Thankfully, there are several airports to choose when reserving a flight to Austria. Most are affordable enough if you plan in advance.

Regardless of whether Austria is part of your Eurotrip schedule or you’re planning a longer visit, make sure you enjoy these five free activities that will provide you with a good sense of the country’s nature and lifestyle.

As you’ll see, there’s lots to do in Austria if you don’t feel like spending any money – the choice is yours.

Stroll through Vienna’s Old Town

It’s hard to argue that Vienna’s Old Town is the most beautiful city center in the world. Full of grand buildings created centuries ago, ornate boulevards, gorgeous shopfronts and café terraces, as well as dozens of cobblestone lanes. It’s a real trip back in time!

I’d recommend starting at St. Stephen’s cathedral and gaze at the Gothic architecture, then wandering along to the Hofburg Palace, which gives you the chance to see stunning arches, courtyards, and statues without any admission price.

Plus, the Graben, Kohlmarkt, and Kärnter Strasse have that fantastic mix of timeworn facades with luxury items in the window. You can splash the cash, of course, but you may have to settle for window shopping if you’re on a budget!

The Old Town is simply sublime for photography and taking in the atmosphere. Watching horse-drawn carriages and breathing in the fresh bakery smells, all the while listening to graceful classical music from street buskers, you’ll enjoy it all without needing to pay anything.

Appreciate the Mirabell Gardens in Salzburg

Many places in Austria give a fairytale-like feeling, but none more so than the Mirabell Gardens. These famous Baroque gardens have entranced guests for decades and contain flowers in all colors, beautiful statues, and the well-known Pegasus Fountain (from the Sound of Music).

The completely free gardens are great on a hot summer’s day, where you can sit by the fountain and simply people watch with the view of Hohensalzburg Fortress in the background. It’s easily one of the most relaxing spots in all of Salzburg and perhaps even Austria in general. It would be a shame to visit the country and not at least spend an hour or more in this fantastic national treasure.

Take a dip in one of Austria’s lakes

Forget having a swim in a crowded swimming pool or dodging surfers at a windy beach, swimming in a lake is the real deal. Austria has loads of clean lakes and several are public access for swimming.

The sky-blue lakes are surrounded by forests, mountains, and quaint little villages, so you’ve got spectacular nature to gaze at while taking a dip.

Depending on where you are in Austria, you’ve got several options to choose from in terms of lake swimming. Fuschlsee, Traunsee, and Attersee are three of the most popular and beautiful, with grassy areas for sunbathing and long paths for simply wandering around. Just bring a towel and swimwear, and don’t worry about booking anything online.

Have a birds-eye view of Austria

If you don’t mind a bit of a trek, then Kapuzinerberg is a remarkable viewpoint of Salzburg. This forest hill rises up over the city and gives you a panoramic view of mountains, city, and lakes without having to take a bus or train.

The path itself is medium difficulty, so even if you’re not the biggest fan of hiking, you’ll be able to handle the walk and reward yourself at the end. It’s a good way to have a small break from the crowds and take a step back from city life with an outstanding sight.

Discover Austria’s small lakeside towns

While there’s certainly many enjoyable and free things to do in Austria’s big cities, I also love the idea of visiting the smaller lakeside towns to see a different pace of life. Things are very relaxed and easy here – as if no one is in a rush to do anything!

The scenery itself at places like Zell am See is worth it alone in any season, but the promenade is flat and a dream for photographers. Mondsee and St. Wolfgang also have a lot of reasons for visiting, with narrow cobbled streets, ancient church towers, lakeside paths, and alpine backdrops all making you feel like you’ve walked into a postcard of perfect moments.

You’ll find many areas up hills where you can watch the mountains being still and splendid while boats and people wander past. Take a book and packed lunch to really unwind during the day.

There are, of course, boat rides that you can pay for if you’d like to experience Austrian nature on the water. Still, just soaking up the vibes and sunshine on a table outside a café is enough to feel like you’re doing something special in Austria.