Austria flaunts its heritage in exuberant fashion. Vienna’s bombastic Habsburg palaces and Salzburg’s baroque splendor are worthy, but dig deeper and you’ll unearth Stone Age settlements, Roman archaeological sites at Carnuntum and medieval festivals. In the country where Mozart composed and Strauss taught the world to twirl, you won’t need to search hard for culture – it waltzes right up to you.

The country has been developed under the influence of different cultures: from Greek, Roman, Celtic, Illyrian, Austrian, Hungarian, Byzantine and Islamic. The result is its own and unique impact on the history of European civilisation. More than a thousand islands are grouped together in the crystal-clear water on the Croatian Coastline. Explore the famous port cities: Dubrovnik in the south, with its impressive city wall or Zadar in the north with the attractive Plitvice Lakes National Park. CROATIA is a country of countless sights to see!

A visit to The Capital City of Budapest and the “Pearl of the Danube” with its numerous historical buildings and unique flair is an experience that cannot be missed . Take a trip to the Lowland of the Puszta Region; the Danube Bend with Visegrád; the former Royal Residence; Esztergom, the centre of the Roman Catholic Church and Szentendre with its quaint old town. Discover the “Borderless City” of Pécs which has been selected to be the European Capital of Culture in 2010. Hungary was also Empress Elisabeth’s (Sisi’s) favourite part of the Habsburg Empire where she spent much time at Gödöllö Palace. Many features of HUNGARY are there to be enjoyed! 

Serbia is yet to come within most tourists' comfort zone, but having got rid of Slobodan Milošević and become a democracy, the nation is now knocking on the doors of Europe, and in the meantime is a safe and welcoming place to visit. The most exciting spot is undoubtedly its capital, Belgrade, a gritty, energetic city. Cultural buffs can revel in its architecture and museums, foodies in its restaurants, while party animals will get no rest exploring its incessant nightlife.

You can climb alpine peaks in East Slovakia like the High Tatras, explore a clifftop castle in Trenčín, ski in Malá Fatra National Park and sit in as many old-town cafés as your rear can stand in Bratislava. Having emerged from its frumpy, communist-era chrysalis in time to welcome a horde of low-cost carrier junkies, the increasing numbers of flights and EU membership have pushed costs up in the capital. Outside the city and you’ll find traditional villages, terrific trails and prices a fraction of those in Western Europe

Slovenia has been dubbed many things – ‘Europe in Miniature’, ‘The Sunny Side of the Alps’, ‘The Green Piece of Europe’ – and they’re all true. The place abounds in top-notch things to see – the stunning Julian Alps, the beautiful but busy Lake Bled and the more relaxed Lake Bohinj, the karst caves of Postojna and its lovely sliver of the Adriatic around Piran. Then throw in historic towns like Ptuj and cities like Ljubjana, both with unforgettable architecture, museums and a unique energy all of their own.