The popularised image of Switzerland is almost too perfect and timeless: spectacular Alpine scenery, cozy mountain chalets, dazzling ski runs, window boxes spilling over with red geraniums, tidy cities set on serene lakes, elegant grand hotels.

Do you hear a waltz? If you're in Vienna during the height of the gala ball season, you might feel like whirling around the ballroom floor to the strains of Strauss. If you'd rather hear a soprano, you might want to head to the State Opera House. Like jazz? Graz often hosts renowned musicians during the summer months. But if you'd prefer to hear a whinny, make tracks to Vienna's Spanish Riding School, where the Royal Lipizzaner stallions perform their gravity-defying "airs above ground."

For visitors, all of France can seem like a market—it's one of those rare countries where every region offers something worthwhile and distinctive. Paris represents the height of fashion, art and food—its sense of style is so strong it intimidates some visitors, yet the city can also be remarkably comfortable and intimate. The provinces offer their own landscapes and cultures: the glittering crowds of the Cote d'Azur, the elegant chateaus of the Loire Valley, the hospitable vineyards of Bordeaux, the rocky coasts of Brittany, the dramatic slopes of the Alps and the Pyrenees and the charming farms and villages of Provence. The country can satisfy just about any traveler's taste.

For most visitors to the Czech Republic, all roads lead no farther than Prague—the country's most westernized, cosmopolitan city, known for its wondrous charm and stunning beauty. Less than 10% of tourists to the Czech Republic explore the country outside of the capital. If you really wish to discover the richness of this immensely cultured nation, venture beyond Prague. The magnificent, undulating landscape consists of mountains, upland plains, forests and farmland.