Austria has a rather modest area among European countries, only about 83,000 km2. However, there are few countries that can naturally combine wild nature with modern human factors, and also have a long and glorious history like this Central European country.
Fairytale Hallstatt
I was lucky to have the opportunity to set foot in Austria. The starting point of the journey was from the "neighbor" Switzerland, so my first stop in Austria was the village of Hallstatt. This village is definitely one of the dream destinations of photographers, including me. Because Hallstatt, with a history of 7,000 years, is as beautiful as a mythical land in legends, and is one of the 10 most beautiful villages in the world.
Around 5,000 BC, a group of prehistoric people began to live in an ice cave formed at the foot of Dachstein Mountain, marking the appearance of humans here. From the 8th to the 5th century BC (Iron Age), the Celts brought Celtic culture to Hallstatt, living and building a tribe by Lake Hallstatter, under the majestic Alps. It was also the Celts who discovered a giant salt mine here - the first salt mine in the world - and they began to exploit it for use and trade. As the centuries passed, this beautiful land also experienced many ups and downs with natural disasters, epidemics, wars... to the point of becoming a desolate area. It was not until 1311, when Queen Elisabeth granted autonomy to this place, that Hallstatt began to strongly revive and develop prosperously. In 1875, the road connecting the outside to Hallstatt was completed and the whole world officially knew that the beautiful land as the legend was real. In 1997, UNESCO recognized the village of Hallstatt as a World Heritage Site.
I arrived in Hallstatt early in the morning, the dew still glistening on the leaves along the road. The birds were chirping along the road leading to Hallstatt village, occasionally I could feel the breeze carrying a special scent from the Hallstätter See lake,... All of this created an extremely poetic and peaceful atmosphere. The spring-summer weather "dressed" the village in a beautiful shirt with the majestic snow-capped Alps surrounding it, above were drifting clouds, below was the blue Hallstätter See lake, sparkling with the reflection of pastel-colored houses. In the summer, this place is quite warm, so it attracts a large number of tourists from all over the world. I only had about an hour to visit Hallstatt.
Follow the small stone path that is hundreds of years old to reach the center of the village, at this time you have to be very slow and leisurely to be able to fully feel its inherent beauty. Along the way, the houses are arranged very meticulously and lovely, next to them are many small items displayed very beautifully, making me feel that the people here are very attentive to life and are not affected by the modernity of the outside environment. The shops and souvenir shops are arranged very reasonably and do not lose the inherent natural beauty of the village. And I think, you should spend some time sipping a cup of cappuccino next to the lake, you will surely feel this place is more poetic.
Hallstatt Lutheran Church is also one of the symbols of Hallstatt village, attracting a lot of tourists. Passing the church and looking back, you will get a classic photo of the poetic beauty of Hallstatt when the white clouds blend with the romantic Alps, highlighting the simple but no less sophisticated architecture of the clock tower of Hallstatt Lutheran Church.
Vienna, city of art and architecture
Leaving the dreamy village, I headed to the capital of Austria - the beautiful city of Vienna. Traveling around the great architectural works of the city under the guidance of the tour guide, I was quite surprised to know that the works here all have tunnels connecting to each other. This tunnel system is a legacy of the ancient Romans. They built them to secretly connect with each other to fight against outside forces.
Known as Strata Carinthianorum, the pedestrian street Karntner was the main street connecting the city center with the walled area. Today, the shops on both sides of the street still bear the hallmarks of 19th-century architecture. Only a few buildings from that period survived the destruction of World War II. The area remains a favorite shopping and strolling spot for Viennese and foreign tourists alike.
Belvedere Palace is one of Vienna's most visited historical sites. This magnificent tourist attraction consists of two Baroque palaces built for Prince Eugene of Savoy: Lower Belvedere and Upper Belvedere.
The Upper Palace houses the bulk of the Belvedere Palaces' vast art collection and the magnificent building itself is considered a work of art. Highlights of the palace include the Ground Floor Hall (Sala Terrena) with its intricate sculptures supporting a magnificent vaulted ceiling and the adjacent Ceremonial Staircase with its frescoes and accompanying frescoes depicting the victories of Alexander the Great.
The Lower Belvedere is no less impressive than the Upper Palace. Here, the Marble Hall is designed as a place to welcome visitors. The highlight of this large room is the oval plaster medallions depicting the life of Apollo. And there are many, many other exquisite works of art that visitors can admire in the space of the Hall of Grotesques, Marble Gallery or Gold Cabinet.
Walking around Vienna, you will also see many ancient architectural masterpieces that are still very well preserved. These are the tallest cathedral in Europe, Stephansdom, the Schönbrunn architectural complex, the Votivkirche church, the Kunsthistorisches Museum of Fine Arts... Each building can captivate visitors.
Homeland of genius Mozart
Recognized by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage, Salzburg's unique charm is its ancient Baroque-style churches, monasteries, castles, fortresses... in harmony with the poetic green space. But it was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart who made Salzburg more famous because this city is where the genius composer was born and spent his childhood. Mozart's music has such perfect beauty that it is likened to "the light of the eternal sun", but during his lifetime, many of his works were rejected by the public in his homeland.
Today, Mozart's yellow house is still intact, his room is on the 5th floor. I took some souvenir photos with the house and remembered the world-famous musician. Wanting to understand more about this talented, ill-fated musician, I continued to visit the neighborhood, cafes, restaurants,... where Mozart used to live. I tried to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee slowly to have a deep feeling about him. I also did not forget to stop by the smallest house in Austria in the city of Salzburg with a width of only about 1.4 meters. The house was built to cover a small alley. Today, this place is the residence of a goldsmith, but because the area is too small, it can only accommodate a maximum of 3 guests at a time.
The city lights were on when I started walking slowly down the old streets. It was an interesting experience to think that the lands I had just walked through might have been bloody battlefields. I was stunned for a few minutes, then I felt like I was witnessing those images replayed. And so it continued in my mind all night long.
My time in Austria was not long but it was enough for me to feel the nature and people of this land. I still remember the old feelings when learning about the legendary music of Mozart, Beethoven or the classic photos of Austria, and now, I have had wonderful experiences and the images of the Roman capital will forever be engraved in my memory.
MORE INFORMATION
Visa: Austria is part of the Schengen area, so when you have an Austrian visa, you can also enter other Schengen member countries. If you choose the Austrian Embassy to apply for a Schengen visa, Austria must be your first destination, main destination, or longest stay on your trip.
Itinerary: Currently, Vietnam has no direct flights to Austria, most of them fly from Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia to the capital Vienna. You can fly with the following airlines: Thai Airways, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Qatar...
Time: Tourists can visit Austria at any time of the year. If you want to enjoy the warm weather, you should come to Austria from April to October. July and August are the peak tourist season so the cost is very expensive but the nature at this time is beautiful. June and September are the best times to visit Austria with cool weather, clear blue sky, and light sunshine. The peak of winter falls from mid-December to the end of March, suitable for tourists who can withstand the cold well to admire the surreal beauty of Austria's natural landscape.
Cuisine: Goulash stew, Nockerl sweet dumplings, Tafelspitz beef and vegetables, Knödel potato dumplings, Wiener Schnitzel (fried veal breaded with egg) are traditional dishes not to be missed when traveling to Austria.
Accommodation: Hotels in Austria are very nice, with many types and reasonable prices, only from 80 - 100 USD/double room in the central area.
Language: German is the main language
Means of transport:
- The public transport system in Austria is very modern and convenient. Here, there are buses and trains that operate regularly and very punctually. Visitors can refer to the website www.oebb.at for detailed information.
- Currency: Austria uses the common European currency but you can also pay in USD. You should exchange money in advance from Vietnam for a better exchange rate and prepare small denominations for easy payment. In addition, using a visa card to pay in Austria is very convenient.
- Some activities not to be missed:
Cycling is a great experience in Austria, especially through the countryside.
Boat trips on the Danube: there are various routes, the most attractive of which is the boat trip from Vienna to the Lower and Upper regions of Austria.
