Austria is one of Europe’s most beautiful countries, as well as one of the most prosperous nations in the world. It is widely known as the winter sports capital of the world, but is an equally popular tourist spot in the summertime, thanks to an abundance of history, culture, and gorgeous natural scenery.

Due to its linguistic similarities with Germany, some people have the misconception that Austria is just an off-shoot of Germany. In fact, it has a long, proud history very distinct from Germany. While Prussia/Germany consolidated power within Germanic states, the Austrian Empire stretched east and incorporated and absorbed many diverse cultures. As this video shows, Austria is a beautiful country just waiting to be explored.