Beauty Is Closer Than You Think

I love to travel. Explore foreign cities and countries and get a feeling for the mentality of the locals. I love to let different landscapes affect me.

USA, Bali, Kenya, the Maldives, many cities in Europe like Rome, Amsterdam, London – are just a few of the beautiful places I have been. Places that are far away from my home. But when I finally come back home after a trip and take a conscious look around, I realize how beautiful it is here. I do not mean Austria in particular, but the beautiful surroundings, that we often don’t appreciate.

What You Always Have

Today’s time is marked by abundance: technology, fashion, music, movies, food. Society clearly defines what “beautiful“ means, and what is not. Coupled with the restless everyday life, which often consists of plenty of work, we would like to make the best use of our limited leisure time. Family, friends, sports – and of course traveling. A phenomenon that I have experienced many times: Let’s go on vacation, but please, as far away from home as possible. Palm trees, sandy beaches, azure water, tropical temperatures. Or mountains, snow and climbing trails. Or primeval forest, safaris, deserts.

These vacations usually cost a small fortune, and the journey takes a lot of time. Often I come home after a long and exhausting trip, in need of a vacation.

Believe it or not, there is also the total opposite: people for whom holiday is a foreign word. They never travel, not to another city, not to another country. Either because they do not want to or because they are not able to do so, for whatever reason they may have. But in fact it is quite simple: start at your own front door.

Start a Trial and Explore Your Surroundings

I live in Austria. With an area of almost 84,000 km² it is rather manageable. I always knew Austria is a beautiful place, but for a long time I just knew it because other people told me so. At some point I started to make day trips. Very old-fashioned: I grabbed an atlas and looked for which place I could visit, within a radius of about 100 km. Over the months, I explored the area more and more. Whether it was a day trip with the family, or weekend trips with friends or alone – I’ve now seen a lot of my home, and I have to say: I love it! Although we do not have any sea or primeval forest in Austria, we have mountains, forests, beautiful lakes and rivers that invite you to linger.

My Favourite Spots in Austria

• Linz, where I work and spend a lot of my time. The “steel city” (named after the VOEST, an international industrial company), offers more than drab factory charm. Walks along the Danube, delightful cafes in the Old Town, Museums (Lentos, Ars Electronica Center) or having dinner in one of the many fine restaurants. It’s really dreamlike. Linz is also the capital of one of the 9 federal states in Austria.
• Our federal capital, Vienna is always worth a visit. Especially the cultural and historical highlights that tourists tend to find fascinating.
• Styria, more precisely the southeast of Austria, around Tieschen. Surrounded by numerous vineyards I have almost found a second home in this small village. Not far from the Slovenian border, about 3.5 hours south of my home town, you will find yourself in another world.
• One of the southernmost states, Carinthia, with numerous lakes and many interesting sights is an ideal destination for the summer. Even in winter Carinthia is the place to go for skiing or snowboarding.

Facts About Austria

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Empress Elisabeth (called Sisi), David Alaba, Marie Antoinette, Falco, Christine Nöstlinger, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Hedy Lamarr, Friedensreich Hundertwasser, Romy Schneider, Sigmund Freud – are just some of the famous Austrians.
• The “Wiener Schnitzel” is definitely our national dish, although there are of course still regional specialties in many places, for example “Salzburger Nockerl“ or “Polenta“.
• We are a thoroughly athletic nation and celebrate successes among others in tennis, skiing and – at least in the past – also in Formula One.
• We speak German, with many nice dialects and accents.
• The saying “No kangaroos in Austria” is true.
• Every year, the Vienna Opera Ball and the Life Ball take place, attracting numerous – also international – guests.
• … and I hope I didn‘t offend anyone with this list. I may have forgotten important people or sport-events, but unintentionally. 🙂

Of course I will continue to travel to foreign countries. However, I now appreciate and enjoy the beauty of my environment and regard it as something special.