Austria

One of Europe’s most spectacular countries, famous for it's snow capped mountains, fine wine, Baroque architecture and above all it's music, Austria oozes class, quality and sophistication. Two thirds mountainous, almost 50% forested, it is little wonder that so much great art and music has come out of this country. Indeed, if it were not for Austria’s rich beauty we would be without the singularly most popular piece of romantic music of all time, Johan Strauss’ "On the Beautiful Blue Danube". A year round holiday destination, Austria attracts both outdoor enthusiasts for its excellent skiing, mountaineering, trekking and lake based water sports and culture vultures who crave fine music, mind blowing architecture and world class museums.

The most popular destinations are the historic cities of Vienna and Salzburg, rich in both history and culture. Vienna owes its spectacular architectural heritage to the Habsburg dynasty that controlled much of Europe for 600 years, in particular Emperor Franz Joseph I. Of special interest are the Hofburg, or Imperial Palace, with it's 14th century Augustinian church, Imperial Apartments and Royal Chapel where the Vienna Boy’s Choir sing at Sunday mass. Schonbrunn Palace is an absolute wonder to behold and the Sigmund Freud Museum offers a candid insight into the mind of one of the world's most controversial and enigmatic minds. There are exceptional art collections at the Museum of Fine Arts and Austrian Gallery (housed at the Belvedere Palace) including works by Reubens, Bruegel and Klimt. Birthplace of Mozart, Salzburg has a distinctly Italian flavour enhanced by the plethora of Baroque masterpieces, including the imposing Honensalzburg Castle that overlooks the city from a 360ft crag and Hellbrun Palace with it's trick fountain and water powered figures. Of course Wolfgang Amadeus is virtually omnipresent, his image appears on everything from souvenir mugs to bars of chocolate.

Austria’s crowning glory though, is it's breathtaking natural beauty. It’s spectacular glacial mountain ranges soar 9000ft into the sky, it's fertile valleys and lush vineyards are a trekker’s paradise and the elegant Danube the ultimate romantic icon. Arguably the best skiing is to be found at St.Anton, Austria’s largest and least exclusive resort offering hundreds of miles of slopes for all levels of downhill skills. A tour of the awesome Eisriesenwelt Caves near Salzburg is possibly the most impressive 75 minutes you’ll ever spend. The largest accessible ice caves in the world, there are around 25miles of passageways contained within nearly 100,000 cubic feet of ice. Those looking for thrilling views should look no further than the Grossglockner Road, which offers spectacular panoramas of Honen Tauen National Park and the mighty Grossglockner.

If your idea of Austria has been moulded by memories of the relentlessly tuneful Von Trapps, think again. This is an urbane, deeply cultured nation; a place that demands respect at the same time as being vibrantly eccentric. In many ways Austria is the ultimate European blend of nature and culture, it is exhilarating, enlightening, romantic and, above all, unique.

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