Vienna is Austria’s capital and largest city, as well as one of nine Austrian states. Vienna is Austria’s largest city, with approximately 2 million people (2.6 million in the metropolitan area). It also serves as the country’s cultural, economic, and political center. It is the sixth-largest European Union city in terms of population.

Salzburg is Austria’s fourth-largest municipality. It had a population in 2020 of 156,872.

It is located on the site where the Roman settlement of Iuvavum was. Salzburg was established in 696 as an episcopal site and became the archbishop’s seat in 798. The principal sources of income for the archbishop were trade, salt extraction, and gold mining. Hohensalzburg is a medieval fortress that dates back to the 11th century. Salzburg was a center for Counter-Reformation in the 17th century. There were monasteries and many Baroque churches built.

Graz, the capital of the Austrian State of Styria, is second in Austria to Vienna. It had a population of 331,562 (of which 294,236 had principal-residence status) as of January 20, 2021. Based on principal-residence status, the Graz larger urban area (LUZ) had a population of 652,654. Graz is a college- and university city with four colleges and four Universities. The city houses more than 60.000 students. Its historic center is one of Central Europe’s best-preserved cities.

The city’s historic center was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites List in 1999. In 2010, Eggenberg Palace (German spelling: Schloss Eggenberg) was added to this list. Graz was named the Cultural Capital of Europe in 2003. It became a City of Culinary Delices in 2008.

Innsbruck, the capital of Tyrol, is also the fifth-largest Austrian city. It is located at the junction of the River Inn and the Wipp Valley, which gives access to the Brenner Pass (30 km) to the south. In 2018, it was home to 132,493 people.

Innsbruck, a world-famous winter sports center, is located in a broad valley between high mountains. It hosted the 1984 and 1988 Winter Paralympics and Patscherkofel (2.246 m, 7,369 feet) and Serles (2.718 m, 8,917ft) to its south. Innsbruck also hosted the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics. Its name means “bridge over Inn.”

Linz, Capital of Upper Austria, is also the third-largest Austrian city. It is located in the north, 30 km (19 miles) from the Czech border. The population was 204 846 in 2018. It was named the European Capital of Culture in 2009.