When you think of Austria in summer, you probably think of hiking, tranquil alpine meadows, or maybe classical music in an extraordinary concert venue. But Austria is much more and is bound to surprise you. Here are some of our ?out-of-the-box must-dos? when visiting Austria.
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Active Austria ?
An underground mountain bike tour
7km, 2 hours, 10 degrees Celsius, 95% humidity ? equipped with a ?mine biking kit? you set off into the mountain. As well as a bike, participants are given a miner?s helmet and a head lamp just like those worn in the past by miners working in the mining gallery. There is no need for claustrophobia as you pedal through the narrow shafts, and where breathtaking rock formations distract you in mountain caverns almost 30m high. More information
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Conquer your first 3,000m
Incredible views from the highest mountain in the Montafon and in Vorarlberg ? the Piz Buin (3,312m). All you need is good hiking boots and appropriate mountain clothing. Local mountain guides will provide you with any other equipment you?ll need. Start climbing
Become a sailor
Did you know that Austria won the Olympic Gold Medal in Sailing (Tornado) in 2000 and 2004? So why not ?sail? in the footsteps of Steinacher & Hagara on Lake Neusiedl. Ideal wind conditions and a Mediterranean climate make the Lake Neusiedl region a top destination for sailors, windsurfers and kite surfers. Professional instruction is available for sailing, windsurfing or kite surfing on Lake Neusiedl for those keen to learn how. Ahoy!
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Enjoy nature
Go on safari and spot the ?Big 5?
Hohe Tauern National Park has its own, safari-style ?Big Five? creatures to spot: these are the chamois, ibex, griffon vulture, golden eagle and bearded vulture. But don?t forget the marmots ? cute furry critters that often sit on rocks taking in the sun. Spot them
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Go for Gold
In the mining village Heiligenblut, you?ll enjoy a great adventure, including the chance to try your hand and fortune at panning for gold. Immerse yourself in the history of the Tauern gold mining industry, and experience 16th century gold mining. The gold rush village holy blood ? the only one of its kind in Europe ? was founded as the centre piece of the Carinthian Provincial Exhibition ?wasser.gold 2004?. The first gold rush in the High Middle Ages followed the most brilliant period of the Tauern gold mining in the 16th and 17th centuries. Panning for gold
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Culinary highlights
Sky Walker Breakfast
A sunrise at the Dachstein glacier is an impressive natural spectacle. The morning sun colours the sky and makes the Schladming glacier shimmer pink. You can view the sunrise particularly well from the Dachstein Sky Walk and the comfortable Dachstein beach chairs. Following a ?Sky Walker Breakfast? at the Glacier Restaurant, you will be re-energised for more Dachstein experiences. Beam me up
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Relaxation
The Fire of Life
?Life fire? is both your inner map and guide. It is a snapshot of your current vitality and provides clear answers to many areas of your life, for instance: physical and spiritual resilience, performance potential, susceptibility to stress, risk of burn-out, the ability to regenerate, sleep quality, current biological age etc. ? on the basis of a scientific 24-hour heart rate variability measurement. Measure it
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The full document with more tips & activities you will find here.
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For more information: Austrian National Tourist Office, Martina Jamnig, Tel: +44-20 74403840, email: [email protected], newsroom-uk.austria.info, Follow us on Twitter @Austria_UK
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