The country of Austria is found in central Europe and is boarded by several other countries including Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Italy and Switzerland. The capital is the beautiful city of Vienna which is located on the Danube River.

However, along with the spectacular vistas that both Vienna and Salzburg offer this country has a lot more to offer its visitors. There are mountains, lakes and rivers where a variety of different outdoors activities take place from mountain climbing, to skiing and even kayaking.

When it comes to what time of year is best to visit this European country then it depends upon the kinds of activities you are looking to do. For example if you want to enjoy some hiking or mountain biking then summer is the best time. As for skiing and snowboarding well of course then the winter is the best time of the year to visit Austria.

The weather is at its warmest from April through to October, however be prepared as these two months can be slightly colder so it is worth bringing some warm clothing with you. However, if you find heat somewhat difficult then avoid the months of July and August as at these times the heat can become extremely unbearable for some people. Plus what you will also find is this is their high holiday season and prices for accommodation etc increase as does the heat.

Another reason why you should not consider visiting Austria during the months of July and August is that because of the heat many of the major attractions in the major cities are closed. So if you were wanting to visit the opera or take in the Spanish Riding School then this is not the time.

However, although these attractions may be closed there are plenty of other events going on throughout the year. Certainly when it comes to music festivals these seem to be continuous in Austria. In Vienna in January there are the New Year concerts with their lavish balls. Then in February the Shrovetide Carnival (Fasching) takes place and this celebrates the return of spring.

Then on the second Thursday after Whitsun more carnivals take place to celebrate Corpus Christi some of which are held on lakes. One such one is the one that is held at Salzkammergut. But really the highlight of the music festivals each year in Austria is the Wiener Festwochen which takes place from May until the middle of June.

As you can see from above if you do decide to go on holiday to Austria there is more to do than just the skiing and mountain climbing. There are things for those who are after a little more culture and there are things which one can do which allow you to just relax and unwind.