Austria is most definitely about mountains and music. Just like a symphony, it has everything thrown into its musical mix: Alpine peaks, with Grossglockner the highest in Hohe Tauern National Park, boom out like a rousing brass section. The serene lakes of the north are the strings section, a series of soothing, tranquil movements that you can walk or cycle through in total awe of their purity and pitch perfect beauty. The wind section is Seefeld, with its Olympian action filled winter sports history, but each village and valley proffering its own perfect concerto, but plenty of places to grab solo moments, cross country skiing away from the crowds. The Tyrol is percussion, quirky and independent, but totally unmissable. And the Danube is like the composer, weaving through it all masterfully, bringing together the most harmonious vacation.

As efficient and exquisite as Switzerland, but without the astronomic costs, Austria packs a pretty punch for a small country. Although it is best known for its downhill skiing vacations – hardly surprising, given that Seefeld has hosted the Winter Olympics twice – cross country skiing infrastructures here are also second to known, especially in the Tyrol region. Similarly, the country’s trails are all maintained to perfection when the snows melt, revealing Edelweiss filled meadows (and yes it is the national flower, but the Sound of Music is definitely not a national favourite) and valleys that beckon hikers and bikers, climbers and rafters.