Salzburg and Vienna are just the places for a romantic interlude – beguiling, historic and generously endowed with chocolate shops. Alison Plummer falls for Austria.

Salzburg, Austria.

Salzburg is the perfect place for incurable romantics – with mediaeval streets, pastel Baroque facades and multiple church domes and spires, all invitingly etched against a mountain backdrop. On the left bank of the River Salzach, the old town is a network of cobbled streets, courtyards, churches and tall houses backed by a towering cliff and the mighty Hohensalzburg Fortress, reached via a funicular railway.

My favourite view of Salzburg (above) is not actually from the fortress but from the M32 restaurant at the Museum of Modern Art on the Monsberg hillside. Most people use the Monsberg elevator but we drive up through romantic woodland past the Schloss Monchstein Hotel where Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz recently stayed before the filming of scenes for Knight & Day.

Looking down, the cityscape is dominated by the green domes of Salzburg Cathedral, considered by experts to be the most perfect Renaissance building in the region. Mozart was baptised here and, for fans of the great composer, seeing Mozart’s birthplace at 9 Getreidegasse is a real buzz. The old town is compact and therefore easy to explore, your happy wanderings punctuated by sweet interludes in delightful cafes and restaurants and, naturally, shopping.

You can see why the locals love their city and its traditions. Those who can, dine at the bohemian, luxurious Goldener Hirsch Hotel, home to Salzburg’s most illustrious restaurant, patronised by royalty and celebrities while the hotel’s Taverna Herzl is a rustic bar and meeting place. You’ll meet locals at the Blue Goose Restaurant, a 65-year-old inn which has metamorphosed into a bohemian art hotel with great food and at ultra modern Carpe Diem, noted for its finger food served in cones. The bar of the Hotel Sacher in a charming setting overlooking the river and sister to the Hotel Sacher in Vienna, world famous for its Sacher Torte.

If your love affair is with chocolate, indulgences beckon from every side. This is the home of the delicious Mozartkugel, Mozart Ball, made with nutty marzipan dipped in chocolate and perfectly rounded – the original was made by Paul Furst in 1890 and there are four Furst shops around Salzburg. You can also find fetchingly shaped Nipples of Venus chocolates at Ludwig Rigaud’s shop and cafe at Sigmund Haffnergasse16.

If Salzburg is romantic, then Vienna is sexy, big, bold and beautiful – hip and historic at the same time. The Pet Shop Boys (think Dusty Springfield) have just checked in to our hotel, The Ring, billed as the most fashionable design hotel in Vienna with the kind of casual luxury (and WiFi) that we love.

From this location it is easy to walk through to the pedestrian precincts taking in the grand architecture along the way including the magnificent Vienna State Opera House, the wonderful cafe culture and world famous chocolate and patisserie temples such as Demel and Schokov. Vienna has also just gained another significant landmark, a new Swarovski store and we were lucky enough to attend the opening.

After introductory speeches in the Austrian National Library beneath centuries-old painted ceilings and walls of ancient, leather-bound tomes, we emerged to the crisp air of a Viennese night to be transported the short distance (and forward a few centuries) by horse and carriage to the futuristic new store at Kaerntner Strasse 24, complete with a Moet & Chandon Bar. (Note: Don’t be afraid, gifts for your loved ones needn’t cost the earth.)

Mixing the old and new is de rigueur in Vienna and you can sample the city’s finest traditional food and signature little sandwiches at Zum Schwarzen Kameel – the Black Camel; lunch at the beautiful Palm House surrounded by palms and plants; and discover Austrian wines at the contemporary Restaurant ‘Kulinarium 7’ – a restaurant, wine shop and delicatessen. Stroll through the Naschmarkt, Vienna’s fresh food open market place where stalls sell an array of olives, oils, meats and cheese and sauerkraut from huge vats.

Art lovers could spend days in the attractive stone cube of the Leopold Museum where major works include many by Gustav Klimt. Romantics be sure to check out ‘The Kiss’ featuring Klimt’s famed gold technique.

Getting there: Emirates offers a same-day-to-Europe service meaning it is possible to reach Europe on the same day from all four major Emirates ports in Australia. Breakfast in Australia, lunch in Dubai and dinner in Europe! Travelling Business Class? Check out the A380 aircraft’s Business Class on the Upper Deck featuring fully flat seats/beds in a 1-2-1 configuration for privacy. The seat is housed in a shell with built-in amenities such as a mini-bar, table, 43-cm wide LCD screen and dual USB ports. And they even bring a mattress Visit: www.emirates.com/au.

Where to stay: Hotel & Villa Auersperg, Auerspergstrasse 61, 5020 Salzburg. The Boutique Hotel & Villa Auersperg is a few minutes’ walk from the old town, a beautiful, welcoming hotel with a contemporary edge. Visit: www.auersperg.at

The Ring Hotel, Kärntner Ring 8,1010 Vienna. Smart casual and the most fashionable design hotel in the heart of Vienna. Visit: www.theringhotel.com