Vienna

The capital of Austria, Vienna flaunts a taste for the finer things in life. The grand architectural legacy of Vienna's imperial past is owed to the Habsburg monarchy, with Hofburg Palace as the crown jewel of a reign that extended over 600 years. Here, the Burgkapelle hosts the Vienna Boys' Choir each Sunday, while the Kaiserappartements showcase the world-renown Imperial collection of fine art. The baroque Schloss Belvedere and neo-Gothic Rathaus are other exceptional excerpts from Vienna's long-standing penchant for outstanding architecture and art. Its museums too are riveting attractions. The contemporary MUMOK is a fitting companion to the classical art on display at the Leopold Museum, while the Naturhistorisches Museum delves into the region's natural history. The city is best known for its musical soul, with grand dames like the Musikverein, Konzerthaus and Staatsoper the cornerstones of an age-old tradition helmed by the likes of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Josef Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven and Johann Strauss. Culinary delights are aplenty as well, led by Vienna's world-renown coffeehouse culture, while its pubs serve Austrian comfort food at its best. Wine bars are hidden away in vaulted cellars, acclaimed restaurants serving soul-stirring cuisine and Naschmarkt's international flavors mark Vienna as a showstopper of the gourmet world. All this and more make Vienna an uncontested beauty.