Most Unusual Things to Do in Austria

 

Nestled in the lap of the eastern Alps, Austria’s beauty is legendary to say the least. This landlocked country is home to innumerable scenic spots as well as both major cities and quaint towns and villages that are unique in their own right. While everyone knows about the main attractions near its major centers, whether it is Vienna’s grand Imperial Palace or Salzburg’s historic Altstadt (Old Town), few are aware of its hidden and somewhat unusual gems that deserve to be discovered. 

Here are some of the most unusual things to do in Austria:

Visit the ossuary at Eggenburg

Looking down the dark, cavernous dregs of Eggenburg's ossuary, you'll notice an elegantly designed pattern dotted with ivory bones of every form and size. This is the Eggenburg Charnel, a vault that houses the skeletons of almost 5000 Austrians in a frightening yet stunningly beautiful fashion. The magnificent arrangement can be admired from behind a viewing window.

Bathe in beer at Tarrenz

When looking for nightlife near the city of Tarrenz, be prepared for a nightlife with a twist. Deep within the weathered cellar of the Starkenberg Castle, exists this unique spa that may be the answer to your quest for ultimate relaxation. Behold the beer spa, a rather unconventional yet seemingly efficacious cure for skin ailments like psoriasis. The spa is built into the 700-year old beer vault of the castle, a defunct fermentation cellar that made way for this unique contraption. Here, spacious beer pools with nearly 42,000 pints of warm beer invite you to soak your worries away as its inherent properties perform wonders on your skin. If you feel thirsty, order a cold one; don’t drink the warm pool beer unless you want to get kicked out…or worse, fall ill. 

Discover the macabre at Vienna’s Kriminalmuseum

You don't expect to be exposed to ghastly, morbid elements while visiting Vienna, but if you have the stomach for it, stop by the Kriminalmuseum for a dose of the macabre. Housed within the Seifensiederhaus from 1685, this museum features a haunting collection related to every kind of skullduggery in the book—from light thievery and forgery to heinous murders. Murder weapons and mystery skulls are among the exhibits, as are mummified (gulp) heads and guillotines.

Explore cavernous ice caves at Werfen

Frozen halls of ice and the fiery pits of hell appear to have no connection, yet the Eisriesenwelt, claimed to be the world’s largest ice cave, is renowned as the doorway to hell. The arched opening to this cave appears benign, tucked somewhere beneath the rocky splendor of the Hochkogel Mountain, but its wide, chilly passages appear to lead into a mystery world best left undiscovered. Scientist Anton Posselt was the first to spelunk inside this enigmatic cave, gradually increasing its popularity and attracting interested tourists. Even yet, few visitors arrive at this purported portal to hell, and those who do must take the cable car to the Oedl Haus mountain hut to get there.

Author Name Advaita Raut