Page 334 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2016 - Austria

332  Tr a vellers ’ needs

Body Painting Festival at
Poertschach. Also, Europe’s
largest Harley Meeting at
Faaker See attracts its fair share
of tattooed bodies as well.

Spectator Sports
As national interests go,
skiing and snow boarding take
bronze, silver and gold in the
hearts of Austrians. Don’t let
the possibility that you’re not
actually taking part stop you
from getting in on the excite­
ment. The season kicks off with
Beer garden and restaurant by St Wolfgang Lake, Wolfgangsee the Ski World Cup Opening
race at Sölden in late October,
Beer Gardens & Cafés Festivals which attracts thousands
Café culture is its own form From spring to autumn, of enthusiasts.
of entertainment and the hundreds of festivals celebrate The most famous ski race in
Austrians are rightfully proud food, wine and the harvest up the world is held in Kitzbühel
of theirs. People watching, and down the country. Austrians each January, the Hahnenkamm,
reading newspapers mounted are proud of their traditional a weekend of street parties
on traditional wooden sticks farming methods, and its result­ and music. More than 10,000
and chatting are the norm – ing quality organic products. people come to the major ski
all accompanied by strong Winemakers of Lower season­ending bash at Ischgl
coffee and tasty cakes. Austria’s Wine Route offer local for the Top of the Mountain
Kaffee und Kuchen hour falls wine, food and culture at concert. In past years, the free
between lunch and dinner, various regional wine festivals April outdoor concert has
and goes nicely with a visit through out the summer, with featured Elton John, Tina Turner,
to the Heurige (taverns where live music, exhibitions, Sting, Lionel Richie, Jon Bon
young, “early” wine is served). children’s pro grammes and Jovi, Alanis Morisette, Bob Dylan
Drinkers sit comfortably out wine tastings. Similarly, a and Enrique Iglesias.
in the open under trees drinking variety of summer festivals are While it definitely plays
a glass of wine or a G’spritzn, a devoted to an assortment of second fiddle to skiing, football
mixture of wine and soda water. pumpkins, cheeses, hams, is still a popular sport. As host
As a point of etiquette, when chocolate, even a dumpling of UEFA EURO 2008 the cities of
toasting Austrians always look festival, Knödelfest, in St Vienna, Klagenfurt, Salzburg
each other directly in the eyes; Johann in Tirol, where the and Innsbruck all have
those failing to do so risk world’s long est dumpling table welcoming stadiums and the
seven years of bad sex or bad takes centre stage. The Gail opportunity to watch a
weather – take your pick. Valley hosts a Speck festival in professional match should not
June and a cheese festival in be missed. The Ernst Happel
September. Stadion in Vienna is home to
Among the most charming of Austria’s national team.
the autumn traditions are the
annual herding festivals, or
Almabtrieb, where the animals
from the high­Alpine, where
they graze free all summer, are
brought down to the village
to spend the winter in barns.
The animals are paraded
through the villages festooned
with flowers and bells. In Styria,
the famous Lipizzaner Horse
Procession brings down the
horses from their mountain
pastures in this way to the
delight of onlookers.
Not to be outdone by the
Cattle decorated with flowers and bells for animals, humans as performance Ski contestant at Kitzbühel, the most famous
the Almabtrieb art are the focus of the World ski race in the world

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