Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Family Holidays in Austria - Top Things to See and Do

By Isabella Olsen

Austria is not just the homeland of famous classical composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, as it is widely known. It is also a country overflowing with a rich cultural heritage, beautiful natural scenery and an interesting history, which is why it is a great idea to have family holidays in Austria.

For starters, on your trip to Austria, get your fill of classical music by watching an orchestra concert or an opera. There are many opera houses in Vienna and Salzburg, as well as a unique one in St. Martinstrum, known as the world's largest floating opera stage. You can also visit the Hofburg Chapel and listen to the Vienna Boy's Choir sing the Sunday mass. This way, you'll get to witness, and even be part of, a musical tradition dating back to 1498.

You can also listen to the classical compositions of Mozart, Haydn and Schubert at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna or at a farm in Piber where they serve as the background music for the dressage performances of the Lipizzaner horses. And if you think you've had enough of hearing classical music, you can just go to the places where Mozart and other composers once lived and worked. One such place which is also considered one of the must-see attractions in Austria is the Figaro House, where Mozart supposedly composed the famous opera "The Marriage of Figaro".

Is "The Sound of Music" your family's favorite movie? If so, make sure you don't miss out on "The Sound of Music" Tour in Salzburg during your family holidays in Austria. You won't just get to see the Mirabell Gardens, Leopoldskron Castle and the Nonnberg Abbey where some of the movie's scenes were filmed. You're bound to learn something new about the movie, too.

Afterwards, it's time to feast your eyes on Austria's spectacular natural scenery. This can be done best by taking a cable car to Hafelekar in the mountainous Tirol region or by going on a hiking trip through the Austrian Alps. Not exciting enough? Then your trip to Austria must include a hang-gliding expedition from one of the mountain peaks for a more exhilirating experience.

Cycling should also be on your list of things to do while spending your family holidays in Austria. After all, Austria is also popular for its many cycling routes, especially the Danube path from Passau to Vienna.

Last but not least, your trip to Austria should include a visit to the Schonbrunn Palace. This historical landmark is a former royal summer residence, as well as Napoleon's headquarters during his Austrian campaign. There are other awe-inspiring castles and stunning baroque gardens to see, too.

Of course, there are plenty of other things you can see and do during your family holidays in Austria. In fact, one trip alone may not suffice. Still, going through all these should guarantee that your trip to Austria will be one to remember, for years if not for a lifetime.

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