The complex consists of the palace with 126 rooms, opera house, Diana’s Temple, the Temple of Venus, the Hermitage, the Chinese pavilion, dance hall, puppet theatre and a large French garden. The castle was a home of the Austrian composer Joseph Haydn for almost thirty years. Even Empress Maria Theresa lived here in 1773.

After the death of Count Esterházy, the family left and the castle remained empty for nearly a whole century. During the Second World War, the chateau served as a hospital and was damaged. In the past few years the castle has been partially renovated and rebuilt into a hotel. Today there are 26 rooms ​​available.

There is a museum and music hall. Every year it hosts International Music Festival and Weeks of music.

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But everything else you can even imagine you can experience in Hungary – the cultural and social events, concerts and discos, folklore festivals, good food and drink, especially a great wine, sports (fishing, bathing and swimming, excellent opportunities biking, ballooning, parachuting and hang-gliding, windsurfing, sailing and water skiing on Lake Balaton, beautiful horses with the opportunity to ride on them, craft workshops, nostalgic carriage or old trains rides, boat cruises, live gypsy music, visits to zoos and nature reserves, and last but not least, many wellness activities in famous Hungarian spa.

Hungarian cuisine

Like any other cuisine even Hungarian one is influenced by the cuisine of neighbouring countries – mostly Bulgarian and Slovak. This cuisine is characterized by a variety of tastes and looks. Its main ingredient is the pepper, which grown all around the country. Another important ingredient is sour cream. The most commonly used meat is from oxen, calves, pigs or rams. They can also prepare the turkeys, chickens, ducks and geese as well as different game. The local rivers are excellent providers of freshwater fish such as perch, Danube catfish, sturgeon, pike or carp.

The most famous Hungarian dish is definitely Hungarian goulash or Segedin goulash. Then it is gnocchi with sheep cheese, which is the apparent influence of Slovak cuisine. The most popular spice is the pepper, served in six kinds and gives the meal its right Hungarian flavour. Popular soup is halászlé (fish soup) and bean soup. Another traditional dish is Perkelt prepared from various types of meat in a pot on the fire. Furthermore, it is worth tasting Borsos Tokány – braised beef in red wine sauce with tomatoes or Tordai lacipecsenye – crisp roasted young pork wrapped in flour with hot peppers. Traditional dishes include chicken with mushrooms and pepper, fried liver, Transylvanian layered cabbage or noodles with cabbage. The meals are served with all kinds of vegetable and fruit salads, e.g. such as cucumber salad with sour cream. Very popular deserts are strudels or poppy tubes.

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Until World War I Austria was vast empire that ruled much of central Europe for the centuries. Austria is now a federal republic, consisting of nine states (Burgenland (Eisenstadt), Kärnten (Klagenfurt), Niederösterreich (St.Pölten), Oberösterreich (Linz), Salzburg (Salzburg), Steiermark (Graz), Tirol (Innsbruck), Vorarlberg (Bregenz), Wien (Wien)).

The capital city of Austria – Vienna hosts many international organizations including the Secretariat of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

The Austrian Parliament has two chambers. National Council (Nationalrat) has 183 members who are elected by direct popular vote for five-year period. Federal Council (Bundesrat) is the second chamber with about 62 members representing different regions. Its members are elected for six years.

Austria has a rich cultural heritage, with a special place of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. But also the music of Franz Schubert is very popular. In the field of philosophy and ideas you can find controversy work of Sigmund Freud, while Ludwig Wittgenstein is one of the most influential philosopher of 20th century. Paintings by Gustav Klimt from the early 20th century are highly reputable.

Austria has a mixed industrial-agricultural economy, but an important source of income is tourism.

Austrian cuisine includes specialties like Wiener Schnitzel and Apfelstrudel.

As a tourist in Austria, you will shortly find out that everything is well prepared for you and services are excellent in the tourist areas. Whether you visit any place in the summer or winter you will be really satisfied – from tourism and cycling signs of groomed trails, through camping facilities and winter resorts, to cultural and spa programs in the hotels and family pensions.

The highest point of Austria is Grossglockner (3 798 m) and the lowest point is Neusiedler See (115 m).

There are 6 national parks in Austria. The beauty of these six totally different protected natural areas you can enjoy on foot or by bike.

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