Countries worth a deep dive
Austria
Bad Ischl in Austria’s alpine lake-filled Salzkammergut region is a European capital of culture in 2024, but never mind the culture, check out the gorgeous scenery! The favourite spa and holiday resort of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Sisi, and an inspiration for composers such as Franz Lehár, Johannes Brahms and Johann Strauss, it oozes calm, charm and history. Thanks to its excellent road and rail links, it’s a great base to explore the region. Of the five sizeable lakes in the vicinity, the prettiest is Lake Hallstatt (pictured, right).
Bad Ischl adorns the confluence of the Ischl and Truan rivers. Pick of its imperial buildings is Kaiservilla, the royal family’s