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Austria's hills are alive with the sound of music. Composers throughout Europe were drawn to the country in the 18th and 19th centuries by the generous patronage of the Habsburgs. During this period Vienna became to classical music what Seattle is to grunge. In fact many of the Habsburgs were themselves gifted musicians and would, history allowing, have made a funky quartet consisting of Leopold I (composer), Charles VI (violin), Maria Theresa (double bass) and Joseph II (harpsichord and cello).

Back in the real world, at various times Beethoven, Brahms, Gluck, Hayden, Mahler, Mozart, Schubert, Schönberg and the Strausses all had their heads in the clouds and their bums on piano stools in Vienna. Today, institutions such as the Vienna Philharmonic, the angelic Vienna Boys' Choir, the Staatsoper (State Opera), the Musikverein and the Konzerthaus are unrivalled.

Austria has its fair share of fantastic buildings just to prove that some arty types were actually outside wearing tin hats and big boots instead of slippers and wigs. The Gothic style was popular between the 14th and 16th centuries, as evidenced by the number of imposing buildings with flying buttresses, pointed arches, ribbed ceiling vaults and pigeon toes. St Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna is considered to be Austria's Gothic masterpiece.

The next major stylistic influence was Baroque. Learning from the Italian model, Fischer von Erlach developed a national style called Austrian Baroque, typified in the National Library and the Church of St Charles in Vienna. Empress Maria Theresa had a fling with Rococo, a style so fussy that it makes Baroque look like Bauhaus - the interior of the Schöbrunn Palace is a fine example of such prissiness. The most interesting modern buildings are those designed by maverick architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser: several of his structures are the closest an apartment builder has ever got to recreating the exuberance of Gaudi.

There's plenty of beautiful Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque art in Austria's churches. Biedermeier, which is more well-known as a furniture style, also had its day in the gallery - and Biedermeier artist Moritz Michael Daffinger even found his way onto the AS20 note. The most famous Austrian painters were probably Gustav Klimt (Art Nouveau ) and Oskar Kokoschka (Viennese expressionism), but the most outrageous publicity was reserved for Viennese Actionism.

The biggest splash in the world of art, however, was made by an Austrian psychiatrist called Sigmund Freud. The originator of psychoanalysis gave us The Interpretation of Dreams, The Ego and the Id, surrealism, a whole new language of symbolism, and large cushy leather couches.

Other scary Austrians include the great film director Fritz Lang and muscly motormouth Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Traditional Austrian food is stodgy, hearty fare of the meat-and-dumpling variety. Wiener Schnitzel is Vienna's best known culinary concoction and it has spread to every two-bit eating house from New York City to Alice Springs. It's a fried cutlet, usually veal, covered in a coating of egg and breadcrumbs and, when cooked properly, has actually been known to be edible.

Austrians are fond of eating bits of beasts that other nations ignore.  Beuschel may be translated on menus as 'calf's lights' but it's really thin slices of calf's lungs and heart. It's quite tasty. Really.

Austria's excellent pastries and cakes are effective at transferring bulk from your money belt to your waistline. The most famous Austrian dessert is the strudel, a baked dough filled with a variety of fruits and a sprinkling of raisins and cinnamon. You'll need to wash down this calorie hit with a cold glass of Austrian beer or a swig of fine Austrian wine.