The Republic of Austria is a landlocked country in the Eastern Alps in the southern part of Central Europe. The pure mountain air and alpine resorts beckon. There are no words to describe how beautiful Austria’s mountains, valleys, and lakes are. Here are the top 10 best places to visit in Austria:

Number 10. Finkenberg

In the Zillertal Valley, the charming Tyrolean village of Finkenberg cascades down a hillside, with its rustic timber homes and Austrian taverns enfolded in snow pillows in winter and evergreen Alpine peaks in summer. Along with its pretty appearance, Finkenberger Almbahnen transports skiers and boarders to Mayrhofen’s famed slopes, while Hintertux glacier offers year-round snow sports and spectacular views over the Trentino-Alto Alps in Italy.

Number 9. Innsbruck

A gorgeous Old Town filled with Baroque palaces and Tyrolean mansions, Innsbruck once served as the residence of Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I. Visitors can explore the Golden Roof and the elegant Hofburg, remnants of the Habsburg era. On the nearby slopes, there are lively old Bavarian beer halls and apres joints serving schnitzel and strudel, as well as awesome armories and Ambras Castle.

Number 8. Graz

The Old Town and a lively student vibe make Graz one of Austria’s most popular and fun-loving cities. Its cobbled streets and sea of red-tiled roofs are home to a fusion of Renaissance, Gothic and Slavic architectural styles, and its center is crammed with fascinating historical sites, such as the Schlossberg hill with its curious clock tower and In the Styrian Armoury, more than 32,000 guns, swords, armor suits and more bear witness to the city’s past as a frontier town between the Ottoman Empire and Western Europe

Number 7.

It will be familiar to some as the backdrop to some of the central scenes in The Sound of Music (the famous wedding took place in the historic and beautiful Mondsee Abbey). Mondsee is one of the jewels of the north Austrian lake district that straddles the Salzburgerland and Upper Austria regions. It’s easy to see why this postcard-perfect retreat remains uber-popular among locals looking to escape the city, as it rests on the banks of an eponymous lake surrounded by a phalanx of Alpine peaks – the Drachenwand and Innerschwand hills.

Number 6. Imst

Imst is a pretty little town nestled in the central valley of the River Inn, surrounded by the Austrian Alps and the downhill slopes of the Hoch-Imst ski area. The city itself is a charming affair of tight-knit roads watched over by the odd Germanic church spire or snow-dusted onion dome. At the same time, the bucolic surroundings consist of rolling farm fields, soaring limestone summits, sweeping spruce, and fir forests, the occasional timber barn, and countless hiking and mountain biking trails!

Number 5. Alpbach

Austria’s most gorgeous winter resort, Alpbach is situated between the Tyrolean Alps at a height of over 1,000 meters. Travelers can explore a medley of timber chalets and traditional Austrian homes adorned with cascading bougainvillea and carved balconies in the summer as well as the gorgeous St Oswald Church, the resting place of the eminent Erwin Schrödinger.

Number 4. Grossglockner

Known as the roof of Austria as a whole, the Hohe Tauern massif contains chiseled summits and rugged peaks. Located on the very border between Carinthia and the Zillertal Alps of the Tyrol, the mighty Grossglockner soars to 3,798 meters of glacial valleys that rise to the Kleinglockner sub-summit before hitting its highest point on the Grossglockner proper, the mountain is now the second most popular tourist attraction in the country (second only to the Schönbrunn in Vienna). It is popular to hike the breathtaking Alpine landscapes around the peak or to traverse the High Alpine Road that hairpins around Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe viewpoints.

Number 3. Bad Gastein

With its elegant and irresistible medley of Art Deco and Belle Épo, Bad Gastein bursts out from the deep valleys of the Hohe Tauern National Park in an elegant and straight-laced alternative to the typical Tyrolean timber towns and chalets scattered throughout the Austrian Alps. Gastein Waterfall cascades around 19th-century hotels and restaurants in the middle of town, while fir forests surround the whole area in a symphony of green. Many come here to ski during the winter, while others seek out the springs and spas that first made the Gastein valley a major international destination in the footsteps of Empress Sisi.

Number 2. Hochosterwitz Castle

Hochosterwitz Castle rises 170 meters above the rolling fields and pine-clad hills that fill the Zollfeld plains between the Julian Alps and the Eastern Alps, creating a symphony of crenulated bulwarks, spiked turrets, and formidable gatehouse keeps reminiscent of Game of Thrones. With a history going back more than 1,000 years, the citadel boasts stories of Carinthian dukes, Habsburg emperors, and Turkish invasions from the east. Along the old fortified entrance path, travelers can ascend Hochosterwtitz, passing no fewer than 14 defensive gates and admiring panoramas of Slovenia and East Austria.

Number 1. Vienna

As the imperial home of the Habsburg dynasty that once ruled Central Europe, Vienna is a medley of majestic Baroque facades, elaborate palaces and romantic parks. The mighty Hofburg towers over the manicured Heldenplatz in the center of town, surrounded by Klimt’s, Picasso’s, and Warhol’s Museumsquartier. In the Vienna Innere Stadt (old town), you’ll find vaulted cafes and art deco teahouses, where specters of Freud, Wittgenstein and Trotsky still lurk. Vienna is a must-see, sir!