Graz – modern architecture and foodie paradise, Innsbruck – the emperors’ heritage and modern sport site architecture, Salzburg – Mozart and the Renaissance combined with modern architecture: Three cities, three ways of enjoying life, but they have one thing in common: Austrian hospitality!

Download itinerary here: Press Trip Group 3 Itinerary

During this trip we will explore three regions of the Tirol province. Hiking in the mountains will allow us to discover the country’s soul. We will find places where traditions remain alive and taste not just local food, but also cook our own personal dish.

Download itinerary here: Press Trip Group 2 Itinerary

Vorarlberg is located in the westernmost part of Austria, nestled between Lake Constance and the Alps, neighbouring Germany, Switzerland and the principality of Liechtenstein. On this trip we will experience the “Art of living” of the people of Vorarlberg. The region stands for art and culture and hosts some of the world’s best festivals, but it also encompasses the perfect combination of nature and culture. People have the uttermost respect for their environment – whether when using local produce for cooking, when building their houses, or simply when discovering the mountains on foot.

Download itinerary here: Press Trip Group 1 Itinerary

FACT: Austria is one of the world’s best destinations for sustainable tourism, as recently recognised in the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report.

“When it comes to the environment,” says Alfred Strigl, deputy director of the Austrian Institute for Sustainability, “Austrians are top of Europe and top of the world.” “We have a broad traditional knowledge of natural topics that comes from a conservative way of life – the farmers, hunters and forest men – that has been handed down from generation to generation. We know how to read the landscapes. We know about the cycle of life, to listen to the wind and to pay attention to the seasons and the way the herbs grow, the birds, the mushrooms and so on.”

“Seventy per cent of our power comes from alternative energy,” he says. “And 60 per cent of all waste is recycled. We are a recycling world master. It’s been like this for ten years, and there’s not much more we can do to make it better.”

But when it comes to eco-tourism, Austria’s deep-rooted environmental awareness has perhaps let the country down. While other destinations have been quick to tell the world about their latest sustainable tourism initiatives, Austrians haven’t felt compelled to emphasise what has always been an inherent part of their lives. In fact, those who have not yet visited the country might not even know that Austria is one of the world’s best destinations for sustainable tourism, as recently recognised in the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report.

This in a time when the tourism industry faces big challenges as it depends on transportation and is highly dependent on resources and energy in many other regards.

Discover three regions of Austria with us from 25th to 28th May on the Austria’s Hidden Treasures Journey of Discovery.

Itinerary

In three groups of 4-5 people we will discover some of Austria’s Hidden Treasures before we all meet again in Innsbruck to exchange our experiences.

Group 1:        Bregenzerwald, Montafon, Bodensee in Vorarlberg:
                            Topic – the Art of Living

Group 2:        Alpbachtal, Zillertal, Eagle Walk
                            Topic: Food for body and soul

Group 3:        Graz, Salzburg, Innsbruck
                             Topic: City breaks with a twist

When you visit Austria in summer, there is a good chance you’ll be delightfully surprised, for this country is usually swathed in warm sunshine, the mountains providing a wonderful backdrop to water sports, al fresco dining and the wonders of summertime in Europe.

Look a little deeper and the delight continues. The Alps, which run through the heart of the country, offer spectacular mountain trails and cutting-edge architecture and art. It is a dream for lovers of fine cuisine, exercise and activities. We are happy to share some of our best kept secrets and favorite places in Austria.

Not much is said about beer in places where good beer has always been a matter of course. The quality of beer goes without saying and it is rather futile to ask a Viennese what is special about Viennese lager. The truth is that the style of beer brewing that was responsible for the global reputation of the royal capital and seat of government, Vienna, has essentially died out. We are referring to a beer that is prized throughout the world: a bernstein hue with a light aroma of hops, fully flavored but rounded off with a slightly bitter palate of hops. This is Viennese lager as it was intended to be – and this was the beer that the young brewery owner Anton Dreher cultivated in his small brewery in Schwechat near Vienna at the beginning of the 1840′s. This was the beer that attained worldwide fame.

As loud as a scream or as melodious as a song – that’s yodelling. Sung as a modulated “jo” syllable, the power of the voice is something which fascinates the world over and invites people to try it for themselves.

It was in 1893 that a call was issued to collect together various Styrian cries and yodels. Anyone with something to contribute was invited to do so: the response was overwhelming, and a treasure of rural culture and its way of life was discovered. Ancient yet simultaneously artistic, a cornucopia of Austrian musicality was revealed which influenced such composers as Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss and Ernst Krenek.