A wonderful blend of old and new, Vienna is a beautiful city brimming with majestic palaces and opulent museums overlooking magnificent squares. Possibly not the ideal venue for anybody watching their calorie intake, Vienna is the home of kaffee und kuchen, that wonderful tradition of enjoying sumptuous Sachertorte and strudel with steaming coffee under lofty gilded ceilings.

Hire a car in Vienna and witness the supreme exhibition of equine power and grace at the 440-year-old Spanish Riding School. View the city in all its glory from the ferris wheel in the Vienna Prater and burn off all that lovely cake swimming, surfing, cycling, or skating on Danube Island. See the art treasures on show in the Stephansdom, wander through the famous Naschmarkt, and browse the many attractions housed in the Hofburg.

Destinations don’t come more storybook than Salzburg, a city anchored by the Altstadt’s skyline of elegant domes and spires and framed by the gushing Salzach River and the towering Alps. When you rent a car in Salzburg, it is tempting to spend all your time meandering among the baroque wonders of the town Mozart called home, but there is more to Salzburg than the Altstadt.

Avoid the crowds on Getreidegasse and wander down alleys, listen to the classical music played everywhere, and sample the luscious coffee and cake. Get past Mozart and The Sound of Music and you will find a city with a vibrant emerging arts scene, exceptional food, immaculate parks,  and concert halls that continue to keep the musical tradition going strong.

The most laid-back city in Austria, Graz is also its liveliest social hub, after Vienna. It’s pretty too, with abundant green parkland, rosy rooftops, and the gushing River Mur flowing through its heart. Hire a car in Graz and enjoy a streetscape that effortlessly blends Renaissance courtyards and baroque palaces with cutting-edge modern designs.

If you crave the outdoors, you won’t have far to go, as Graz has a stunning bluff that is easily reached via steps, a funicular, and a glass lift. A lively atmosphere is assured, with some 50,000 students attending four different universities, so expect a vibrant social and arts scene. Universalmuseum Joanneum creates a rich cultural landscape across 19 locations, with the recently refurbished Neue Galerie Graz housing Styria’s most significant historical and contemporary art collection.

Innsbruck’s unique selling point is the magnificent views of the Nordkette Alps it offers from virtually every corner. Use your Innsbruck car rental to travel between the cultured city centre to pastoral Alpine pastures in minutes. Feast your eyes on the glittering wonder of the Goldenes Dachl & Museum, a Gothic oriel built for Emperor Maximilian I and shimmering with 2,657copper tiles, and take a trip in Zaha Hadid’s futuristic funicular for a taste of Tyrolean outdoor splendour.

Admire Old Master paintings in the Habsburg palaces of the late-medieval Altstadt, fire up your adrenaline with Olympic-standard winter sports, and party in boisterous brewpubs. Few cities can come as close to Innsbruck in justifying the claim to really have it all.

Overlooked until it became European Capital of Culture 2009, Linz is a city of considerable charm. Austria’s third-biggest city may not seem that inviting when you first arrive in its industrial suburbs, but this jewel of the Danube has much to recommend it. Hire a car in Linz and discover edgy public art, an emerging cultural scene, and cutting-edge museums.

It’s not all about futuristic attractions, either: Linz has a historic heart with an extensive Altstadt, a 15th-century castle, and grand old coffee houses where Linzer Torte is a specialty. Head out of the city to explore a beautiful landscape framed by rolling hills and anchored by the mighty Danube.