You may already know Austria for its rich history and the enduring popularity of the 1965 20th Century Fox musical, The Sound of Music. On a future visit, let the famous lyric “the hills are alive with the sound of music” guide you to explore Gesäuse National Park in Upper Styria — a striking landscape of dense forests, green pastures and rugged limestone peaks. The park offers well-maintained mountain huts for hikers and rushing rivers ideal for rafting, making it an excellent destination for both peaceful nature walks and more adventurous outdoor pursuits.
For an intimate way to experience Austria’s scenery, consider hiking the Wachau World Heritage Trail. This 110-mile route follows the Danube through the Wachau Valley’s steep, stone-terraced vineyards and provides many striking vistas of the river as it winds through the valley. Along the trail you can visit the Ferdinand Watch Tower overlooking the historic towns of Dürnstein and Krems, and explore the ruins of Aggstein Castle, which stand sentinel over the landscape. Numerous taverns and rest stops along the way offer opportunities to taste local specialties, such as apricot dumplings made from the region’s renowned Wachau apricots, making the hike as rich in culinary pleasures as it is in scenic rewards.