Visit Linz

Philips' company town turned design city: Dutch Design Week, Strijp-S and the Van Abbemuseum.

The Vitkovice ironworks turned festival ground and the Stodolni street of a hundred bars.

Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center and the most diverse food scene in the country.

Visit Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart and setting for The Sound of Music. Explore Hohensalzburg Fortress (one of Europe's largest medieval castles with panoramic views), tour Mozart's Birthplace (museum in his childhood home with original instruments), stroll through Mirabell Palace and Gardens (baroque gardens featured in the film), and see the Salzburg Cathedral (17th-century baroque church with impressive dome and crypt).

Visit Innsbruck, capital of Tyrol in Austria. Ride the Nordkette cable car to the Hungerburg station (modern design by Zaha Hadid) for panoramic Alpine views, explore the Golden Roof (a Gothic balcony with 2,657 fire-gilded copper tiles built in 1500), and see the Hofkirche (a 16th-century court church with Emperor Maximilian I's cenotaph and 28 bronze statues). In winter, ski or snowboard at nearby resorts like Patscherkofel or Axamer Lizum, used in the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics.

Visit Graz, the second-largest city in Austria and capital of Styria. Explore the historic Old Town (a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Renaissance courtyards and baroque facades), climb the Schlossberg hill for views from the Clock Tower (a 16th-century landmark), see contemporary art at the Kunsthaus Graz (a futuristic blue biomorphic building), and sample local specialties like pumpkin seed oil and Styrian wine.

The Lindwurm dragon fountain and the warm waters of Lake Worthersee, the summer capital of Carinthia.

Visit Vienna, the capital of Austria. Explore the historic Schönbrunn Palace (a UNESCO World Heritage site with 1,441 rooms and Baroque gardens), see masterpieces at the Kunsthistorisches Museum (housing works by Bruegel and Vermeer), stroll through the Naschmarkt (a vibrant market with food stalls and antiques), and attend a classical concert at the Vienna State Opera (one of the world's leading opera houses).