Top holiday hideaway

However the quiet, beautiful, unknown Vorarlberg region of Austria is suddenly on the tourist map on account of being located halfway between the Austrian and Swiss Euro 2008 official stadiums.

And surprisingly, this lovely region has so much more to offer than merely being a kipping place for sports fanatics.

Austria is generally famous for being a Winter Wonderland of a holiday destination; snow, skiing, and Christmas Markets.

It's very easy to forget that these Alpine resorts also have glorious summers and, when the snow has melted and the forests and meadows bloom, the scenery we mostly associate with dusted frost and white skies becomes a lush, green, sun-drenched place. The Vorarlberg region, unlike the busier and more famous Central and Western parts of Austria, is relatively untouched by British tourists and this makes it a wonderful holiday hideaway if you're searching for a real getaway.

There is plenty of opportunity to get a tan - temperatures here soar in the summer months and are often interspersed with dramatic thunderstorms that last no more than half-an-hour and, as a bonus, pleasingly cool the air.

Predictably, it's the mountains that cause the dramatic weather, and even more dramatic scenery.

Such is the beauty of the landscape that I defy you to spend more than one afternoon here among the grand peaks and cows before the urge to belt out the hills are alive!' overcomes you.

You feel it bubbling within until you can't hold it back any longer. The Austrians of course just roll their eyes. I asked my guide about The Sound of Music.

"Bah", she said (she actually did say Bah'). "Most people in Austria have never ever seen it. It's a totally American film."

"So not at all a real depiction of Austria?" I asked.

"Of course not!" was the response.

It is the town of Saltzberg of course, that is famous for its Sound of Music association. There is even a 24-hour TV station that plays the film on loop for the benefit of hotels in the town.

For exactly this reason Saltzberg is not to be confused with Sultzberg. The former is an internationally recognised tourist spot for musical fanatics, the latter is a smaller, and much more discreet Alpine village of the Vorarlberg region, where I stopped off on my short break.

The Vorarlberg region is known among other things for its architecture, so if you are into design and suchlike, this is a fascinating area to explore.

But even if that's not your bag, then there are some bizarre things that might catch your attention as you stop off in one of these villages.

The Town Hall in Sultzberg for instance, is one of them. Most traditional buildings are very chalet like, made entirely of wood and decorated with carvings and shingles.

The Sultzberg Town Hall however is an example of how the Austrians aren't at all afraid of modernity and like to marry the olde style tradition with the boundary pushing' new.

This building is made of concrete and white fir (a beautiful, pale local tree) but insanely each member of the community donated a lock of hair when it was constructed, which has been set into Perspex-like blocks by artist Roland Stecher and forms the entrance hall of the building.

Even the mayor got his scissors out for this...

In neighbouring Schwarzenberg there is a tiny convenience store with the usual supplies, but which is popular among locals for its backroom deli where you can taste and buy exquisite Alpine cheeses.

Austria is a cheese-lover's paradise and there is a string of restaurants and shops that form a KasseStrasse' or Cheese Trail'.

It's seriously worth coming here JUST for that. The Alpine cows graze high up in the hills on pastures overflowing with herbs and flowers. This is what gives their cheese such a wonderful and complex flavour.

I tried a cheese that had been matured for one year and wow! - it was actually so strong I had to spit it out (elegantly I might add). The delicious cheese aged in red wine was more my cup of tea or, rather, more my glass of Merlot.

From bacterial culture and curd and whey to arty culture, head towards Bregenz in the very west of Vorarlberg and spend a day at Lake Constance which shares its shores with Germany.

The lake is surrounded by cafés and restaurants and a promenade that is popular with ageing in-line skaters.

The famous open air Bregenz theatre is the largest lake theatre in the world. It has a floating stage that juts out into the lake. This theatre is especially known for its splendid set design, which almost (but not quite) trumps the incredible beauty of the lake and mountains, that form the extended backdrop.

It is quite simply the most stunning location for a theatre I've ever seen, and Hollywood has recently cottoned on to this spectacular location, shooting some of the new Bond film on its stage.

The Austrians are very much outdoorsy' types, and while you're here you should definitely take advantage of the weather and scenery and hop on a bike, or take a hike in the hills.

There is a large spa culture here too. The Austrians view massage and hot springs as a natural right and there are wonderful spa facilities in most hotels.

Spa retreats are even available here on the local health service, so convinced are they of the health benefits.

I wanted to check out a spa and my guide leaned over and quietly reminded me that the spas are unisex.

"OK," I said.

"And naked," she added.

"Oh..!" That's just something to bare in mind.

The health consciousness is reflected in the food too. Most of it is fresh and locally produced.

The Austrians are proud of their beef and it is even rumoured that McDonald's have made a pact with the Austrian government that their burgers be made from Alpine cows.

So what cuisine should you look out for: the beef consommé (delicious clear soup with shredded pancakes), local trout from the lakes, the very traditional Wiener Schnitzel (meat escalope flattened and coated in breadcrumbs), and the potent but highly enjoyable local schnapps.

Being well fed, well exercised, and well tanned, it's easy to understand why the Austrians are so laid-back they're almost horizontal.

A short break in Vorarlberg will leave you feeling wonderfully refreshed.

Rather disturbingly, the jolly sound of Alpine cowbells will stay with you long after a trip. You might even come away with the ringing of real yodelling in your ears.

But only if you're really, really lucky.