Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
All Austria

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Austria

154 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Austria

Updated November 21, 2025
Email

Cities

Vienna
The Water-Powered Mechanical Theater with nearly 200 moving wood carvings
Salzburg
Graz
Chamber of Art and Curiosities.
Innsbruck
Hallstatt Charnel House
Hallstatt
Klagenfurt
Attractions
Food & Drink
Map
Leaderboards
Stories

Unusual Attractions in Austria

The library lobby.

Vienna, Austria

Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Austrian National Library)

The beautiful baroque library of the Hapsburg empire.

Vienna, Austria

Stephansdom Crypt

The crypt of the imposing Stephensdom holds royal intestines and thousands of skeletons.

Vienna, Austria

Habsburg Imperial Crypt

The final resting place for the remains of 143 Habsburg royalty.
Places

Discover your next amazing Atlas Place.

Get more unusual and extraordinary places each week with the Atlas Obscura Places newsletter.

Your newsletter subscriptions with us are subject to Atlas Obscura's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Vienna, Austria

Schmetterlinghaus: The Imperial Butterfly Park

A tropical paradise just a short trip from the opera house is filled with beautiful winged creatures.
Augustinian Friar’s Astrological Clock - one of the hands takes 20,000 years to revolve.

Vienna, Austria

Clock Museum

A small museum filled with over 1,000 clocks, and one particular clock calibrated to run until the year 9999.
Apotheosis of St Carlo Borromeo

Vienna, Austria

Karlskirche (St. Charles's Church)

Built to give thanks for the passing of a plague epidemic, this cathedral is a one-of-a-kind architectural hybrid.
Mummified head of a murderer with blond hair

Vienna, Austria

Kriminalmuseum

Macabre museum devoted to historical Viennese murders.
See All 154 Things To Do in Austria

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Austria

Vienna, Austria

Palmenhaus

Dine amidst exotic plants at this former royal greenhouse.
The interior of the cafe.

Vienna, Austria

Justizcafe

A rooftop restaurant hides in plain sight atop Vienna's Palace of Justice.
Omas and Opas at work.

Vienna, Austria

Vollpension

Visiting this café is like visiting the Austrian grandma you wish you had.

Salzburg, Austria

'Gurken'

Amidst medieval and baroque buildings, five human-sized gherkins stand tall.
See all 9 Places to Eat in Austria
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

In partnership with GetYourGuide

Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Explore Austria

Museums 33
Architecture 26
Art 15
Churches 15
Sacred Spaces 14
Architectural Oddities 13
History & Culture 12
Collections 11
Memento Mori 11
Catacombs And Crypts 10
Statues 9
Water 7
History 7
Military 6
Outsider Architecture 6
Subterranean Sites 6
World War Ii 6
Cemeteries 5
Castles 5
Nature 5
Places To Stay 4
Unique Restaurants & Bars 3

Austria Leaderboard

Places Added

  1. Skuttel
    6
  2. Annetta Black
    6
  3. Fred Cherrygarden
    5
  4. Jaszmina Szendrey
    4
  5. atimian
    4
Join the Ranks!
Add an unusual place to Austria.

Places Edited

  1. gingercinnamon
    34
  2. Sebastian Wortys
    20
  3. SEANETTA
    18
  4. Rachel
    17
  5. Annetta Black
    14

Places Visited

  1. klanggalerie
    94
  2. Svitlana Orlynska
    92
  3. Ditzi
    59
  4. roland da625487
    58
  5. yellingBytes
    54

Recent Austria Activity

  • Thewandera

    has been to Ungarisches Haus (Hungarian House)

  • cassidypritchard21

    has been to The Catacombs of St. Peter's Abbey

  • Matty Gill

    wants to go to 5 Fingers Observation Deck

  • Matty Gill

    wants to go to Eisriesenwelt

  • Matty Gill

    wants to go to Crystal Worlds

Stories About Austria

This 19th-century cobweb painting depicts a wealthy Austrian gentleman.

For Sale: A 19th-Century Portrait Painted on a Spiderweb

One of the last surviving cobweb paintings is on display this weekend.
by Diana Hubbell
March 13, 2025
Schütte-Lihotzky believed architecture could be a tool for helping women, children, and the working class.

Meet the Feminist Resistance Fighter Who Created the Modern Kitchen

Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky left an indelible mark on Austria, architecture, and how we cook.
by Kaja Seruga
February 26, 2025
The Schiachperchten traditionally scare away bad fortune.

Krampus Has Come and Gone. Next Up, the Perchten.

These masked marchers bring blessings and fun.
by Joy Anderson
December 19, 2024
Frau Perchta is often called the Christmas Witch, but that is just one aspect of who she is: a powerful winter goddess who has endured a centuries-old campaign to vilify her.

Fearsome Frau Perchta Is an Ancient Alpine Winter Goddess

Today, she's commonly called the Christmas Witch or even "the female Krampus"—but she is so much more.
by Victoria Linchong
December 29, 2023
A handstein, circa 1740 from Hungary, in the German Mining Museum in Bochum.

The Raw Ore Centerpieces That Turned Grueling Labor Into Cutesy Dioramas

Handsteins were beloved of 16th-century princes because they affirmed the social order.
by Eve Kahn
June 22, 2021
A 14th-century painting of Saint Corona by the Master of Palazzo Venezia Madonna.

Is Saint Corona a Guardian Against Epidemics?

Well, she might be now, at least.
by Matthew Taub
March 31, 2020
The world’s largest wine bottle held 1,590 liters of Austrian red wine—until recently.

The World's Largest Bottle of Wine Just Spilled in Austria

We're gonna need a bigger napkin.
by Luke Fater
February 20, 2020
Archaeologists found these Late Bronze Age feeding vessels in Vösendorf, Austria.

Found: Milk Residue That Proves Ancient Europeans Used Cute-as-Heck Baby Bottles

The clay vessels are shaped like mythical animals.
by Reina Gattuso
October 1, 2019
Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.