The ‘Venice of Bavaria’ was long considered a sleepy little backwater. But thanks to its student population – and the Main-Danube Canal – Passau is now an up-and-coming, thriving little city. One of its highlights is Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, with its impressive nave. This is one of the largest baroque cathedrals north of the Alps.

The Viennese have a special aura about them. They come across as a bit arrogant, but underneath it all they’re warm-hearted. You could say the same about the city itself. Once you’ve been there a few hours and settled in, you won’t want to leave again anytime soon. There are all those cafes to visit, where the traditional Viennese coffee-house culture is still very much alive and well. The city’s history, with its emperors, Elisabeth of Austria and the ostentatious Habsburgs, adds to its fascination. Then there’s the music of the First Viennese School – this city brought out the best in its composers, making its own special contribution to great masterpieces. What’s more, the Austrian capital also produces excellent cuisine. It’s no coincidence that the city’s famous Wiener schnitzel and Sachertorte became popular all around the world.

Dürnstein is a small town on the Danube river in the Krems-Land district, in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. It is one of the most-visited tourist destinations in the Wachau region and also a well-known wine growing area.

Baroque facades, numerous churches and, at the centre, the river. As you can see, it’s possible to describe Linz, Austria’s largest port city, in a single sentence. But that would be doing it an injustice, since there’s a whole lot more to Linz than buildings and water. In recent years, this former industrial hub has morphed into a European cultural stronghold. No matter whether it’s theatre, cinema, art or music, there’s both great demand and great support for culture here. The city also provides magnificent views – particularly in the evening – from the pilgrimage church on the Pöstlingberg hill.

The ‘Venice of Bavaria’ was long considered a sleepy little backwater. But thanks to its student population – and the Main-Danube Canal – Passau is now an up-and-coming, thriving little city. One of its highlights is Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, with its impressive nave. This is one of the largest baroque cathedrals north of the Alps.