Lower Austria & Burgenland

Encircling Vienna, Lower Austria is a cradle of Austrian civilisation and a region offering visitors one of the country’s most lively cultural landscapes. Outdoor activities, some worthwhile museums, world-class wines, hearty food and a glimpse into the age of the Romans at Carnuntum make leaving the capital for a day or longer an attractive prospect.

And naturally everyone's heard of the Danube River, which cuts a picturesque valley, the Wachau, through the region's northwest. A place of magnificent natural beauty, this is truly a European highlight for its vineyards, castles, abbeys and medieval villages.

To the south of the capital, undervisited Burgenland is all but the typical Austria of the holiday brochures; you won't find soaring mountains, glacial lakes and bombastic architecture here, just bucolic flatlands spread like a well-tenderised schnitzel around the jewel in its crown – Neusiedler See – a shallow Mecca for water-sports fans and paddling toddlers alike.

Explore Lower Austria & Burgenland

Stift Melk
Of the many abbeys in Austria, Stift Melk is the most famous. Possibly Lower Austria's finest, the monastery church dominates the complex with its twin…
S
Schloss Esterházy
Schloss Esterházy, a giant, ochre castle-palace that dominates Esterházyplatz, is by far Eisenstadt’s most compelling attraction. Dating from the 14th…
L
Landesgalerie NÖ
From one side it looks like a squashed cube, from the other as though it's about to topple over – welcome to the latest addition to Krems' Kunstmeile: a…
F
Forum Frohner
Part of Krems' Kunsthalle network, this contemporary white cube is named after the artist Adolf Frohner and is housed in the former Minorite monastery. It…
S
Stift Göttweig
Founded in 1083, the abbey was devastated by fire in the early 18th century and so sports an impressive baroque interior. It's still a working monastery…
N
Nationalpark Donau-Auen
Nationalpark Donau-Auen is a thin strip of natural flood plain on either side of the Danube, running from Vienna to the Slovak border. Established as a…
B
Burg Forchtenstein
Straddling a dolomite spur some 20km southwest of Eisenstadt, Burg Forchtenstein is one of Burgenland’s most imposing castles with a grand view from its…
D
Domäne Wachau
If you're intent on tasting the best of what the Wachau has to offer, it's a good idea to do a broad range of vineyards, from the innovative family-run…
E
Egon Schiele Museum
The Egon Schiele Museum, housed in a former jail near the Danube, vividly presents the story of the life of the Tulln-born artist. It presents around 100…

Stift Melk
Of the many abbeys in Austria, Stift Melk is the most famous. Possibly Lower Austria's finest, the monastery church dominates the complex with its twin…
S
Schloss Esterházy
Schloss Esterházy, a giant, ochre castle-palace that dominates Esterházyplatz, is by far Eisenstadt’s most compelling attraction. Dating from the 14th…
L
Landesgalerie NÖ
From one side it looks like a squashed cube, from the other as though it's about to topple over – welcome to the latest addition to Krems' Kunstmeile: a…
F
Forum Frohner
Part of Krems' Kunsthalle network, this contemporary white cube is named after the artist Adolf Frohner and is housed in the former Minorite monastery. It…
S
Stift Göttweig
Founded in 1083, the abbey was devastated by fire in the early 18th century and so sports an impressive baroque interior. It's still a working monastery…
N
Nationalpark Donau-Auen
Nationalpark Donau-Auen is a thin strip of natural flood plain on either side of the Danube, running from Vienna to the Slovak border. Established as a…
B
Burg Forchtenstein
Straddling a dolomite spur some 20km southwest of Eisenstadt, Burg Forchtenstein is one of Burgenland’s most imposing castles with a grand view from its…
D
Domäne Wachau
If you're intent on tasting the best of what the Wachau has to offer, it's a good idea to do a broad range of vineyards, from the innovative family-run…
E
Egon Schiele Museum
The Egon Schiele Museum, housed in a former jail near the Danube, vividly presents the story of the life of the Tulln-born artist. It presents around 100…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Lower Austria & Burgenland.

See
Stift Melk
Of the many abbeys in Austria, Stift Melk is the most famous. Possibly Lower Austria's finest, the monastery church dominates the complex with its twin…
See
Schloss Esterházy
Schloss Esterházy, a giant, ochre castle-palace that dominates Esterházyplatz, is by far Eisenstadt’s most compelling attraction. Dating from the 14th…
See
Landesgalerie NÖ
From one side it looks like a squashed cube, from the other as though it's about to topple over – welcome to the latest addition to Krems' Kunstmeile: a…
See
Forum Frohner
Part of Krems' Kunsthalle network, this contemporary white cube is named after the artist Adolf Frohner and is housed in the former Minorite monastery. It…
See
Stift Göttweig
Founded in 1083, the abbey was devastated by fire in the early 18th century and so sports an impressive baroque interior. It's still a working monastery…
See
Nationalpark Donau-Auen
Nationalpark Donau-Auen is a thin strip of natural flood plain on either side of the Danube, running from Vienna to the Slovak border. Established as a…
See
Burg Forchtenstein
Straddling a dolomite spur some 20km southwest of Eisenstadt, Burg Forchtenstein is one of Burgenland’s most imposing castles with a grand view from its…
See
Domäne Wachau
If you're intent on tasting the best of what the Wachau has to offer, it's a good idea to do a broad range of vineyards, from the innovative family-run…
See
Egon Schiele Museum
The Egon Schiele Museum, housed in a former jail near the Danube, vividly presents the story of the life of the Tulln-born artist. It presents around 100…

Guidebooks

Learn more about Lower Austria & Burgenland

Uncover the heart of travel and be inspired to see new sights with one of Lonely Planet’s in-depth, award-winning guidebooks.