Austria

From glacial peaks and emerald lakes in the Tyrol to baroque palaces in Vienna and the rolling vineyards of Styria, Austria’s compact borders squeeze in more variety than you might believe.

A Trip to Austria is, quite simply, always a sound idea. The country may be small on the map, but it overflows with alpine adventure, café-house culture and storybook towns where church bells still keep the hour.

Austria is carved into nine federal states, each with its own flavour—so where on earth should you begin?

In the west, swap ski goggles for sunglasses and discover Ischgl in summer, when the pistes turn into a high-alpine playground for hikers and downhill-bike fanatics, complete with flower-strewn meadows and crowd-free trails.

Swing east and you’ll find yourself in Graz, Austria’s laid-back second city, whose Renaissance courtyards, avant-garde art spaces and legendary farmers’ markets sit happily in Vienna’s long shadow, waiting for slower travellers to notice.

Settle in while I unpack my notebook into bite-sized posts about Austria.