Austria

Vienna does imperial history on the grandest of scales. Set your camera to ‘panoramic’ at the magnificent Hofburg Palace, seat of kings and emperors from 1438 to 1918. Marvel at the beautiful State Opera House, before taking a walk down the city’s elegant boulevards. Another must-see is the Rathaus, otherwise known as the City Hall, a neo-Gothic edifice guarded by the Iron Rathausmann, a symbol of Vienna. If there’s time, be sure to take in another of the city’s Gothic masterpieces, St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Alternatively, indulge in some retail therapy on Kärntner Straße, retreat to a homely Viennese café or soak up a little postmodernism in the Museum Quarter.  

From classical composers to The Sound of Music itself, Salzburg is a city most musical. Stroll through the Mirabell Gardens and find the horse fountain, which Maria and the von Trapp children marched around singing ‘Do-Re-Mi’. Cross over the rushing waters of Salzach River and explore Old Town, home to the immaculately beautiful Domplatz (Cathedral Square). From there, walk over to Getreidegasse, the narrow street where the prodigious Mozart was born. 

Set against an alpine backdrop and home to both medieval and baroque architecture, Innsbruck is the stuff of picture-perfect postcards. Soak up the effortless elegance of the Hofburg Palace, originally built as a castle in the 15^th century, before its baroque rebirth in the 18^th century. Soak up the charm of Old Town, where you’ll find the Golden Roof, completed in 1500 and famous for its roof of 2,738 fire-gilded copper tiles.