Austria, the land of the Alps, the Sound of Music, the Danube River, Johann Strauss, Mozart and grand architecture is a romantic and historic country, a wonderful place to tour and relax among the cozy inns and coffeehouses in Vienna and among the rolling green hills of Salzburg. Landlocked in the heart of Europe, Austria runs from the Alps in the west down to Vienna and the Danube in the east.

For six centuries it was the heart of the Hapsburg Empire, which at its peak included what is now Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic along with much of Romania, Bulgaria and the Balkans. The country’s imperial architecture is particularly striking in its capital of Vienna with Baroque style palaces and churches, and grand ballrooms where Strauss waltzes still are played and danced to.

Vienna has created a perfect balance of its preservation of a romantic classical past with the modern day cityscape of a bustling capital city. Within its vibrant industrial and commercial society, Vienna upholds its quaintness with superb hospitality and legendary cuisine along with its elegant and historical aura. A romantic evening in Vienna might consist of dinner at a cozy, side street cafÈ following with a moonlit cruise down the Danube where the city lights glimmer and sparkle from every direction.

Quaint towns like Bratislava and Hallstadt are strikingly picturesque with architectural styles of Gothic, Baroque and Rococo especially of the ancient monasteries. Available to watch and listen to this day are the soul-soothing effects of Byzantine and Gregorian chants. Masterpieces of European art are set everywhere that contribute to the romantic feel of the country.

Bad Ishl is a small town between two rivers where Kaiser Franz Jozeph of Austria had a summer home. With many small inns and hotels to stay with beautiful views, this city is known for its spas. Composer Franz Lehar was also born here and his historical museum is intriguing as well as the many other historical sites dating back more than 1000 years.

Anif, Austria is home to the famous castle in the Sound of Music. Anif is a small village just outside Salzburg. There are dozens of gasthauses owned by individuals offering bed and breakfasts. Gallnhof, an inn in Anif is known for its beautiful views overlooking the highest mountain in Austria. Beautiful lakes surround the Alps area and the clean, forest air is literally breathtaking in itself. This region outside of Salzburg is one of the most romantic and tranquil in all of Austria.

In Salzburg, not only is Mozart’s Birthplace and the Hellbrunn Castle necessary sites to visit, but there is also Mirabell Palace and Gardens where the von Trapp children sang "Do-Re-Mi" in the Sound of Music, St.Peter’s Abbey, a medieval monastery that has been home to monks for over 1,000 years and Salzburg Cathedral where the current cathedral or Dom of Salzburg stands that was a sacred place for rituals and sacrifices from Celtic and Roman times.

Austria has a temperate Central European climate with four distinct seasons. Summers are hot with cool nights. In Vienna and other low-lying cities, temperatures during the day can get very hot and humid during July and August. Winters are cold with below freezing temperatures in January and February. The ski season in the Alps runs from December to April. Depending on what type of activities you want to do, there is a season for anything and everything.

Austria is so very rich in culture, it wraps tourists in its elegance and romantic feel. The country will satiate all historical, architectural and art crawling desires no matter what time of year. All seasons provide days and nights filled with music, art, food, scenery, and classic European style living.

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