Discover Austria: Explore a Land of Geodiversity, Fossils and Adventure

Sip back and discover Austria and explore the country at the heart of Europe celebrated for its alpine peaks, lakes, historic cities and a landscape that tells a story of deep time rich in geodiversity, fossils and minerals. The Austrian Alps were born from the collision of the African and Eurasian plates around 100 million years ago and hold a series of complex rock zones. The Northern Calcareous Alps preserve Triassic and Jurassic period limestones with karst caves and fossil reefs while the Central Alps reveal ancient metamorphic rocks forged under immense pressure. Glaciers of the Ice Age sculpted valleys in Tyrol and Carinthia and the Vienna Basin records Neogene faulting and fossil-rich sediments. Austria’s fossil record is equally remarkable. Triassic reefs hold corals and sponges of the vanished Tethys Ocean, while Jurassic limestones near Hallstatt yield ammonites used worldwide to date rock strata. The Miocene Vienna Basin preserves subtropical sharks, crocodiles and marine mammals. In contrast, alpine valleys hold evidence of Ice Age mammoths, woolly rhinoceroses and even traces of dinosaur tracks.

Austria is home to three UNESCO Global Geoparks — Ore of the Alps, Styrian Eisenwurzen, and the Karawanken/Karavanke Geopark. The latter is a transnational site shared with Slovenia. These geoparks are unified geographical areas that showcase not only exceptional geological heritage but also natural, cultural and intangible heritage all managed according to principles of protection, education, and sustainable development.

The Ore of the Alps Geopark highlights the geological significance of the Alpine region and its rich mining history, while the Styrian Eisenwurzen Geopark, set within the Northern Calcareous Alps, is celebrated for its dramatic mountains, valleys, gorges, and fossil-rich Cretaceous to Paleogene rocks. The Karawanken/Karavanke Geopark, spanning the border between Austria and Slovenia, takes its name from the mountain range that links the two regions.

Designation as a UNESCO Global Geopark represents international recognition comparable to World Heritage Sites and Biosphere Reserves, emphasizing holistic management that integrates geology, conservation, and education. By engaging local communities in protecting their geological treasures and weaving them together with cultural and natural heritage, these geoparks foster both local pride and sustainable economic growth through geotourism.

The Ore of the Alps UNESCO Global Geopark - READ BLOG

Tucked within the Salzburg region, the Ore of the Alps UNESCO Global Geopark invites eco-tourists to step into a landscape where geology, wildlife, and cultural heritage come together in spectacular fashion. Spanning the communities of Bischofshofen, Mühlbach am Hochkönig, Hüttau, and St. Veit im Pongau, the geopark tells the story of the Eastern Alps shaped by tectonic forces, carved by glaciers, and enriched by millennia of mining history.

The Northern Limestone Alps dominate the skyline with the Hochkönig, Hagen, and Tennengebirge ranges, their rugged limestone cliffs and dolomite massifs forming dramatic peaks, plateaus, and sinkholes. Here you’ll find the Eisriesenwelt in Werfen, the world’s largest ice cave, where frozen chambers glisten deep within the karst mountains. For hikers and climbers, the Mandlwände’s jagged rock towers offer both challenge and scenery, while the surrounding nature reserves protect delicate alpine ecosystems.

By contrast, the softer landscapes of the Alpine Greywacke Zone tell a story of ancient oceans. Formed in a foreland basin more than 300 million years ago, these sandstones, slates, and phyllites conceal rich seams of copper and gold. Mining here stretches back to prehistoric times, leaving behind a cultural legacy still celebrated today. Visitors can follow the Kupfergeist Adventure Trail, exploring former copper mines and learning how ore shaped the lives of local communities.

At the heart of the geopark lies the Tauern Window, a geological marvel that exposes rocks from the deep roots of the Alps. These highly metamorphosed nappes were forged when the European and Adriatic plates collided, pushing oceanic sediments to the surface. Later, during the Ice Ages, vast glaciers like the Salzach Glacier sculpted valleys now traced by the winding Salzach River.

Nature lovers will be equally rewarded. Alpine meadows bloom with wildflowers in summer, attracting the rare Apollo Butterfly, while Ibex reclaim the rocky slopes. Birdwatchers may spot Black Grouse in spring or Alpine Swifts soaring above limestone cliffs.

The Styrian Eisenwurzan UNESCO Global Geopark - READ BLOG

Immerse yourself in the dramatic landscapes of Austria’s Styrian Eisenwurzen UNESCO Global Geopark, the country’s largest nature park in northern Styria, designated in 2015. Stretching across Altenmarkt, Landl, Sankt Gallen, and Wildalpen, this 574-square-kilometre geopark sits within the Northern Calcareous Alps, where mountains, deep valleys, gorges, and forests tell a story of tectonic upheaval, glaciation, and karst processes spanning over 250 million years.

Geologically, the region is renowned for its Mesozoic limestones and dolomites, preserving rich fossil records alongside striking karst features, including caves, springs, river terraces, and Ice Age moraines. At the heart of the park lies the Gams Basin, a globally significant site preserving rock from the Middle Triassic to the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary, capturing one of Earth’s greatest extinction events. Fossils of corals, ammonites, rudists, bivalves, gastropods, algae, and bryozoa abound in formations such as the Nierental and Zwieselalm, revealing ancient marine environments shaped by turbidites and mass flows.

Visitors can explore the GeoDorf Gams, the park’s educational hub, featuring interactive experiences like the GeoRama, which traces the evolution of Triassic seas, Alpine mountain-building, and Ice Age landscapes. The GeoWerkstatt allows guests to handle and uncover fossils, while the GeoPfad, a 3-kilometre interpretive trail, winds through alpine meadows and karst terrain, offering immersive geological insights.

Nature enthusiasts are rewarded with abundant wildlife and pristine landscapes. The Wildalpen region features gorges, waterfalls, and caves, including the historic Kraus Cave, the world’s first electrically lit cave. The Salza River flows through emerald valleys, supporting Eurasian otters, brown trout, kingfishers, and diverse birdlife. Alpine pastures bloom with rare wildflowers such as edelweiss, orchids, and alpine asters, while red deer, chamois, and golden eagles navigate the rugged slopes.

The Styrian Eisenwurzen region also celebrates human ingenuity. Its name, meaning “iron roots,” reflects centuries of iron production, and visitors can learn about Vienna’s High Spring Water Pipeline at local museums and natural springs.

The Karawanken UNESCO Global Geopark - READ BLOG

Venture into the Karawanken UNESCO Global Geopark, a spectacular region where southern Austria gently meets northern Slovenia, and uncover a landscape shaped by ancient oceans, tectonic upheavals, and Ice Age glaciers. Stretching nearly 120 km along the Southern Limestone Alps, this cross-border massif rises as a natural barrier between Central Europe and the Adriatic, offering limestone peaks, glacial valleys, and alpine meadows that provide a living canvas of Earth’s geological history.

The geopark’s Triassic limestones and dolomites preserve fossils of corals, ammonites, brachiopods, and bivalves, serving as time capsules of marine ecosystems over 200 million years old. Exposed Periadriatic Faults and ophiolites reveal dramatic tectonic collisions that shaped the Alps, while glaciers carved U-shaped valleys and cirques, creating fertile soils and rugged topography that sustain diverse flora and fauna, from edelweiss and rare orchids to chamois, golden eagles, and elusive lynx.

Visitors often begin their journey in gateway towns such as Villach or Klagenfurt in Austria or Jesenice and Tržič in Slovenia, where hiking trails, panoramic viewpoints, and immersive educational centers introduce the region’s geological and ecological significance. Highlights include the Obir Dripstone Caves, famous for their rare living dripstones, and the Podzemlje Pece Underground Museum, offering a hands-on exploration of the area’s mining history.

The Petzen/Peca Massif, rising over 2,100 meters, dominates the geopark and provides some of the best hiking, mountain biking, and winter sports in the region. Trails range from gentle valley walks to challenging alpine ascents, with the Panorama Trail offering sweeping views of the Karawanken ridge and the distant Julian Alps.

Human history is inseparable from this landscape. Prehistoric communities once used limestone caves for shelter and rituals, while iron, lead, and zinc mining shaped local economies for centuries. Today, sustainable tourism initiatives allow visitors to engage with both natural and cultural heritage, from ancient fossils to alpine biodiversity.