Austria is full of such rich cultural offerings and traditions, many of them left over from the time when Vienna was the seat of a powerful empire. These days, the capital's imperial buildings may seem a bit grand and oversized for this small country. But there is nothing diminished about the country's romantic streak or its passion for rituals, whether in the coffeehouse, the church or the grand ballroom. Austria seems to blend a kind of Italian romanticism with a Germanic love for order. And that orderly romanticism can be quite captivating, particularly when experienced by way of a Sacher torte, a hike through the mountains of Tirol or a stroll along Vienna's Ringstrasse.

Mountains and the Danube River Valley, which is covered in beech and pine forest, dominate the country's terrain. More than 70% of the country is mountainous, with the eastern Alps covering most of the territory. Only in the northern plain (around Vienna) and in the southeast (near Graz) is there relatively flat land.

The main attractions of Austria include skiing, ice and mountain climbing, modern cities, classical music and opera, museums, architecture, palaces, cultural performances, white-water kayaking, health spas, hiking, shopping, Alpine scenery, mountain lakes and the Danube.

Nearly everyone will find something satisfying about Austria. The only people who would not are those particularly interested in visiting numerous sandy beaches.