The trend is making a comeback

Heat: the “summer retreat” is becoming more popular again

Even Franz Josef I spent his summers outside Vienna in Bad Ischl; today, many Austrians travel to the Salzkammergut, for example.(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

With the heat wave, more and more people are opting for “coolcations”—that is, vacations in cooler countries instead of the usual southern destinations. The trend is also gaining traction among Austrians—or rather, we’re rediscovering the good old-fashioned local summer retreat.

Even Emperor Franz Josef I used to escape the city in the summer for cooler climes, heading to the Imperial Villa in Bad Ischl (Upper Austria). With the heat wave, more and more people are now following his example: “The classic Austrian summer retreat is experiencing a real renaissance,” says Eva Buzzi, managing director of Rail Tours Touristik GmbH and president of the Austrian Travel Association (ÖRV).