Bordering Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary and Italy, it’s no mystery why Austria has such diverse cultures within its nine federal states. Battling for bragging rights with Switzerland for the title of winter sports capital of Europe. Vienna is the most common base for travellers, keen to explore its modern MuseumsQuartier, imperial palaces and café culture. Its historic centre is often labelled as an open-air museum, but it also has a thriving electronic music scene and plenty of nightlife. If you’ve got the ski bug, the Austrian Alps play host to resorts like Alpbach (for newbies) and St Anton (for hot shots). To take in the stellar sights of the Austrian countryside, a scenic drive along the Grosslockner alpine road in Hohe Tauern National Park is just the ticket. With more twists than a bowl of spaghetti, the 48-kilometre route has offers mesmerising views of Austria’s largest mountain and longest glacier. For rural stays, farmstays will give you a true taste of the Austrian countryside, while the Alps is dotted with rustic chalets. City dwellers can find plenty of design hotels, hostels and even castles in the fairytale town of Salzburg.