Austria: A stroll through Mozart country

A small country in central Europe, Austria is a nature destination par excellence, with its Alpine landscapes dotted with lakes ideal for the most beautiful hikes. Vienna, former capital of the Habsburg Empire, is a little Paris, a veritable melting pot of culture, and the best city in the world in which to live. Gourmets, music lovers, skiers... Austria is made for you!

Travelling to Austria, a small Alpine country (the Alps cover 3/4 of the country) located in the heart of Central Europe, offers the perfect combination of nature and culture, with eight UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Enjoying an international reputation thanks to Vienna, Sissi the Empress and Mozart, this captivating country offers superb landscapes of mountains, lakes and forests, and baroque cities of unbridled charm: Vienna, the imperial capital, Salzburg, the city of 100 churches and Mozart's birthplace, Graz, the southern city listed by UNESCO, Linz, anchored on the banks of the Danube, and Innsbruck, capital of the Alps.

A tram ride around Vienna's Ringstrasse is a great way to admire the city's most beautiful monuments: theOpera House, the Imperial Palace of the Hofburg, the Parliament, the Rathaus (Town Hall), the Kunsthistorisches Museum and its twin, the Natural History Museum, the University and the Burgtheater. The only thing missing is St Stephen's Cathedral, called Stephansdom by the Viennese, the symbol of Vienna, in the heart of the medieval city. Another must-see on the outskirts of the Austrian capital is Schönbrunn Palace, the equivalent of the Palace of Versailles.

Along the "beautiful blue Danube", history, music, the arts and gastronomy, celebrated since the Austro-Hungarian Empire of the Habsburgs, take pride of place. From Vienna to Salzburg, Austria has inspired the greatest musicians: Mozart, Schubert, Haydn, Brahms, Beethoven and Strauss. As the seasons change, operas, waltzes, balls and festivals bear witness to this musical heritage, nostalgic for a past greatness. Attending a ball or concert is a must in this music-loving country!

Gourmets will also find something to their taste, with one of Austria's delicious pastries (not just Sachertorte) accompanied by a cup of coffee or Viennese chocolate in a traditional café.

From the banks of the Danube to the Vienna Woods, from Vorarlberg to the Tyrol, from Lake Constance to the Alpine peaks, 979 of which are over 3,000 metres high, via the impressive Krimml waterfalls, you can fall under the spell of the villages bordering mountain lakes, discover Austrian towns that combine cultural richness with omnipresent nature, hit the ski slopes in winter, go on superb hikes in fine weather and never tire of the Austrian culinary specialities.

One of our favourites is the village ofHallstatt, classified by UNESCO as one of the most beautiful villages in the world. Austria's natural beauty makes it the perfect playground for hikers! There are even cycle tours following in the footsteps of the Romans.