Austria’s third largest city, Linz, is set to become big, as, along with Vilnius in Lithuania, it was 2009’s European Capital of Culture.
Linz sits astride the Danube river in Upper Austria, towards the Czech Republic border, and roughly halfway between Salzburg and Vienna. Long over-shadowed by its more traditional big sisters, Linz was overdue recognition as a tourist destination.
With a thriving economy, a diverse cultural scene, and over 60% of the city made up of green spaces, the quality of life here is high, making it perfect for a weekend break or stopover on a tour of Austria.
From its Baroque architecture and its medieval city centre, to its buzzing arts scene, Linz has plenty to explore…
Top 5 sights and attractions
Pick up the Linz City Ticket if you plan to see lots of sights, as it offers savings on entrance fees to 12 of the city’s attractions.
The City Centre
Wander round Linz’s compact old city centre and you’ll come across Baroque buildings, intriguing museums, arcaded courtyards, rococo churches and the stunning neo-gothic cathedral, to name but a few attractions. The main square is Austria’s largest medieval square and is the heart of the city, with its pavement cafes and street performers.
Lentos Art Museum 
This glass-and-steel architectural landmark, designed by Zurich architects Weber & Hofer, showcases a world-class collection of contemporary art including works by Warhol, Schiele, Klimt and Kokoshka.
Danube Park
The city’s main green space, by the river and containing modern sculptures and well-tended gardens.
Ars Electronica Centre
‘The museum of the future’ is an interactive media arts centre where you can experience anything from diving into the depths of the Danube to flying above the city.
Postlingerberg
Hike, or ride the world’s steepest mountain railway up to this peak (537m) for the views over Linz, or to explore a grotto of Grimm’s fairytale characters at the summit.
Top events in Linz
Pflasterspektakel – International Street Art Festival – is one of the summer highlights that turns the entire city centre into a stage for street art.
Ars Electronica holds an annual media art festival in early September.
Brucknerfest – Classics with a Difference musical festival in Donau Park, during September-October. And the huge open-air event Klangwolke (‘Sound Cloud’) follows.
Did you know..?
Historical former residents include astronomer Johannes Kepler, composer Anton Bruckner and poet Adalbert Stifter, while Mozart’s Linzer Symphony has immortalised the name of the town in which it was composed.
Don’t forget to sample some Linzer Torte (the distinctive brown crust tart filled with red fruit jam) in its hometown!
Where to stay
There is variety of accommodation for all budgets – from traditional pensions to boutique hotels, take your pick from a good guidebook.
How to get there
Hourly Intercity and Eurocity trains connect to Salzburg and Vienna, and from there to all major European capitals. Plan your journey on www.seat61.com and www.oebb.at/en – Austrian national rail’s website.
The Blue Danube Airport is easily accessible by bus or shuttle from the city. Ryanair flies to Linz from London Stansted. Other airlines fly to Vienna or Munich with connecting flights to Linz, or you can easily drive or take the train between these cities.
Resources
Planning a trip to Linz, or want to find out more about the city? Here at Stanfords we stock the only English-language guide to the city currently available – the Linz-Donau Travel Guide and Lonely Planet’s Austria have sections covering Linz, and you can plan other trips in the country. For a good, clear street plan, use Freytag & Berndt’s Linz map.
Author: Rachel Ricks