Kärntner
beautifully designed souvenirs. Strasse 24 will not only
The MAK Design Shop at the Museum of Applied Arts present visitors with an
(www.makdesignshop.at; image B) commissions thought- endless array of crystal
masterpieces, but it will also
provoking objects from local artists, such as a bold chandelier
C astonish them with rotating
with pendants cut like oversize gemstones, two-handled installations by renowned
mugs, or sleek, contemporary egg cups. During its three-day designers. This three-story
Blickfang, or “eye catcher,” the entire museum is transformed dream world is the vision of
into a high-design department store. You should also visit the Tyrolean architects Hanno
Schlögl and Daniel Süß, and
MQ Shop (www.mqw.at) at the MuseumsQuartier for one-of-
was art-directed by André
a-kind objects and unforgettable gifts, and for planet- and Heller, the mastermind
wallet-friendly presents, check out the green goods at the behind the Swarovski
KunstHausWien Museum Shop (www.kunsthauswien.com). Crystal World in Wattens. In
Another way to bring Vienna home: Look for businesses addition to the spectacular
displays, Kärntner Strasse
that are part of the WIEN PRODUCTS group (www.wienproducts.
will also be home to a
at), which consists of fifty local firms committed to traditional Swarovski Crystallized
craftsmanship. Close to the MuseumsQuartier, the Lichterloh store, where customers
shop (www.lichterloh.com) offers a variety of wares, including a can create one-of-a-kind
pair of cast-iron lamps (image D) that are reissues of a set from jewelry using crystals,
pearls, and gemstones
1950. The lamps are made identically, but by flipping one’s
purchased on-site.
shade and resting it in its base (left) and resting the other’s
shade atop the base (right), you can create a symmetrical
contrast. Lobmeyr (lobmeyr.at) produced the “Two Axioms in
Rotation” drinking glasses (image E), which are also mirror
reflections of each other, creating two vessels from one form.
Despite its abundance in Vienna, Austria’s delightful
Swarovski Crystal Worlds Literature Wall © Mario Katzmyr; Lobmeyr © Klaus Fritsch

design doesn’t start and end in the city. At the Swarovski

D
PHOTOS: Liquid Skin © Lucy. D; MAK Design Shop © Wolgang Woessner / MAK;

Crystal Worlds (www.swarovski.com/crystalworlds) near

Innsbruck, you can surround yourself with sparkle and shine.
The company may be best known in the United States for its
classically cut pieces, but thanks to several artist collaborations,
today it’s turning out more unexpected, modern wares. And in
Wattens, Tirol, Swarovski Crystal Worlds (image C) is a glittering
wonderland of creative designs and compositions that explore
the possibilities of crystal in all its different forms.
Just beyond Innsbruck you’ll find another spectacular
design experience. Riedel stemware—a quintessential example
of the perfect balance of form and function—has been favored
by wine connoisseurs for decades. In the town of Kufstein,
you can watch the company’s glassblowers handcraft the
company’s signature balloon-shaped wineglasses—and pick
A E up a few to take home.
The “Liquid Skin” drinking bowl
(image A) was designed with a leather
carrying pouch, which the artist
envisions people slinging over their
shoulders to transport the vessel.
“Prints on Demand” from the MAK
Design Shop (image B) allows visitors
to take home top-quality prints of
pieces from the museum’s collection.
Literary quotations with the word
“crystal”—from authors including
Shakespeare, Novalis, and Goethe—
are engraved into the Literature Wall
(image C) at Swarovski Crystal Worlds.
Certified WIEN PRODUCTS, including a
pair of cast-iron lamps (image D) and
a set of drinking glasses (image E),
capture the spirit of Viennese design.

www.austria.info/art
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WHERE TO STAY

VIENNA
Hotel Altstadt
A carefully restored 19th-century
patrician house is the home of the four-
star Hotel Altstadt in the Spittelberg,
one of Vienna’s oldest districts. Each of
the hotel’s 42 rooms is one of a kind; in
2006, nine rooms were redesigned by
renowned Italian architect Matteo Thun.
Named one of the best hotels in the
world by Condé Nast Traveler and one
of the most affordable hotels in Europe
by Travel + Leisure, the Altstadt is just
a short walk from the MuseumsQuartier
and the Ring Strasse. The hotel invites
guests for complimentary tea and
homemade cake every afternoon
in the Red Salon.

www.altstadt.at

SALZBURG
Hotel AUERSPERG
Make the century-old Hotel Auersperg
your home away from home. Thanks
to the staff’s unflagging attention to
detail, you’ll feel relaxed and welcomed
from the moment you walk through
the doors. Start your day here with an
exquisite breakfast buffet, then stroll to
the rooftop terrace, where you’ll find a
sauna and steam bath with panoramic
views of the city of Salzburg. Leave your
car behind and tour the city’s narrow
streets on one of the hotel’s bicycles,
perfect for meandering from local
attractions to coffee houses to charming
shops. After a day of sightseeing, you
can find a quiet refuge in the hotel’s
elegantly landscaped garden.

www.auersperg.at

SALZBURG
HOTEL BLAUE GANS
At 650, the Hotel Blaue Gans is the oldest inn in town. Located in a
medieval building on the main pedestrian thoroughfare in old Salzburg,
the Blaue Gans was converted from a fortress-like structure to a
contemporary art hotel. Combining minimalist design with medieval
elements was no simple task, but we think you’ll find they’ve pulled it
off with flair.
www.blauegans.at/en
Tirol
Nature Hotel
Waldklause
Friendly hospitality and culinary delights await you in the innovative
spa and wellness hotel Naturhotel Waldklause, situated in a beautiful
forest area surrounded by the Tirolean Alps. The hotel is within walking
distance of the Aqua Dome, the new thermal spa in Längenfeld.
The hotel is built entirely of wood, glass, and stone, creating a
magnificent symbiosis between natural materials and modern design.
The use of wood as a building material especially contributes to the
distinctive warm atmosphere of the Naturhotel Waldklause.
www.waldklause.at
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VORARLBERG
HOTEL KRISTIANIA
The Hotel Kristiania is an enchanting luxury hotel that unites Alpine
traditions with modern technology and a contemporary perspective.
Nestled in Lech, the cradle of modern-day skiing, the hotel offers a
splendid bar and gourmet restaurant, as well as a cozy lounge with a
roaring fireplace—the perfect après-ski hangout. Each of the hotel’s
rooms is uniquely furnished and decorated with original works of art.
www.kristiania.at
VORARLBERG
Hotel Gasthof
Krone
By honoring its past and embracing the present day, the Hotel Gasthof
Krone has become a gathering place for locals as well as a destination
for visitors from around the globe. Family-owned for 170 years, the
hotel is situated on the main village square in Hittisau, the perfect home
base for unforgettable cultural adventures as well as for forays into the
surrounding unspoiled natural landscapes.
www.krone-hittisau.at
www.austria.info/art
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Itinerary Suggestio ns

Vienna—Graz—Burgenland Salzburg—Tirol—Vorarlberg

SALZBURG

VIENNA TIROL

BURGENLAND VORARLBERG

GRAZ

A PLENTIFUL PALETTE ALPINE AESTHEtICS

This tour takes you through the eastern half of the country, where the
landscape takes on a distinctly different look at every destination—
the gently rolling hills of Vienna, the Mediterranean feel of Graz, or the
steppe-like surroundings of Burgenland’s Lake Neusiedl. Likewise, each
region has its own rich history, different cultural backgrounds and even
different cuisines and music.
When to go: The best travel times are March through October; the cities are
perfect winter destinations, as well. In July and August, schools are closed
and temperatures can peak at 90 degrees Fahrenheit. We recommend a
minimum of three full days in Vienna. Graz (about a two-hour-and-thirty-
minute train ride from Vienna) and Lake Neusiedl in the Burgenland (an hour
by car from Vienna) both take at least two days to explore.
How to get there: Austrian Airlines flies from New York, Washington D.C.,
and Toronto directly into Vienna. From there you can take the train to Graz,
and then back to Vienna via Eisenstadt, Burgenland’s capital city. Traveling
by car is especially advantageous in the Burgenland, where attractions and
restaurants are spread out across the province.
If Alpine charm paired with fantastic modern architecture is what you are looking for,
this itinerary is made for you. From Mozart’s birthplace of Salzburg to Tirol’s charming
villages and its medieval capital, Innsbruck, on to Vorarlberg’s breathtaking
landscape, you’ll be surrounded by beautiful Alpine scenery on the one hand and
stunningly modern—even provocative—architecture and exhibitions on the other.
When to go: Unless you are also interested in skiing the Alps (which we
highly recommend), the best time to see the area is April through September.
Evenings are generally cool, even in summer, especially at higher altitudes.
We recommend staying two nights in each area to allow enough time to soak
up the local lifestyle.
How to get there: Two major international airports, Munich and Zurich,
serve this area. There is also a wide range of transatlantic flights available
with connections to Innsbruck airport. If you plan to stay in the cities, the train
is the best way to travel. For excursions into side valleys, we recommend
renting a car. The infrastructure is excellent, and the roads are perfectly
maintained. If renting a car outside of Austria, make sure to inquire about the
toll sticker (vignette) required for Austrian highways.

Our Tip for Gourmets: In Graz, enjoy the view from the top of the city
mountain at the aiola upstairs (www.aiola.at); Walter Eselböck’s Michelin
two-star Taubenkobel is the leading restaurant in the Burgenland
(www.taubenkobel.at). And don’t miss Vienna’s Ein Wiener Salon,
where the combination of kitschy Baroque décor and a designer turned
cook resulted in a culinary sensation (www.einwienersalon.com).
Our Tip for Gourmets: A different top-flight chef from around the world
takes over the kitchen each month at Salzburg’s Ikarus (www.hangar-7.com).
In Tirol, stop at the Hotel Restaurant Batzenhaeusl (www.batzenhaeusl.at) near
Innsbruck, where two chefs conjure up exquisite dishes based on Austrian
specialties. And in Bregenz, the restaurant at the Hotel Deuring Schloessle
(www.deuring-schloessle.at) provides excellent cuisine as well as gorgeous
views over Lake Constance.

Where to Stay Where to Book

The hotels listed on the previous two
pages are excellent, stylish options in
a reasonable price range. For more
hotel choices, go to www.austria.info.
For Vienna and Salzburg, we
recommend booking at least a month
in advance. Room prices already
include taxes and surcharges as well
as a full breakfast buffet.
The Austrian Airlines Vacation Center
offers reasonably-priced and flexible
vacation packages to Vienna and
Salzburg that can be upgraded to
include stays at deluxe hotels. For
more information and to book,
please call (800) 790-4682 or visit
www.austrianair-vacations.com.
Artisans of Leisure is a travel company
specializing in private, customized
tours of Austria, with a focus on the
local art, architecture, design, music,
history, and cuisine. For additional
information and to book a trip,
please call (800) 214-8144 or visit
www.artisansofleisure.com.
Mosaic Group Travel specializes in
trips to Austria and its neighboring
countries with customized private
tours of the arts, architecture, culture,
design, history, and food and wine.
Please contact Nathalie Nagy
at (212) 409-9562 or email
info@mosaicgrouptravel.com.

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