Austria is a country in central Europe, surrounded by major tourist countries like Switzerland, Germany and Italy.
The territory of Austria presents an elongated shape in which the Alps, one of the main European mountain ranges, occupy over 70% of the territory, drawing a series links from west to east, diminishing in height as one moves eastward. They are separated by deep valleys, carved by the erosion of Quaternary ice. To the north lies the subalpine region and part of the Bohemian massif and Western borders to the east of the Hungarian plain. In the central part of the Eastern Alps, the High Tauren massif, rises the highest point on the terrain Austrian (Grossglockner).
A view of the old part of Salzburg
The topography strongly influences the climate, and this is continental with cold winters and hot summers. In the region of the Massif Central, the mountain climate presents clear winters with temperatures below freezing and precipitation as snow (2.000 mm per year). Summers offer the country an average of 19 degrees centigrade in July and frequent thunderstorms mainly in the Alpine area elements.
This beautiful country has large forests, which occupies n more than 36% of the territory. Austrian pine, Norway spruce, silver and larch are the main species, but also abundant beech and black pine. At altitudes higher than 2.100 meters and alpine species predominate summer pastures between bare rocks.
Almost all rivers belong to the Danube navigable waterway be the largest in the country and tourism center for excellence. This river is also the mightiest of Europe.
Tourism, with several million visitors annually, has made Austria into one of the most visited European countries. The natural beauty of the Alps (Tyrol resorts, world famous for its winter sports) and the artistic and cultural heritage of cities to the country attract a strong flow of tourists, an important part of the revenues of the national economy.
One of the favorite destinations is undoubtedly Salzburg. Located north of Austria, is a maze of narrow streets, castles and monuments constitutes therefore an obligatory stop for anyone passing through Austria. The city where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived regularly meets with the composer’s admirers and those who like the tranquility of the surrounding landscape.
Its capital Vienna, situated on the Danube River in the valley of the Vienna Woods, is the largest city, cultural and political center of Austria. This beautiful city has many tourist attractions like the Akademie der bildenden Künste (Academy of Fine Arts), the Burgtheater or imperial court theater, the Liechtenstein Museum, which contains and displays major works by Rembrandt, Rubens and Van Dyck, the famous and renowned Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of History of Art), one of the richest in the world and a variety of palaces of ancient imperial royalty, plazas and monuments.