With the summer now apparently here, and the school holidays having now started, it is time to get out and enjoy the summer. One tip which you may not have heard about is the Niederösterreich Card, which despite its name also covers some Viennese attractions too. So in case your budget doesn’t stretch to summer vacations in more exotic climes abroad, all is not lost.

 On sale at many tobacconists in Vienna as well as at various other outlets around the city, the Niederösterreich Card is a card that is valid until 31 March 2013 and allows the holder to enjoy free entry to a lot of tourist attractions in Niederösterreich (Lower Austria) as well as some in Vienna. In addition the card also allows the user to 30% discount on ÖBB travel to the stations near the attractions - making a daytrip to Lower Austria that much more affordable. The scheme has grown steadily since it was started in 2006 - this being the seventh year it has operated.

Costing EUR 52 for adults, or EUR 23 for children (6-16), the card soon pays for itself, given that it includes entry to various kinds of attraction from museums to swimming pools. Children under six are also given free admission (up to three children) when accompanied by a card holder. There is also nothing to stop you taking in more than one attraction in a single trip - for example a trip up the Westbahn or Westautobahn to St Pölten can be a full day trip, including a trip to the Landesmuseum and the swimming pool, or otherwise a trip to Krems an der Donau also offers plenty of things to see and do including the caricature museum and the Weinstadt Museum. You can get a free day's bike hire (normally EUR 5) too with the card. Holders of the card from previous years can also renew their card (EUR 48/ EUR21).

You can soon recoup a lot of the cost of the card. For example a trip to the Schatzkammer at the Hofburg or Haus der Musik costs EUR 12 or EUR 10 usually - and the card entitles you to one free admission to each of these attractions - covering nearly half the cost already. Some attractions can only be visited once on the card, but nevertheless with over 300 to choose from you should find that there is plenty to do!

Niederösterreich Card website: www.niederoesterreich-card.at