Vienna

Discover a wide range of museums, cultural events, imperial sights, lively eating, nightlife scenes, coffee houses, and cosy taverns. Phew! Austria’s elegant capital has one of the glitziest hotel scenes in Europe. If you’re keen to treat yourself, five-star institutions like the Hotel Bristol are landmark attractions in their own right, but there is an increasing number of modern boutique hotels to choose from.

You can shop for everything from high-end fashion to interior design at Kärntner Strasse which is home to the city’s most famous luxury stores. Pick up a souvenir at Österreichische Werkstätten, which showcases Austrian arts and crafts, and spare a few moments to admire the fairytale ballgowns on sale at Popp & Kretschmer. Off the beaten track you can explore the stellar selection of smaller boutiques around Lindengasse, Kirchengasse and Neubaugasse. For edible souvenirs, classy delicatessen Julius Meinl am Graben stocks everything from caviar and truffles, to Bordeaux wine and rare cheeses. Viennese cuisine features traditional comfort foods like schnitzels and goulash and you won’t be short of places to eat from elegant little bistros to gorgeous cafes and fast food joints.

Vienna hosts many annual events kicking off with the Ball Season in January - February. Book tickets for Vienna Opera Ball early to watch grandly attired lords and ladies dancing to the music of international waltz ensembles. Vienna’s most famous annual classical music festival takes place over the Easter period with a programme featuring some of the most talented classical performers in Austria. In summer, Vienna’s strong operatic tradition is celebrated and concludes with a concert by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in the Wiener Musikverein's Golden Hall.