Burgenland: Multicultural Pannonia

Burgenland’s minorities contribute significantly to the cultural diversity of Austria’s youngest and one of the smallest provinces just 40 minutes south of Vienna. Croatians settled in the region 500 years ago and kept their dialect and traditions alive until today. Visit folk festivals and enjoy the colorful traditional costumes with their intricate embroidery, and the passionate yet slightly melancholy folk dances.

Even Joseph Haydn found inspiration in the folk songs of Burgenland’s largest minority on frequent visits to friends in neighboring  Croatian  villages.

Today, Burgenland Croatian is spoken in 48 towns and villages. Hungarians have been a minority in Austria ever since the Habsburg monarchy fell apart. Their influence and the proximity to Hungary can be felt in Burgenland’s cuisine, with various Hungarian specialties as staples in Burgenland’s restaurants. The fiery energy of Hungarian folk songs makes traditional events a memorable experience. The Roma also cherish their music and folk dances, which they proudly present at various folk festivals.