When pitted against the splendour of Vienna or Salzburg this industrial hub on the banks of the Danube might appear to fall short, but then Linz isn’t trying to compete. Since being named European Capital of Culture in 2009, Austria’s third-largest city has continued to focus on its strengths and position itself as a pioneer for contemporary art, alternative culture and digital innovation. Today the harbour is home to one of the largest urban art galleries in Europe and a former tobacco factory has been turned into a centre for start-ups and creatives.
There’s history here too, with a castle, an old town and several nods to Anton Bruckner, a composer and organist known for his technically tricky compositions — especially this year on his 200th birthday. Reminders of Hitler’s connections to the city are harder to find (he had grandiose plans for his beloved childhood home), but are addressed by tour guides and in exhibitions. Like a lot of things here, once you dig a little deeper, you unearth unexpected finds.
48 hours in Linz — at a glance
Day 1
• Morning: Lentos Kunstmuseum
• Lunch: Die Wirtsleut im Leopoldistüberl
• Afternoon: Mural Harbor Gallery
• Drink at: Zur Liesl
• Evening: The Tabakfabrik
• Dinner: Gelbes Krokodil
Day 2
• Morning: Ars Electronica Center
• Lunch: Die Donauwirtinnen
• Afternoon: The old town
• Drink at: Schlosscafe
• Evening: The Pöstlingberg tram
• Dinner: Muto
What to do
• Start at the Lentos Kunstmuseum, one of the country’s most important modern art museums. The striking glass riverside structure hosts works from greats such as Warhol and Klimt, as well as artists who have a special relationship to Linz. Don’t miss Linzer Landschaft, Oskar Kokoschka’s 1955 depiction of the city (£12; lentos.at).
• In recent years street artists from around the world have contributed to the Mural Harbor Gallery project, creating a collection of giant works on warehouses, containers and train carriages in the city’s docks. While the private space isn’t open to the public generally, it can be viewed as part of a boat trip (£12; donauschifffahrt.eu) or with an official guide. Request English tours in advance (from £15; muralharbor.at).
• The Tabakfabrik, a former tobacco factory, has become a beacon for the city’s creative vision. The heritage-listed complex, a masterpiece of 1930s industrial architecture, now hosts young companies, artists and a small number of restaurants and shops. Have a nose around to admire the original turquoise window frames, chocolate-brown wall tiles and brass lettering (free; tabakfabrik-linz.at).
• Interactive stations and high-tech exhibits characterise the Ars Electronica Center or “Museum of the Future”. Get stuck into topics such as AI, autonomous driving and robotics, and leave plenty of time for the Deep Space 8K virtual reality experience, with its mind-boggling wall and floor projections (£11; ars.electronica.art).
• Dive down narrow alleys and discover hidden courtyards in the pastel-coloured old town, stopping for a slice of Linzer Torte at Kuk Hofbäckerei (kuk-hofbaeckerei.at) or a flat white from Wohnzimmer (wohnzimmer.cafe). Venture further for the independent shops along Herrenstrasse and Bischofstrasse, and the incredible stained glass windows in the New Cathedral (Mariendom).
• For more panoramas, hop onto the Pöstlingberg tram, which departs every half hour from the Hauptplatz (main square). The historic line, in operation since 1898, winds up through woodland and past the Anton Bruckner university to reach a 539m summit. The Alps are visible on a clear day (return ticket £7; linzag.at).
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Where to eat and drink
Die Wirtsleut im Leopoldistüberl
This 200-year-old building has been many things over its lifetime, including a seedy bar, but is now a wood-panelled pub serving sophisticated Upper Austrian cuisine. The Slow Food stamp reflects a commitment to working with regional farmers, producers and winemakers. The menu changes daily, but look out for the regularly featured dumplings with sauerkraut (mains from £13; stueberl.diewirtsleut.at).
Zur Liesl
After a hiatus of more than 20 years, production of Linzer Beer restarted in 2022. The location for its new brewery? An abandoned power plant in an old tobacco factory (see below). Pay a visit to the modern brew pub, located on the ground floor of the impressive structure, for an unfiltered Linzer Zwickl straight from the tank (drinks from £3; zurliesl.at).
Gelbes Krokodil
Connected to an arthouse cinema, Gelbes Krokodil is where locals come for a glass of wine and a quick, yet wholesome, bite to eat — including many vegan and vegetarian options (mains from £11; krokodil.at).
Die Donauwirtinnen
This casual tavern in the village-like Alturfahr area by the water has a youthful feel, with local artwork on the walls and a menu based around ingredients from the nearby Mühlviertel region. Arrive early on Saturday and Sunday for the pop-up pizzeria; it stops serving when the dough runs out (mains from £12; diedonauwirtinnen.at).
Schlosscafe
Sitting above the old town, Linz Castle offers views in all directions. From the modern southern wing, completed in 2009, you can see across the rooftops to the steelworks beyond. On the opposite side of the building, the slightly hidden Schlosscafe has a parasol-filled terrace that soon fills up on summer evenings (drinks from £3.50; schlosscafe-linz-restaurant.eatbu.com).
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Muto
This top-rated restaurant offers upscale dining in a toned-down setting. Carefully arranged combinations include trout with green strawberries and wasabi, or white asparagus with coffee and orange. The dishes can be ordered à la carte or as part of a five-course menu, with many featured in Muto’s recently released cookbook (plates from £14; mutolinz.at).
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Where to stay
Leonardo Boutique Hotel Linz City Center
Affordable city-break staple
Most hotels in Linz are in the old town and inner city, such as this one close to the Mariendom. The cheapest rooms are small but make a comfortable base for a couple of days. Skip the breakfast buffet and walk over to the original Konditorei Jindrak (jindrak.at), a family-run bakery that has a number of outlets across town. Here you’ll find pre-packaged Linzer Torte that’s easy to fit into your suitcase (room-only doubles from £69; leonardo-hotels.com).
Göttfried
Popular restaurant with rooms
Renovated in 2015,this smart tavern with a pale-blue façade is one of the oldest in Linz and has a number of spacious rooms upstairs. The charming owners, Christian and Simone Göttfried, are happy to help with any requests and are normally on site during restaurant opening hours. They don’t offer breakfast, but a branch of the Vienna-founded Joseph Brot around the corner (joseph.co.at) will sort you out with cardamom buns, porridge pots and decent coffee (room-only doubles from £76; goettfried.at).
Hotel Wolfinger
Old-school flair in the main square
Kitted out with vintage Biedermeier furniture from the 19th century, every room in this hotel is slightly different, but all come with a chandelier and dark-wood headboards. The superior suites are in the main house — ask for one overlooking the main square — but the building also has an unexpected open-air courtyard at the back. Here a creaky walkway leads to rooms tucked away in alcoves (room-only doubles from £109; hotelwolfinger.at).
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Getting there
There are no direct flights from the UK to Linz at present, but Ryanair recently announced plans to fly from Stansted later this year. However, Linz is easy to reach by train from Vienna and Salzburg. The quickest rail route from London takes just over 12 hours with stops in Brussels and Frankfurt.
Getting around
For £23, the two-day Linz Card gives you travel on public transport and one return trip on the Pöstlingberg tram. It also includes entrance to many museums, including the Lentos and Ars Electronica Center, plus discounts at other attractions.
Which is your favourite Austrian city? Let us know in the comments below
Kate Mann was a guest of Linz Tourismus (linztourismus.at) and the Austrian National Tourist Office (austria.info)
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