City Breaks in Austria

Once the capital of the Austro-Hungarian empire, Vienna is perhaps best known for its elegant café culture. Your break here wouldn't be complete without trying a slice of local sachertorte (chocolate cake with orange filling). This sophisticated city was also the home of Art Nouveau, as you'll be able to tell from much of the architecture and the fine collection of Klimt paintings at the Castle Belvedere.

Mozart was born in Salzburg, a fact that's celebrated in an annual festival that draws classical music fans from around the world. But the city is a feast not only for the ears but also for the eyes, thanks to its wealth of medieval and baroque architecture, including the picture-perfect Hellbrunn and Mirabell palaces. As if that weren't all, Salzburg is also surrounded by Tyrolean landscapes, where the hills are alive with...you-know-what.

Twice used to stage the Winter Olympics, Innsbruck is a popular destination for skiing and mountaineering fans. While there's easy access to the resorts in the surrounding Alpine peaks, the town is much more than a staging post. Its Alpenzoo holds an impressive menagerie of shaggy mountain animals and birds of prey, and the town has no shortage of stunning architectural landmarks, such as the Imperial Palace.