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- Destinations
- Europe
- Austria
- Austrian Alps
Austrian Alps
The vast majority of tourists visiting Austria head straight for
one of its cosy alpine villages in the Tirol region. Among the
wooded mountains is some of the world's best skiing. Unlike many
French and Swiss resorts, most resorts in Austria are real,
friendly villages on the valley floor and despite expanding
enormously over the last 20 years the development has generally
been in good taste, with traditional-looking chalets perched among
the ancient, domed churches. Austrian resorts are also more fun and
welcoming than many in the Alps; the Austrians know how to enjoy
themselves and don't find it demeaning to speak their guest's
language. However many Austrian resorts lie fairly low and
experience unreliable snowfall. To ensure guaranteed good skiing it
is best to head for the western edges of the Tirol, to St Anton,
Lech or Zürs, which all have extensive skiing and more reliable
snowfall. The ski season runs from December to April but the
villages remain bustling in the summer, when the valleys are filled
with climbers and walkers who come to enjoy some of the
breathtaking scenery.
Information & Facts
Climate
Although cold, the high alpine resorts are usually much sunnier
in winter than below in the valleys where fog and cloud persist,
but in summer the Alps may become cloudy during the hotter part of
the day. In autumn and spring some alpine valleys (particularly
those running from south to north) experience the warm and very dry
wind known as the
foehn, which can quickly melt snow and trigger off
avalanches on the mountain slopes.
Language
The official language in Austria is German.
Money
The unit of currency is the Euro (EUR), which is divided into
100 cents. Currency can be exchanged at banks and bureaux de change
available in all towns, but it may be easier to use the ATMs. Banks
are closed on Saturdays and Sundays, but exchange offices at
airports and major city rail terminals are open seven days a week.
Major credit and debit cards are widely accepted though some small
hotels and restaurants may only accept cash. Travellers cheques are
also accepted.
Time
Local time in Austria is GMT +1 (GMT +2 from the last Sunday
in March to the last Sunday in October).