What's New: An Online Update for Frommer's Austria

As a country that depends heavily on tourism, Austria is bound to feel the effects of the downturn in the world economy. Most visitors to Austria come from Germany, and that country, like the rest of Europe, is seeing some hard times.

In addition to a tight budget, global warming is posing a threat to ski resorts in the Austrian Alps. A recent study has shown that the Alps are warmer than they have been in 1,250 years. Resorts are trying to cope by offering alternatives to skiing, including saunas and steam rooms that evoke the heyday of the Roman Empire.

Nonetheless, business goes on, including the successful classical music cruises offered on the MV Mozart along the Danube River, with stopovers in Munich, Vienna, and Budapest. Cruises include wonderful on-board concerts and fine classical performances ashore in Vienna and Budapest.

Because of worldwide publicity, a sleepy Austrian village called Fucking, (pronounced "fooking"), north of Salzburg, is attracting hordes of tourists. The village itself has a certain Alpine charm, but most visitors come here because of its name, which doesn't have the same meaning in German as it does in English. A local guesthouse owner told us, "We have beautiful lakes and green forests, but all visitors seem to want to do is steal our road signs."

The biggest political news in Austria concerns the sexuality of the late Jörg Haider, the charismatic far-right politician. His political successor, Stefan Petzner, a former fashion and cosmetics reporter, stated on the radio that "Jörg was the man of my life." The news of this same-sex partnership stunned many Austrian conservatives.

With the slowdown in the economy, many projected tourist developments have been either shelved completely or temporarily postponed. As one hotelier in Salzburg put it, "If we can't fill our existing hotels and restaurants, why build more?" Even so, Vienna continues to move forward in spite of the economy. In the autumn of 2008, the city unveiled new connections along Vienna's famous Ring Boulevard, linking for the first time the center of the city and major destinations outside of the First District.

For Vienna updates, see "What's New: An Online Update for Frommer's Vienna."

More and more immigrants from Turkey are arriving in Graz, the birthplace of a certain bodybuilding governor of California. As a result, the once-staid capital of Styria is taking on a more cosmopolitan air than ever before.

In Innsbruck, Bacchus is an underwater-themed bar and dance club that is becoming one of the hottest joints in town. Although it attracts a mainly gay and lesbian crowd, people of all ages and sexual preference show up here nightly and dance until two in the morning.

More and more visitors are using Linz, the third-largest city in the country, as a stopover between Vienna to the east and Salzburg to the west. As a result, more after-dark diversions are being offered. One of the best is Smaragd, a bar, night club, cafe, and cultural complex that draws a lively crowd to its live music on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Ever had a tequila beer? You can also order food here such as steaming bowls of chili. The joint jumps daily from 8pm to 6am. Named after New York's symbol of gay liberation, Stonewall is a bar on week nights, becoming a dance club Friday and Saturday from 11pm to 4am. Many of the patrons prefer to show up in drag.

On the edge of Salzburg, two barns have been remodeled at Haus Ballwein, creating the perfect escape from the bustle of the city. Rooms are generous in size and open onto balconies that survey a Sound of Music landscape. Bike rentals can also be arranged. In a setting of traditional Salzburg structures, the stylishly modern AllYouNeed Hotel comes as a surprise. The interior is beautifully decorated in a contemporary idiom, and the place is bathed in bright colors. Guests are received only from July to September. Young people in particular are flocking to Shakespeare, a café that offers free Internet daily from 8am to 2am. Off Mirabellplatz in the center of town, the cafe serves an international menu, ranging from Austrian to Chinese cuisine.

Planning

• Dailey Thorp Travel, P.O. Box 670, Big Horn, Wyoming 82833 (tel. 800/998-4677 or 307/673-1555; www.daileythorp.com) books Danube tours on the MV Mozart.

Accommodations

• In Salzburg, Haus Ballwein, Moostrasse 69A (tel. 0662/82-40-29; www.haus-ballwein.at) now offers accommodations in remodeled barns.
• The AllYouNeed Hotel, Glockengasse 4B (tel. 0662/889-60; www.allyouneedhotels.com) is a contemporary addition to Salzburg's hotel scene.

Dining

• Shakespeare, Hubert-Sattlerg 3 (tel. 0662/87-91-06; No website). Offers Internet and an international menu in Salzburg.

After Dark

• Innsbruck's Bacchus, 18 Salurnerstrasse (tel. 0512/940210; www.bacchus-tirol.at) is quickly becoming the hottest club in town.
• Stonewall, Rainerstrasse 22 (tel. 0732/600438) is a gay-friendly bar and dance club in Linz.
• Smaragd, Alstadt 2 (tel. 0732/794060; www.smaragd.cc) is a new café and cultural complex in Linz.

Talk with fellow Frommer's travelers on our Austria Forum today.