Semmering Railway
The Semmering Railway, which opened in 1854 and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is still one of the most beautiful railways in the world. Even better, if you're traveling between Vienna and Venice, you can take this train, which is a lovely way to travel between two of Europe's most beautiful cities.
The Semmering runs over 25 miles through the Austrian Alps between Gloggnitz and Semmering, passing through 16 tunnels, 15 viaducts, and over 100 bridges, as well as a journey through a roughly 3,000-foot mountain pass with lots of exhilarating turns.
It was Europe's first mountain railway, built to connect Vienna and Trieste (the Austro-Hungarian empire's port at the time), and it's still one of the best. If you're doing it as part of a longer tour, you'll notice the Semmering section not only because of the beautiful vistas, but also because of the 57 homes erected for railway workers along the line.
- Country:Austria
