Austria Off The Beaten Path – Zell am See, Innsbruck and Bad Gastein

Austria Off The Beaten Path – Zell am See, Innsbruck and Bad Gastein
Word Count:
489
Summary:
Mention Austria and everyone thinks of Vienna and Salzburg. In addition to great names, Zell am See, Innsbruck and Bad Gastein are great locations off the beaten path.

Keywords:
austria, innsbruck, bad gastein, olympics, zell am see, austria skiing, off the beaten path

Article Body:
Mention Austria and everyone thinks of Vienna and Salzburg. In addition to great names, Zell am See, Innsbruck and Bad Gastein are great locations off the beaten path.
Zell am See
Zell…am…See. The name just rolls off the tongue, but it pails in comparison to the place. Often described as heaven on earth, Zell am See is a dream location in the mountains of Austria. With towering mountains on one side and a lake on the other, the town looks like something out of a postcard. If you pull up photographs of the town, you’ll swear they have been touched up with a software program. This town is simply that beautiful. In the winter, Zell am See is all about skiing with numerous resorts for glacier skiing. In the summer, one can lounge on a boat on the lake or hit the mountains for hiking, camping and rock climbing. The Krimml Waterfalls are extremely impressive. Zell am See isn’t the cheapest of travel destinations, but it should top the list if money isn’t a concern. The best month to go is December when skiing is good and winter festivals occur in the town.
Innsbruck
Built on the Inn River, Innsbruck was the home to the 1976 Winter Olympics. And for good reason. As with much of Austria, the town is picturesquely set against mountains and ripe with street cafes and surrounding areas that look like something out of the movie Heidi. As the Olympic designation would suggest, the town is a good launching point for hitting the slopes, but there is much more to it. The historic district has the cobblestone atmosphere you’ve come to expect from town in the Alps. In addition to atmosphere, you can visit historic locations such as the tomb of Emperor Maximilian 1.
My only gripe with Innsbruck is the boring, modern developments around the core of the town that were brought on by the Olympics. They sort of kill the mood, which brings us to Bad Gastein.
Bad Gastein
Bad Gastein definitely gets a nomination for name of the year. It just sounds like a town where bikers would hang out. Admittedly, it is hard to image Austrian Hells Angels, but you get my drift. 
Bad Gastein is an old Austrian village without the droll modern fixtures of Innsbruck. Built overlooking a valley, the town has some incredible views. Historically, Bad Gastein is the spa town of Austria with emperors and other VIPs taking in treatment. For atmosphere, the town feels like it hasn’t changed since the 19th century. If you’re looking for old world Austria, this is the place. Make sure to hurry though as the town is supposedly grabbing the attention of developers who are thinking hotels and casinos are a must.
If you visit Austria, Vienna and Salzburg are definite destinations. Just make sure you get out to the incredible towns in the mountains.

An Overview of Austria for Travelers

An Overview of Austria for Travelers
Word Count:
342
Summary:
Although Austria is rarely in the headlines these days, it was once part of a dominant European power. Following is an overview of this postcard country.

Keywords:
Austria, Vienna, Salzburg, Mozart, bach, freud, Austrians, Innsbruck, Schwarzenegger, Europe

Article Body:
Although Austria is rarely in the headlines these days, it was once part of a dominant European power. Following is an overview of this postcard country.
An Overview of Austria for Travelers
With its prime location in mainland Europe, Austria was a major player in economic, military and political terms when it was known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Alas, this role was significantly diminished after World War I when victorious allies divided the empire. A much smaller Austria came onto the scene and has developed into an ideal travel and relocation destination. 
Famous Austrians dot the historical record. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven were mavericks in music. In psychology, a certain Sigmund Freud made just a slight impact. Currently, the Governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger, was born in Austria.
The official name of the country is Republic of Austria. It covers a relatively small area of land, 32,000 square miles. The capital is beautiful Vienna, which has a population of just over 1.6 million people. Other cities of note include Salzburg and Innsbruck which has hosted a winter Olympics. The country is predominantly a mountainous one and has a climate categorized as continental with plenty of rain and snowfall. Summers in the mountains of Austria are simply dazzling. You can pull up pictures on the Internet or simply watch the movie, The Sound of Music.
The people of Austria are known as “Austrians.” The total population for the country is just over 8 million people, and barely growing each year at a rate of .4 percent. The ethnicity of Austrians breaks down as 98 percent German with a mix of neighboring country natives mixed in. The dominant language is German. Roman Catholic is the faith of 73 percent of Austrians although 12 percent claim no religion at all. The literacy rate in this well-developed country is 98 percent. Life expectancy for women is 81.7 years while men average 75.9.
As this overview of Austria demonstrates, the country has seen all sides of the power ledger. Regardless, Austria is a beautiful country with a rich cultural heritage and is definitely worth a visit.