The east: imperial Vienna
Vienna is the capital and the main gateway, with the country's biggest airport. Plan three or four days for palaces, museums, coffeehouses and wine taverns, and add a day trip west along the Danube to the Wachau valley, a UNESCO landscape of vineyards, apricot orchards and the abbey of Melk.
The south: Graz and Styria
Two and a half hours south by train, Graz is Austria's relaxed second city, with a red-roofed old town, bold modern art and the green wine hills of South Styria close by. It pairs well with Vienna or a trip on to Slovenia.
The centre: Salzburg and the lakes
Salzburg, about two and a half hours west of Vienna by fast train, is the baroque city of Mozart and the summer festival. East of it lies Hallstatt and the Salzkammergut, a lake district of salt-mining villages, cable cars and swimming spots. Give the lakes at least one night.
The west: Innsbruck and Tyrol
Innsbruck is the capital of Tyrol, where cable cars climb from the old town into the Alps. It is the natural base for summer hiking and winter skiing, and it is well connected to Munich, Zurich and Italy.
How to link them
A classic first route runs Vienna, Salzburg, the Salzkammergut and Innsbruck in a week to ten days, entirely by train and bus. Add Graz from Vienna if you have more time. See our travel page for flights and stays, browse the places to visit list, and use the free trip planner to set a realistic pace.