, Austria celebrates world’s best music festivals like the Salzburg Festival, Haydn Festival in Vienna, and the International Chamber Music Festival. Vienna is the capital of Austria as well as the musical capital of Europe. Music and art are in full flare here after centuries of hardship and innovation. That explains Vienna being the birthplace of Mozart. Horse dances are also part of these festivals. Since it snows in winter, the snow covered Alps is a must be visited place during the winter. Austria experiences a moderate summer. Rains can be expected year round. Incase of emergency call 120 or 123.

Site seeing

The romantic castles simply leave you astounded. The Schloss Durnstein provides a magnificent view besides the River Danube. A 10% tip should be paid to the taxi drivers, which is customary here.

Culture

German, Hungarian, Slovene, and Croatian are the languages spoken by the locals. To greet the locals, a handshake will do. When meeting someone for the first time, its better to refer them by their last name, but once better known they can be addressed by the first name. When out in the public, say Guten Tag or Gruss Gott to greet people and while leaving say Auf Wiedersehen. Carry along flowers when going over to someone’s house. The locals here have a passion for horse riding. The world’s best art of horsemanship can be found here which is as old as 400 years and to watch the horses perform at these schools; tickets must be booked in advance. Although service charge is levied on restaurant bills, an extra 5% should be paid as tip.

Getting there

Hallstatt, Austria

Three national airlines operate in Austria, Austrian Arrows, Austrian Airlines and Lausda Air, which work in collaboration with the Austrian Airlines Group. The Vienna airport is 18 km away from the city. Airport buses transport passengers to the South Train and West Train Station. Railway, chauffeur-driven car and taxi service is also provided at the airport. Duty free shops, post office, bank, eateries, left luggage, tourism information, conference hall, nursery, car hiring and car parking facilities are provided to the passengers at the airport.
Salzburg airport is 4 km away from the city and buses, trains, taxis and hotel coach shuttle passengers to and from the airport. Facilities such as duty free shops, post office, currency exchange, left luggage, conference hall, restaurants and car hire exist at the airport. Check out the other airports such as Klagenfurt airport, Graz airport and Linz airport for more details. All the airports charge a fixed rate for porter service.

International tourists can get to Austria by Austrian Federal railways, if planning to travel by train. It has a large network which connects the major cities within Austria and also outside Austria. Travelers can find connections to/from Germany, Russia, Greece, Romania, Turkey Brussels, Paris and Italy. International rail passes or Eurail pass can be bought to travel around Austria as they provide unlimited travel and other offers too.

A good network of roads here provides an interesting journey. Take Eurotunnel when crossing the Channel Tunnel while traveling by car. Bookings should be made in advance. The cars can be hired at the airports and railway stations and if driving own car carry documentations like UK driving license or national driving license and car registration papers. Toll booths are installed on the motorways and ‘S’ roads, so if change is carried in advance it will ensure no delays in the journey. Registration documents should be carried along all the time while driving. The lights should be turned on while driving, in the city or outside, all the time. There are strict laws for seat belts and drinking while driving. If using the motorbike, high visibility jacket and helmet must be worn, it’s a compulsion for both the passenger and the driver. Many federal, private companies and local authorities provide bus service. Coaches are provided for moving around within the cities.

Wurm and Kock provide cruise passenger service. Along with the cruise trip, packages include stay at a hotel. Check out, before hand, for offer. There are many Ferry service providers too.

Duty Free Items

1. 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g tobacco or a proportional mix of these products
2. 1l of spirits over 22 per cent or 2l of fortified wine or spirits up to 22 per cent or 2l of sparkling wine or liqueur and 2l of still wine
3. 500g of coffee or 200g of extracts, essences or concentrates of coffee, and 100g of tea or 40g of tea extracts
4. medicinal products sufficient for the journey
5. 50g of perfume or eau de toilette
6. All the above mentioned goods should be carried by a person over 17 years of age.

With a high standard of living, first-rate schools, and some of the best alpine real estate in Europe, this home of musical talents ranging from Mozart to the Von Trapp Family ranks happily at No. 10 in the world. Once the seat of the Hapsburg Empire, which reached as far east as Ukraine and Transylvania and as far south as Bosnia, Austria today supports a heterogeneous mix of people. Thousands of Hungarians and Croats live within its borders, as well as Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Muslims, and Jews, making Austria one of the most pluralistic nations in Western Europe.

Country guide
Though its political and social clout has perhaps waned over the last century, Austria is a country rich in culture and history. Its diverse mix of timeless urban centres and rolling, fairy tale countryside defines it as a classic European country in every sense of the word.

At the country’s urban core is Vienna, once the cultural centre of Europe. The city boasts world class Western music (including classical, opera, and waltz), stunning architecture, and an array of museums showcasing its unique cultural heritage.

The nation’s most popular tourist destination, Salzburg, is the birthplace of Mozart and boasts a distinct culture steeped in music, art and literature.

Reminiscent of the glorious Hapsburg Empire, Austria’s rural countryside farming communities offer stunning scenery. From the snow-covered Alps, to the meandering Danube River in the north, to the massive Eisriesenwelt ice caves in Werfen, the country’s natural beauty is truly breathtaking.

Information by http://images.businessweek.com

Australia is a nation in its own right, it is also a technically a continent, with large differences between regions. It has a reputation as a land of leisure, with sun, sea and an enviable ‘Crocodile Dundee’ outdoor lifestyle, but this is just a very narrow conception of a continent. The reality however, is that most people work all day, and then spend the weekend running around trying to pack life into the 2 days on the weekend. Only the homeless and tourists have time to sit around on the beach, or laze away days watching sport on TV.

One of the states is the island state Tasmania of which one fifth is World Heritage area. Each state has its own national parks with their specific character where you can indulge in bush-walking or maybe even rock-climbing. When you’re interested in the miracles of water-world, you can’t miss out on the Great Barrier Reef on the east coast, the main reason for many travellers to visit Cairns. The Wet Tropics of Queensland comprise dense rainforests and foaming waterfalls. Rare species of animals can be spotted in the famous Kakadu National Park as well as ancient aboriginal art. These old drawings can also be seen in the Namadgi National Park.

Good places to set off for exploration of the great outdoors are big cities such as Canberra, Darwin, Adelaide and Perth, that all have interesting sights and a good cultural atmosphere as well. Of course, Australia is surrounded by sea, so good swimming and surfing beaches are more rule than exception, generally these beaches will be full of only tourists, especially during the week. So fun can be had watching people who haven’t heard of sunscreen yet turning into lobsters, or getting trapped in the surf. North of Brisbane, is the Sunshine Coast one of the many stretches of coast where you can find excellent beaches, South of Brisbane is the better known Gold Coast, famous for being home to Australias equivalent of trailer park people and teenagers who can’t afford a holiday somewhere better. Don’t forget the smaller historically interesting Alice Springs, or William Creek [the most isolated town in Australia] that will lead you right to the famous Ayers Rock.

Deserts, rainforests, big cities….and just when you thought you’d caught a glimpse of the versatile character of this fascinating continent, you forgotten about Melbourne and the excellent skiing opportunities in the Alpine National Park. Another good option is the Snowy Mountains area in NSW. How many months could you stay?

Information by http://www.justaustralia.org

Flinders Street Station

Flinders Street Station in addition of being the hub of Melbourne’s transport system, is one of Melbourne’s famous landmark, was opened in 1884 and is located in the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Streets.

Young and Jackson Hotel

The Young and Jackson Hotel has more than 140 years and is Melbourne’s oldest hotel and is now one of the city’s icons. It is on the corner of Flinders and Swanston streets and hosts the beautiful “Chloe”, an attractive 19th century French academic nude painting by Jules Lefebvre.

Federation Square

This is a very unusual square but therefore attractive, its design was made by using large panels and covered with of sandstone, zinc and glass. A very modern design that doesn’t like to everyone but it’s very visited too.

The Block Arcade

This impressive building was constructed in 1891 and designed by architect David C. Askew, its architecture is simply amazing, now it’s a very visited shopping precinct, it connects Collins Street to Little Collins Street in the central business district of Melbourne.

Melbourne can be considered the world’s largest cities in area having approximately 6110 sq.km., has many gardens and parks which occupy the third part of this area.

The city was founded in 1835 by John Batman, and its name is in honor of Viscount Melbourne, William Lamb, during the British occupation of Victoria. Since then Melbourne began to grow as a city and commercial centre on the north end of Port Phillip. The first magistrate in this city was Captain William Lonsdale, who came from Sydney to stablish the order and law.

In 1847 Melbourne was declared as a city by Queen Victoria, and in 1850 with the gold discovery the city turned into the major port of Victoria region, the Melbourne’s hustle and bustle was incredible then, with ships from all over the world arriving here, in 1854 the population increased in almost four times its number and the city development was obvious and more industries services were implanted, with all of this Melbourne became the main financial centre in all Australia.

Because of the gold rushes Melbourne received many migrants from many parts of the world, specially from Italy, Greece, Poland, Turkey, Yugoslavia and Vietnam, all of this contributed to make of Melbourne a very special and varied city, with traditions of many different ways, and this mixture can also be seen in the restaurants, architecture and festivals.

Melbourne’s districts are: the City Centre, Albert Park, Carlton, Fitzroy, Prahran, Richmond, South Melbourne, South Yarra, St Kilda and Yarraville. The most visited part in Melbourne is the Melbourne city centre, most of the important buildings in this city are located here as the Supreme Court, the Parliament and the beautiful Royal Botanic Gardens considered the best in their kind around the world with more than 12000 different kind of plants.

There are aso many other buildings as the Forum Theatre which has a Moorish exterior and was built in 1929. The night makes of Melbourne a very romantic city, its reflect can be seen in the Yarra River and the lights of the skyscrapers give a special appearance to it.

The weather in Melbourne is absolutely varied, is very cold in winter, not so many snowfalls but with many fog and frost. The summers here used to be just spectacular, there are hot and dry days, but sometimes excessively hot with temperatures of more than 40 degrees Celsius.

Melbourne, the capital of Victoria, is the second largest city in Australia. Its multicultural atmosphere is set amongst Victorian-era buildings and gorgeous parkland. It has a population of just over 3 million people, and is a picturesque place with so much to offer the visitor and resident alike.

It’s hard to believe that such a fantastic location was abandoned by the first settlers who had arrived in 1803 and then departed to Tasmania after staying for less than one year. Being such a diverse place, Melbourne offers everything for the tourist from tennis and bikeriding to fishing and windsurfing.
There are also many accommodation types to chose from, including apartments, hotels, motels, campsites, bed and breakfasts and hostels. For a listing of hostels in the whole of Victoria visit the Victoria hostel directory.

The city centre, also known as the Central Business District (CBD), is on the north bank of the Yarra River. It is approximately 5 kilometres inland from Port Phillip Bay, where most of the pretty suburbs are situated.

The city is divided into two parts by the Yarra River, creating predominantly working class areas in the North and West regions, and more affluent areas in the South and the East. The CBD used to be known as the ‘Golden Mile’, as it is 1 mile long and 1/2 mile wide.

Southgate gives access across the Yarra River to the south of the city, Victoria Street marking the north. To the east you’ll find Fitzroy Gardens and Federation Square, and to the west Spencer Street and the docklands.
The heart of the city is marked by Bourke Street Mall which is situated between Swanston Street and Elizabeth Street, running north to south. Bourke Street and Collins Street are the main roads running west to east.

Melbourne was originally settled by graziers, John Batman being the first. He claimed land just north of Port Phillip Bay, whilst other graziers also decided to occupy areas near the Yarra River, but without the necessary permission to colonise.
Captain William Lonsdale was sent from Sydney to oversee the land sales. The township being established in 1835 and named after the British Prime Minister at the time, Lord Melbourne. Having been originally considered part of New South Wales, Victoria was established as a separate colony in 1851.

Information by http://www.justaustralia.org

The founder of Adelaide is Colonel William Light, whose statue is located at the Montefiore Hill, this city is surrounded by vineyards, in some way it remains the lyfestyle of Australia many years ago, the gardens, parks, the River Torrens, the churches and the buildings with colonial architecture gives Adelaide a peaceful atmosphere. And because of the churches Adelaide is also known as the ‘city of churches’, one of the main churches is St Peter’s Cathedral.

Many inmigrants had arrived to Adelaide and gave it a cosmopolitan look but the earlier German inmigrants gave Adelaide a romantic touch, and they also brought winemaking skills and established wineries, nowadays Adelaide has one of the best wine all around the world.

Adelaide Beaches has more than 60km of white sandy beachfront, the weather in the almost perfect, warm dry summers and cool mild winters, summer temperatures average 27ฐC and winter months around 15ฐC, you can practice any water sport here or you can relax taking a sun bath.
The City of Adelaide

Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, is a civilised and calm city, that is home to around one million people. It is divided into two parts, Adelaide and North Adelaide, separated by Torrens River. A diverse range of landscapes surround the city, including green parkland, the Mount Lofty Ranges and coastal beaches.

Adelaide’s city centre has been well planned and is made up of a grid of streets and various squares. Being only one mile square makes it extremely accessible. The main street (King William Street) runs directly from north to south of the city through Victoria Square, which is at the heart of the city.

Finding somewhere to stay in Adelaide is a breeze. Hostels are plentiful, as are apartments,motels, hotels and several bed and breakfasts.

There are many options for accommodation, either in the heart of the city or alternatively on the coast, or amongst the wonderful landscape in the Adelaide Hills. Prices vary greatly depending upon what you are looking for, but you are guaranteed to find something just right. If you feel like staying in one of the suburbs or are venturing further afield check out theSouth Australia hostel directory.

Albany has a rich historical past which can be seen in the colonial buildings around the city that are well preserved until now, The Old Gaol is a good example of this, now this is a folk museum. The Albany Residency Museum exhibits seafaring objects and aboriginal artefacts.

There are many beaches surrounding Albany, some of them are Emu Beach, Shelley Beach, Nanarup, Muttonbird beach, with Middleton Beach being the closest to the town centre. The main industries in Albany are the tourism, fishing and agriculture, but it was a thriving whaling town up to the 1970’s, the whaling station now is a museum of whaling. The 75% of electricity in Albany is provided by its Western Power Wind Farm.

Some of the Albany’s attractions are the Brig Amity Replica, the Old Farm on Strawberry Hill, St. Johns Anglican Church, the first church consecrated in Western Australia, the Mount Romance Emu Oil and Sandalwood Factory, the sandalwood is still used as a perfumed balm and natural medicine.

Albury is on the New South Wales border, and a beautiful riverside town to visit. Water activities are popular as Albury is based alongside the Murray River.

In the summer it is possible to go swimming in the river from within the Noreuil Park, as well as take the paddle-steamers along the murray. Canoeing is also popular, as is bushwalking and horse riding.

Albury has a population of roughly 45,000 people. Albury’s twin City, Wodonga in on the opposite side of the Murray River in Victoria and has a comparable population.

There are also a couple of museums in the area and the wonderful Ettamogah Wildlife Sanctuary as well as some accommodation. West along the Murray is the small wine town of Corowa, famous for the Lindemans Wine.

The weather in Broome is dry from April/May until September/October and wet around October/November with extremely hot days with temperatures around 30C and balmy evenings and nights when the temperature fall to the low twenties.

Chinese and Japanese pearl divers worked the pearling luggers in this town in the old days, the chinatown and the divers’ cemetery with Asian inscriptions are the result of this, around 1910 Broome was the pearl capital of the world, now the industry has declined with the development of artificial pearls, actually there are few people who still do pearl fishing. The Broome Historical Society Museum gives information on the historical perling industry.

Broome’s main beach is Cable Beach, a beautiful expanse of golden sand, most of people come to relax on the jade-green Indian Ocean, this city is also famous for its Staircase to the Moon, called like that because you can see the full moon reflected in the rippling mud flats which gives a stairway effect this is certainly an amazing phenomenon that you can’t miss, it’s also beautiful to see camels along the sand. Tourists can fish the sea, walk around the art galleries and jewelry stores.

Information by http://www.justaustralia.org

The city is named like that because of the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Thomas Brisbane, and was built where once was located an old convict colony, in 1859 Queensland was separated from New South Wales, and Brisbane became capital of the new state.

When gold was discovered in the north of Brisbane, many people came here from Europe and China, most of them went south to Sydney and Melbourne. The city still has many monuments of victorian architecture, colonial sandstone buildings but also modern towers, many bridges cross the river, the most attractive is the Story Bridge, Brisbane City Hall and King George Square are also a very visited attractions.
The City Of Brisbane

Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, is a cosmopolitan and lively city that is home to many different types of scenery, including skyscrapers, parkland and even an artificial beach. Brisbane is a river city, although close to the coast, with Brisbane River running through it.

It is surrounded by hills and full of bridges. Brisbane also gives easy access to a number of attractions as well as theGold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.

The majority of the hostels can be found in East Brisbane, Fortitude Valley, New Farm, Paddington, Petrie Terrace and the West End.

Many hotels are situated around Gregory Terrace, Main Street and Wickham Street. The main transit centre can be found on Roma Street, there is also a large mall on Queen Street.

In its early stages the city grew as the agricultural and mining industries grew, until it eventually developed into the cultural and cafe filled city that it is today. It is also the third largest city in Australia with a population of about 1.6 million.

Brisbane is a great place to cycle, with wonderful tracks near and along the river. If you get tired along the way you can always hop on a bus or the City Cat (avoiding rush hour when you won’t be allowed on with a bike).

Brisbane has a number of Theatres including the Lyric Theatre, Cremorne Theatre and the Playhouse Theatre which are part of the Queensland Performing Arts Centre located in South Bank. The centre also houses a Concert Hall.

The area of South Bank is popular with visitors and locals alike especially for its relaxed parkland and man made beach area popular with all ages and of course in the evening, the many shows.

Brisbane offers loads of tourist accommodation available, including hostels,hotels, motels and bed and breakfasts. Most of the accommodation and restaurants can be found in the cities inner suburbs.

The main districts in Brisbane are:

« The Central Business District (CBD), the major part of shopping centers are here.
« South Bank for restaurants, cafes, and boardwalks.
« Fortitude Valley for more vibrant shopping and nightlife.