If your ideal holiday is soaking up all the joyous European city experiences that you could possibly dream of, then breathtaking Vienna has your name written all over it. Peruse the streets of the elegant old town by foot, soak in the opulence of Schönbrunn Palace (pictured) or Imperial Palace (Hofburg), drift around the MQ arts and cultural precinct and linger over rum-soaked punschkrapfen torte in a sumptuous, ornate coffee house.

Situated just one hour south of Vienna, is the start of the Vienna Alps arc – a spectacular range of summits sprinkled with pretty, cultural villages. The area is connected by the UNESCO world heritage site Semmering Railway Europe’s first mountain railway and an engineering masterpiece. In winter, the region transforms into a magnificent all-white ski resort resplendent with winter sports including cross-country skiing, sledding, snowshoeing and winter hikes with experienced guides.

The country’s second largest city of Graz, positioned halfway between Vienna and the Adriatic Sea in the peaceful region of Styria, is revered across Europe as Austria’s centre of gastronomy. Styria is favoured for its rolling wine country and lush, fertile fields producing for the country’s finest tables – some of them a mere stone’s throw away.

Fancy a dip? Austria’s ruling aristocracy started a trend around 700 years ago when they claimed the refreshing waters and spa towns of Austria’s own lake district as their playground. Swathes of intellectuals and socialites followed suit and the tradition continues today.Blissfully attractive year-round, the Salzkammergut region provides a multitude of level walking options and easy hikes past farmhouses and lodgings.

In the west of the country, close to the German border, the Baroque city of Salzburg (responsible for the all-singing, all traipsing Von Trapp family) sits beside the Salzach River at the collective feet of several strollable, guardian-like mountains. The city is just as generously gifted with an alternate landscape of magnificent castles (including the Fortress Hohensalzburg), churches and palaces, and a picturesque old town where Mozart was born.

Although best known by travellers proficient in ski talk or with a penchant for winter Olympics memorabilia, the Tirolean capital of Innsbruck (West of Salzburg) tucked between the peaks of the Western Alps is in fact spoilt for choice with alternative highs. A splendiferous region year-round, dotted with languid lakes, scented pine forests, pretty churches, and the kind of pocket-sized villages you find starring on traditional advent calendars – it’s also brilliant for biking and hiking in the warmer months.