Austria’s third-largest town is a cultural treasure trove with festivals, the famed Bruckner Orchestra and a modern opera house.
Mozart composed an entire symphony named after this town on the Danube and Linz today still draws music and culture aficionados. See exhibitions on electronic art and outstanding music festivals or explore the town and its river parks.
Linz was once an important provincial capital in the Holy Roman Empire and acquired considerable riches through trade on the nearby waterways intersecting the Danube.
Explore the quaint city centre, with its historic buildings, cosy cafes and Baroque church steeples. Visit the Martinskirche, Austria’s oldest church, which was built on the ruins of a time when the old “Lentia” still guarded the border of the Roman empire against Germanic tribes. Afterwards, explore the more artistic and contemporary side of the Austrian city.
The famed Bruckner Orchestra, based at the local Brucknerhaus, is earning accolades from all over the world, so see if you can catch a performance during your stay.
The Landestheater Linz houses a modern opera house with excellent acoustics. The building joins a host of other futuristic structures that line the Danube. This is a popular venue for festivals such as the annual Klangwolke, which turns the entire riverside into one big performance space.
The LENTOS art museum features Austrian and international art from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day. You can see it from afar due to its brightly lit LED facade. Don't miss the Ars Electronica Centre, known for its futurist virtual worlds showcasing multi-media art. Also see some of the latest developments in genetic engineering, robotics or biotechnology in this science centre.
Enjoy the bustling nightlife in this sizeable university town at night or soak up the lively atmosphere in the city parks along the Danube by day. Rent a bike and cycle along this famous river to see more of the region.
If you come by car or bus, Linz is located an hour east from Salzburg and two hours west of Vienna.
