Austria General Information

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F.A.Q.

General Information

* Skiing
* Cycle Touring
* Music
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Eat

Austrian food is distinctive and delicious, and is traditionally of the stodgy, hearty "meat and dumplings" variety. Wiener Schnitzel (a bread-crumbed and fried veal escalope) is something of a national dish, and Knödel are a kind of dumpling which can be made either sweet or savory according to taste. In Vienna the Tafelspitz (boiled beef with potatoes and horseradish) is traditionally served on Sundays, and is normally accompanied by clear broth with dumplings and herbs. Apart from these, Austria is renowned for its pastries and desserts, the most well-known of which is probably the Apfelstrudel.

Talk

The national language of Austria is German which, in its standard variety, differs from the German used in Germany only in a few words and phrases. In addition, a few additional languages locally have some official status. In everyday life, most Austrians do not speak standard language, but some local dialect. Most Austrian dialects are related to the Bavarian dialect, but quite distinct from the German of the rest of Germany.

Drink

Vienna is famous for its café culture, and there are coffee houses all over the city, many of which have outdoor terraces that are popular in the summer. Visit them for coffee (of course), hot chocolate and pastries. Most famous is Sacher-Torte.
Austria has also some first class wines, mostly whites, slightly on the acid side.
Austria has also a national soft drink called Almdudler. It is lemonade with herbs. Other typical Austrian soft drinks are Holler or Hollundersaft. Its a soft drink made of elderberry blossoms.

Capital :	Vienna
Government :	federal republic
Currency :	Euro (EUR)
Area :	83,858 sq km
Population :	8,192,880 (July 2006 est.)
Language :	German
Religion :	Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant 5%, Muslim and other 17%
Electricity :	230V/50Hz (European plug)
Calling Code :	+43
Internet TLD :	.at
Time Zone :	UTC +1

Origin and history of the name "Austria"

The German name Österreich can be translated into English as the "eastern empire", which is derived from the Old German Ostarrîchi. The name was Latinized as "Austria"

Location

Austria is a land-locked alpine country in Central Europe bordering with Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west, Germany and Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east and Slovenia and Italy to the south.

Climate

Austria has a temperate continental climate. Summers last from early June to mid-September and can be hot in some years and rainy in others. Day-time temperatures in July and August are around 25° C (77° F), but can often reach 35° C (95° F). Winters are cold in the lowlands and very harsh in the Alpine region with temperatures often dropping below -10° C (14° F). Winters last from December to March (longer at higher altitudes). In the Alpine region large temperature fluctuations occur all year round and nights are chilly even in high summer. The northern Alps are generally a lot wetter than the rest of the country. The South East (Styria and Carinthia) is dry and sunny. The area around Vienna often experiences strong easterly winds.

Buy

Austria is a member of the European Union and the Eurozone. Consequently, the national currency is the Euro. The best rates for changing money are offered by banks.
The prices are comparable with Western European countries, and a bit higher than the USA because of 20 % sales tax (which is included in the prices). A can of coke will cost you about 40 cents, a good meal 10 Euros. Prices in tourist areas are a lot higher than the averages. B&B Accommodation and restaurants in towns and rural areas are quite cheap.
Be aware that paying by credit card is not as common as in the rest of Europe or as in the United States.