Lace up your skates; we're hitting the ice. Sitting pretty at the foot of the Gailtal Alps, in the scenic state of Carinthia, Lake Weissensee is an unspoilt paradise year-round, with drinking-quality water that, come winter, freezes over to form Europe's largest natural ice rink. It's a crystal-clear spectacle with a 25km circular track that caters for all skill levels, against a backdrop of forest-trimmed mountains. It's also home to the biggest traditional curling tournament on the continent, held in January. Book in at Hotel zum Weissensee, a cosy, family-run inn offering modern rooms within its centuries-old walls, as well as a salt sauna and free rental of winter sports equipment. For a fantastic lakeside meal, feast on fine Weissensee fish and locally harvested plants from award-winning chef Hannes Müller at Geniesserhotel Die Forelle.

Nothing epitomises Gemütlichkeit quite like a snowy chocolate box village, twinkling with fairy lights, and for that we bring you Bad Ischl; long popular with royals and described by former Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I as 'heaven on earth.' More recently, it was announced a European Capital of Culture for 2024. A gateway into the Alps and the Salzkammergut Mountains, and hugging the Traun river, Bad Ischl is home to Austria's oldest coffee house, Konditorei Zauner, where you must also sample their ornate cakes, and the Salzkammergut Thermal Spa, which offers divine salt-based treatments. To stay? Hotel Goldener Ochs, a traditional boutique bolthole right on the water which dates back to 1791, when it was an inn for horse-drawn carriages.

You could, of course, take a sled to any number of Austria's glorious slopes, but for a far mightier ride, head straight to the world's longest floodlit toboggan run. Located in the Wildkogel Arena Neukirchen & Bramberg, a fun-filled resort between the Kitzbühel Alps and Hohe Tauern National Park - worthy of its own visit - this adventurous route takes you on a 14km ride from the peak to the valley below, covering an impressive 1,300m. To stay, we recommend the small but historic hotel Weyerhof, which has been in action since 1664. It still has a strong ethos of championing locally sourced cuisine - think venison from its own hunting grounds, milk from the neighbouring farm and home-baked strudel.

This one's a wholesome activity for night owls. Jump on the Austrian bandwagon and voyage into the darkness with an old-fashioned flaming torch to light your way. Make your tracks through the snow-covered forests and meadows of the Pillersee Valley, in the heart of the Kitzbühel Alps, and, with your sight limited, let your other senses take the lead. Hour-long guided night hikes are available weekly at Sankt Ulrich am Pillersee. Fire yourself up beforehand with glühwein (mulled wine) at one of the region's most stylish retreats, Hotel Unterlechner - an adults-only lodge accommodating just 44 guests at a time and a tantalising six-course gourmet tasting menu to look forward to. Maximum indulgence, guaranteed.

Far from the groomed ski slopes, you'll find quiet solace in Austria's gentle hiking trails - but take your walking up a notch and don snow shoes, why don't you? Tux, a charming village in the Zillertal Alps, boasts 68km of these winding trails - some of the best in the country for snowshoeing - taking you through enchanting forests and over glittering blankets of clear expanse. Work up an appetite and then stop in at any one of the rustic huts and panoramic restaurants that feature on the routes for a well-deserved mountain meal. Our favourite? For authentic local cuisine, it has to be Bergfriedalm, a 400-year-old establishment with cosy wooden rooms that serves a mean fondue. To lay your head, Hotel Alpin Spa Tuxerhof is sophisticated and wellness-focused, with a fabulous outdoor pool from which to admire the snowy surroundings.

For an endorphin rush that's hard to match, and a whole host of proven health benefits, try braving a cold-water plunge. Popularised in recent years by wellness guru Wim Hof, but practised for centuries by Austrians, is ice-bathing, at the more extreme end of the spectrum. One of the nation's most beautiful bodies of water, Lake Almsee, in Upper Austria, is a good spot for a freezing dip - just make sure to stay safe and take a buddy. For a good base, opt for the gloriously quaint Romantik Hotel Almtalhof, a spa hotel with traditional alpine decor and a roaring fire, as well as a sauna and steam bath to warm you to your very core.

Austria is well known for its spa culture, and there are oodles of them to choose from. Most famed, most photogenic and most brag-worthy, however, is Aqua Dome in Längenfeld - Tirol's largest spa. Resembling an otherworldly space station, with 12 pools and 14 saunas, inside and out, its pièce de résistance is the large steaming brine basins that allow one to float weightlessly with views over the majestic alpine peaks that loom over the complex. If you don't wish to go the whole hog and stay at the hotel, you can buy a day pass and station yourself elsewhere. Other attractions in the wider area include the 007 Elements James Bond cinematic installation, a fascinating feat built - and seemingly toppling over - the summit of the Gaislachkogl mountain.

Of all the cities to visit in winter, Vienna is right up there with the very finest. A compact metropolis filled with grand palaces, world-class galleries, cosy salons and spectacular opera, it's all the more magical when dusted with snow. Drop in to the Upper Belvedere Palace, which offers sensational views over the city and a showcase of Klimt's best work. Dive into Vienna's deeply cherished Kaffeehäuser (coffee house) culture - Café Central, a former haunt of Trotsky and Sigmund Freud, is a must-visit. Feast at Walter Bauer, one of the city's most charming, intimate, family-run restaurants, with a Michelin star to boot. And hunker down at Hotel Imperial, built for the Prince of Württemberg in 1863 and widely believed to be the best of all Vienna's grand hotels.