Spring in Austria

The winter is often long in Austria, and we have experienced this in the first winter, when we had just moved to Sautens in Tyrol for a week.

The first week, it was not all that bad. Although it was wet, and not really hot, but the second Friday in Austria, we became quite shocked.

At six o'clock we woke up because of a horrible noise on the street, something we had never heard.

The reason? The snowplow came down the street, because there was a huge lump snow had fallen. And it kept snowing that day, with the result that more snow fell in 24 hours, then we had ever seen throughout our lives.

And that first winter it kept snowing all winter, with the result that there was a total of around six feet of snow, and we there was still snow in April.

Admittedly, the white winters are particularly beautiful in Tyrol, but a lot of snow is sometimes quite difficult. It can greatly be cold, with temperatures around -30, if you wake up early, and smoke a cigarette outside.

But, of course, that cold and snowy winters also have a few advantages.

On the one hand you are amidst the winter sports, and you can enjoy the white slopes, on the other hand, there comes a time the winter ends, and then starts for me the most beautiful time of the year, spring.

And then you might expect that spring slowly arrives, but nothing is less true, except for the winter 2013 - 2014, where it was never really cold.

The dawn of spring is actually quite suddenly. One moment can it maybe snowing and temperatures are far below zero degrees, the next moment the sun is shining and temperatures go up to around 20 degrees.

This may also be partly because, especially where we live in Sautens, the sun in winter can't be seen for about four weeks, simply because the mountains stand before the sun, but it is something that strikes me every year.

And when that time comes, the sun finally comes out over the mountains, and suddenly a day dawns with temperatures above 15 degrees, then springs bursts out in Austria.

And that spring is so beautiful.

Anyone who ever asks me when the best time is to go on vacation in Austria, I always give the same advice, spring.

If you go walking, and you look around, you can see many beautiful things.

The blossoming fruit trees, like the picture above, but especially the wild flowers.

Because here you will see wild crocuses in the meadows, in sunny places wild tulips, in sheltered spots wild orchids, and other beautiful flowers.

That actually goes so far that we almost neverneed to buy bouquet of flowers in spring. We pick the most beautiful flowers, just from the meadows.

Moreover, the spring on the meadows bursts out a few weeks later, because it's just warm a bit later, because of the high altitude, the snow melts later. But spring on the pasture is therefore even more beautiful than spring in the valley

But, of course, there is much more that makes spring beautiful in Austria.

Because if the sun finally comes out over the mountains, summer time starts, and everyday life in Austria again is largely happening outside, then life is suddenly a lot more atmospheric and cozy.

It is precisely at this time that most of the ski runs close, and Austria for a few months, again belongs to its inhabitants.

And all of us, weare enjoying life outside, on the terraces, with good beer, and in the warm sun, which of course is much more powerful in the mountains.

Yet I say to you, come visit Austria in the spring.

Come and enjoy the enormous natural beauty, the flowers, and genuine Austrian atmosphere.

But hold on, don't come all together now, we like to enjoy ourselves in the tranquility and the sun.