The most beautiful cities in Austria

Welcome to one of Europe’s most beautiful countries. Austria’s landscapes, regions and townscapes provide almost the full range of European variety in the centre of the continent. Austria is often associated, rightly, with winter sports, but there is so much more on offer. Its alpine areas are rugged and picturesque, but that’s far from being the whole story.

Melk

Melk's best known site is its monastery, the mightiest on the Danube. The Baroque abbey dominates its bank of the river, vast and richly equipped, and is now a museum. The sumptuously decorated abbey church is free to visit.

The pavilion in the Baroque garden would be an extraordinary attraction on its own, with a richly painted interior, featuring exotic animals and peoples, and frescoed ceiling. The area is flanked by English, Mediterranean and "paradise" gardens.

Below is a historical town with its own architectural surprises, easy to stroll. All these attractions make Melk a river cruise destination in high demand.