Easter in Austria

Easter is a colorful time for Austria, with celebrations throughout the country. Wherever you go, you'll find people excited about Easter, whether it's your Austrian hotel, the people in the bar, or the people preparing for the Easter markets. Concerts are common throughout Easter, and what better way to experience some of Austria's regional traditions than by popping into an authentic Austrian Easter market.

Vienna's most famous Easter market is held in the surrounds of the Schönbrunn Palace between March 24 and April 9. There, the life and soul of Austria's traditional past is displayed along with regional delicacies. The site is open between 10 AM and 7 PM, and it's well worth a visit if you're in Austria. Alternatively, opening on March 23 is the Easter market on the Freyung, which offers a wide variety of baked goods, colorful Easter eggs, and tasty lamb. Don't forget to check the Easter handicraft workshop for the little ones.

As you might expect, Graz is filled with culinary delights during Easter, particularly at the Franziskanerplatz Easter market, and make sure you try the local schnapps. The Easter handicraft market on Hauptplatz is a great place for some unusual gifts, and if you're after something a little more international, pop over to Tummelplatz. These markets run from March 30 to April 7. Just to the north of the city, is Stübing, home of the open-air museum. There, you can experience Palmbuschenbinden, the weaving of palm fronds accompanied by a traditional Austrian celebration on March 30.

Tyrol has a wide variety of these markets dotted throughout the region. Whether it is the Innsbruck Easter market, running between March 30 and April 7, the Osterfestival Tirol, a series of dancing, singing, and performance events taking place around Innsbruck, or the Kufstein market, a decidedly folksy event on April 7, there are numerous places to visit to explore Austria's obsession with Easter.

Salzburg, on the other hand, is a little more muted, but there are still some great Easter celebrations in the area. The local open-air museum will hold an Easter farmer's market on March 31, along with a showcase of traditional rural pastimes. Visit Gwandhaus on March 17 – 18, and you'll find a large Easter Bunny waiting for you. Like many places, the market focuses on traditional Austria, so an entertaining time can be had by all.

Wherever you are in Austria for Easter, there will be dozens of events throughout the country. Make sure you visit a couple of them, and you have a great time learning about Austria's traditional past. Of course, you need to book a hotel in advance, as these events are very popular.

Ouch! Healthcare in Austria

Despite your best plans, occasionally a trip might go a little pear-shaped. It's not uncommon in the skiing areas for an accident to happen, so it's good to be prepared and know about the Austrian healthcare system. Of course, accidents can happen anywhere, and you could sustain an injury from falling down your hotel stairs or by falling over in the street. Hopefully, none of this will happen to you, but at least you can be prepared if something does go wrong.

First, make sure you have some great healthcare insurance. This should cover you for whatever activities you are doing, so if you're going skiing, you may need to pay a little extra. If you're unsure about what your insurance covers, ask your insurance broker. The best policies cover medical evacuation in case of serious injury, and they normally cover expenses up to $3 million or £2 million. This should be the minimum that you need.

Because we travel a lot, we have an annual policy, which covers us wherever we go. However, depending on your circumstances, you may want to consider single trip or multitrip insurance. Single-trip cover is great if you only travel once a year, and multitrip cover may work out cheaper if you travel a few times a year. Again, it's best to consult with your insurance broker to ensure your specific needs are met.

If you are an EU national, make sure you have a European Health Insurance Card, or EHIC. This entitles you to state-funded care while traveling in Europe, although it doesn't cover other expenses such as repatriation. In addition, you may have to pay certain standard charges, similar to prescription charges.

The number for the Austrian emergency services is 144. When the operator answers, ask for the Rettung. If your German is poor, it may be best to ask for help from someone who knows the language, such as a hotel worker or your instructor or guide.

If you are covered by the European Health Insurance Card, make sure you're taken to a state-funded facility. This it is important if your hotel or guide is arranging for treatment. The EHIC only covers you for state-funded treatment. If you are covered by health insurance, make sure you inform your provider as soon as possible. They will be able to advise you on what to do.

Hopefully, though, your trip will go off without a hitch. Austria is a fantastic place to visit, but it does pay to be prepared.

Finding a Great Hotel in Austria

When you visit Austria, you want to stay in a great Austrian hotel. The best Austrian hotels are not necessarily the biggest ones, though. Some of the best hotels we've ever stayed in were small family-run businesses.

Sometimes, we leave things to the last minute to try to get the best price. Often, this means making inquiries at the door. Of course, this approach doesn't work all the time – particularly during the height of the tourist season. Fortunately, we try not to travel during that time.

So, how do you recognize a great hotel or pension?

If we are traveling in an unfamiliar area, we generally take a good look around the local streets first. This gives a feel for the place. Austria is a very safe place, but there are a few neighborhoods where you don't really want to travel. Naturally, we identify the hotels, pensions, and zimmers in the local area. We generally rate each one based on the appearance.

First, the outside is clean. This means the yard is swept, the gardens are tidy, and the windows are free from dirt. This means the owner cares about appearances, and a hotel that is clean on the outside is likely to be clean on the inside. Second, when you walk inside, there is someone to greet you fairly quickly. Now, in family-run hotels, particularly very small ones, the reception area may not always be manned. However, the owner or receptionist should be able to talk to you within a couple of minutes. This

Don't forget to make inquiries. Make sure you know what time breakfast is served, whether you have 24-hour access, and what time you need to be out of the hotel. Naturally, you need to make sure that the facilities meet your needs.

We may do this with several hotels to compare each one and go back to the one we like the most. This may not necessarily be the one with the lowest price – although a low price does help.

We generally pay in advance so we know exactly how much we are being charged. In addition, we frequently pay by cash, which is particularly useful for small hotels. This means that our cards cannot be charged without us knowing. This is a rare situation, but because we travel so much, we do our best to lower the risk as much as possible. Some hotels, however, only accept card payments.

So, now you know how to find a great Austrian hotel like a pro. We have a lot of experience at selecting great hotels, and we're always happy to help you find the perfect hotel for your holiday.

The Infamous Weiner Schnitzel

At some point, you're going to get hungry in Austria. You're going to think yourself, "I could just do with the taste of something authentically Austrian." As you head back to your hotel, you will see, and quite possibly smell, a distinct frying smell. "Of course!" you will cry. "A wiener schnitzel is just what I want."

Now, if you're vegetarian, you probably won't even be thinking about a wiener schnitzel. However, for the meat eaters out there, the wiener schnitzel is a classic Austrian dish. It's very simple and consists of veal or pork that has been whacked with a hammer a few dozen times to thin it out, coated in breadcrumbs, and fried. It's often served with potatoes, traditionally a potato salad, although fries are often served instead.

The name wiener comes from the local spelling of Vienna – Wien. It really is as simple as that. In Austria, a wiener schnitzel must be made from veal. If it is made from pork, it is called a Wiener Schnitzel von Schwein.

There are dozens of variations of schnitzel throughout the world. However, the original comes from Vienna – and where better to enjoy an authentic Austrian recipe than in one of Vienna's many restaurants. Alternatively, you can make your own.

To make an authentic wiener schnitzel, you need a veal cutlet, flour, a small pinch of salt, a load of breadcrumbs, an egg, and some oil to fry it in. You also need some unrestrained beating.

First, you need to thin out the veal. You can either use a meat mallet or, and this is my preferred method, placed it between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound it with a very heavy pan. Try not to break the pan.

Once you've released any frustrations on the veal, it should be about quarter of an inch thick. Now, set up three bowls: one with flour and the pinch of salt, one with the beaten eggs, and one with breadcrumbs. For the oil into the pan and get it very hot. Dip each veal cutlet first into the flour, then into the eggs, and then into the breadcrumbs. Each coating should be very even for the best results. The oil in the pan should cover the schnitzel. Fry each side for about three minutes. If your pan isn't very big or if you have a lot of schnitzels to make, do them in batches. Crowding the pan causes problems.

Serve your schnitzels with a slice of lemon and a potato salad. Now you have a piece of Austria in your dining room!

Austrian Carriers

FlyNiki: A Driver’s Love Affair with Flying

Niki Lauda, a much-loved Austrian Formula One driver, started an airline named Lauda Air in 1979. After a sale to Austrian Airlines in 2000, Lauda was ousted from the board. Feeling a little aggrieved at his treatment, Lauda set Up a competing airline in 2003 named FlyNiki. The airline quickly formed an alliance with Air Berlin. This agreement allowed FlyNiki to expand rapidly and cover numerous destinations within Austria and without.

FlyNiki's operations cover Vienna, Salzburg, Linz, and Graz. Outside of Austria, it flies to numerous destinations in Europe, and it also flies to Egypt. Oddly enough, FlyNiki is a low-cost airline that offers many of the small luxuries that major airlines routinely offer. This includes free refreshments, and baggage is included in the price. Finally, Niki Lauda has a commercial pilot's license, and he occasionally flies his company's aircraft.

Austrian Airlines: Austria's National Carrier

Austrian Airlines is not actually one carrier, it's three: Austrian Airlines, Lauda Air, and Tyrolean Airways. Between them, they cover virtually all the major destinations in Europe and fly to several international destinations as well. If you're traveling from the States, you might catch a flight from Washington or New York direct to Vienna. Alternatively, if you are traveling from Japan, you might travel from Tokyo. Wherever you are going, you can usually get there via an Austrian Airlines flight.

Lauda Air is primarily a charter airline. It typically flies to Mediterranean destinations, although it also serves the UK from Innsbruck airport. Indeed, Innsbruck airport has the biggest variety of flights traveling to the UK, particularly during the skiing season. Tyrolean Airways generally serves European destinations that Austrian Airlines does not.

In general, FlyNiki is frequently cheaper than Austrian Airlines. However, there is a wealth of airline operators that fly to Austria, and you can usually get some very good deals. If you are traveling from the United Kingdom, EasyJet and Ryanair both offer good value deals. From the United States, however, the only direct flights to Austria are with Austrian Airlines and its partners, such as United Airlines. Indirect flights are available, such as traveling by London Heathrow or Berlin. These are often slightly more expensive, although if no direct flights are available, they can be a good option.

While many airline operators offer a hotel booking service, it is worth checking an independent website for hotel prices. Airlines often add a large markup to the actual price and only have a limited selection, so family-run hotels frequently go unnoticed.

Austria is a very well-connected country, and getting there from a host of destinations is rather easy. A range of airline suits budgets both big and small, and with four airports distributed around the country, you'll end up at your hotel in no time.