Austria! the birthplace of Mozart, Freud, ballroom dancing, delicious desserts and of course the setting of The Sound of……. No? Oke, we are not going to talk to you about The Sound of Music. Because in Austria that’s a big no no. Most Austrians have never seen the movie and get incredibly annoyed when it is mentioned by tourist. Instead we’ll teach you a bit about the country, the Austrians and the things you should, and shouldn’t do here. Ready? Allright, let’s go!
Moving to Austria
Things you should know
What life is like in Austria
Things you should, and shouldn't do
If you are planning to move to the land of Edelweiss, there are some things you should know about the Austrians, their habits and the culture. We’ll help you out a little bit, so you don’t have to find out the hard way like some of us did.
Speak Austrian Deutsch
Although the language spoken here is technically German, the Austrian have their own variety called ‘Österreichisches Deutsch’ (Austrian German). The languages are very similar, but there are quite a few words which are completely different. Erdäpfel instead of Kartoffeln (potato), Marillen instead of Aprikose (apricots), Paradeiser instead of Tomaten (tomatoes) to name a few. Flex those Austrian German skills and throw in a ‘Servus’ for hi and ‘Baba!’ instead of the standard ‘Tschüs’ for goodbye.
Say hi
Austrians are some of the friendliest and polite people you’ll ever meet. After a few days here, you’ll get used to hearing ‘Grüß Gott’ or ‘Servus‘ all the time. Be sure to return the greeting and pop in a smile.
Try out all the desserts
Austrians are on it when it comes to the dessert game. They have the most incredible desserts and cakes for you to try out. It’s a daily Austrian habit to have a mid afternoon Kaffe & Kuchen (Coffee and cake). Buchteln, Sachertorte, Apfelstrudel, Palatschinken, Linzertorte. Just thinking about it is making our mouths water instantly. Fun fact: croissants were invented by Austrians, not the French.
Holy Sunday
Because Austria has a catholic background, almost everything is closed on Sunday. Traditionally Sunday is a family day used to socialise doing non-capitalist activities, like lunch at grandma, a walk in the park or vigorously cleaning your car. For real, the queues at the carwash on Sunday, well….you have to see it for yourself.
Enjoy a clean city
Austrians are the neatest and tidiest people to grace this planet. Literally the entire country is an OCD dream of cleanliness. They even have city wide initiatives in Spring to help clean the city for the incoming tourist. Being clean and tidy is very serious business here!
Winter Sports and beer
Winter Sports are big in Austria. Way more important than any other sports. Every winter the Austrian mountains are filled with Austrians and European tourists to spend their time at the ski resorts and Spa’s to enjoy nature. So slip on a pair of skis or a snowboard to slide down the slopes on some fresh powder snow and end the day with some Apres-ski.
The Austrian countryside
With its stunning Alpine peaks and crystal clear lakes, Austria is like a postcard come to life. Positioned right in the middle of Europe, the country boasts some of the most beautiful scenery.
Hallstatt
Almost everything in this postcard-perfect Alpine village is photogenic. The village is based in the district of Gmunden, southeast of Salzburg. Hallstatt is an ancient UNESCO-protected settlement that was born from the salt mining industry. The Hallstatt Salt Mine is considered the world’s oldest salt mine and you can do a guided tour that takes you through centuries of local mining.
The Wienerwald
The Wienerwald is a densely wooded area near Vienna where you can retreat from the city. The landscape is perfect for hikes and exploration. With 893 meters, Schöpfl is the highest top in The Wienerwald.
Winter Wonderland
If you are into winter sports, Austria is like a Winter Wonderland. The alps cover a large part of the country and it is filled with ski resorts. The mountains and valleys covered in snow are a magnificent sight.
