Austria..

Austria flaunts its heritage in exuberant fashion. Vienna’s bombastic Habsburg palaces and Salzburg’s baroque splendour are worthy, but dig deeper and you’ll unearth Stone Age settlements, Roman archaeological sites at Carnuntum and medieval festivals. In the country where Mozart composed and Strauss taught the world to twirl, you won’t need to search hard for culture – it waltzes right up to you.

Our Top Picks for Austria:

1 Innsbruck
The Austrian Alps capital with cobbled-stone lanes and the shimmering Goldenes Dachl
2 Bregenzerwald
Idyllic villages, clinking cow bells and delicious cheeses from alpine dairies
3 Salzburg
Birthplace of Mozart and baroque to the back teeth
4 Grossglockner Road
Winding road through epic countryside, climbing to Austria's highest peak
5 Tyrol's Valleys
Steep, narrow, awe-inspiring alpine valleys once carved by unstoppable glaciers
6 Krimml Falls
Europe's highest waterfall and misty paradise
7 Vienna
A capital with living architecture, lively clubs and alluring baroque beauty
8 Krems An Der Donau
A fascinating town in the Danube Valley with a university and rustic, Wurst-filled Heurigen (wine taverns)
9 Linz
An urban space that defies the 'braces and breeches' image with futuristic Ars Electronica
10 Graz
Austria's second city, laid-back with a buzzing cultural scene
11 Villach
A lively crossroad with easy access to ski fields, lakes and great hikes
12 Hallstatt
Crystal-clear waters, a salt mine and ice cave, and the inspiring backdrop of mountains