Austria famously served as the backdrop to the "Sound of Music." Stunning scenery, snow capped alpine mountains and world-class skiing and backpacking are among the allure of this country. St Anton is a major skiing and boarding resort, and was one of the birthplaces of alpine skiing nearly a century ago. In the summer you can travel along the famous alpine Grossglockner road. You will catch views of the Glossglockner glacier, and trek along what was once an important trading route in the Middle Ages. Cave lovers need to visit the Eisriesenwelt caves – at an elevation of 1640m (5380 ft), the caves are the largest approachable ice caves in the world – over 40km (25 miles of passages). The caves are frozen almost year round, and can be visited even in the summer. The caves are too cold even for ice wine, but wine lovers should stop over at the Danube Valley to get their fix.
After you're done with the outdoor excursions, stop over in the capital city of Vienna. Once the seat of power for the Habsburg Empire and one of the world’s leading cities, Vienna is the home of several ornate palaces, including Schloss Schonbrunn, the former imperial palace, the Hofburg Palace with its amazing Treasury, and the baroque Belvedere Palace. Linger over a coffee for hours at one of Vienna’s famous cafes or spend a few minutes taking in one of the classical music street performances. Art buffs will find an impressive array of museums and galleries including the world-class Kunsthistorisches Museum.
Music lovers will enjoy Salzburg, famous for the “Sound of Music” and being Mozart’s birthplace. In addition to all the sights related to those two, Salzburg also has a number of interesting historical buildings (Hohensalzburg Fortress) that are worth a visit. Also be sure to check out the Salzburg (music) Festival around August. For another excursion, one can visit Hallstatt to tour the world’s oldest salt mine and take a ride into the tunnels.
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