9 Sightseeing Places to Visit and Things to do in Linz, Austria

June 18, 2022 Mustafa Natalwala 5149 Views

Linz is the capital city of Upper Austria state of Austria. Some of the best places to visit in Linz are castles, palaces, museums and churches. The majority of historical buildings are situated in the old town area of the city. Though you will have ventured to the outskirts to explore some of the castles and palaces. The city has also gained popularity for its outdoor activities. The city is surrounded by mountains, rivers, plains and lakes. Skiing and hiking are some of the best things to do in Linz, Austria. You can also enjoy bicycle tours and boat cruise tours to explore the city.

Linz travel is most associated with its vibrant culture and art scene. It became the European Capital of Culture in 2009. The art galleries, concert halls, performance centers and theaters are Linz tourist attractions in their own right. You will get to see a beautiful blend of technology and art at the Ars Electronica Center. If you are truly interested in exploring modern and contemporary art, you can walk along Donalulande which is also called the culture mile. You will come across several interesting things to see in Linz along this route including studios, art galleries and museums. The park along the road is famous for Ars Electronica Festival which attracts numerous tourists to visit Linz.

Besides art, the city also has museums dedicated to literature, music, regional history, biological history, dentistry and performance arts. Though one of the most unusual Linz attractions is the cowboy museum which depicts the cowboy culture of the United States. Each of the palaces and castles have their own museums which showcase the building’s history as well as that of the families that resided there. These Linz sights are great places to learn about the regal and political history of the region and their impact on the city’s evolution.

On the culinary side of Linz travel, you should check out delicacies such as Linzer Torte, knodel, erdapfelkas and strudel.

This Blog Post contains affiliate links. If you purchase anything from that link then I may earn a small part of the commission and for that, you do not need to pay any extra amount.

Table of Contents

The Best 9 Tourist Places to Visit in Linz in 2 Days (Trip Itinerary)

Day 1

1. Grottenbahn

This amusement park recreates a fairytale world. The electric train ride takes you around the park to see several scenes from fairytales. It is among the best things to do in Linz, Austria for family tourists. You will need about 2 hours to explore this park.

2. Linz Zoo

This zoo houses more than 110 species of animals brought in from several places around the world. You will see animals like Zebra, Panda, Red Panda, Ostrich, Monkeys, Emus, Alpacas and more. It is again among the most popular Linz tourist attractions for families. It will take you about 2 hours to explore this zoo.

3. Ars Electronica Center

This is a center for electronics arts is part of the museum of the future. The exhibits on one floor are displayed only and on the other one are interactive. You will get to see very creative art exhibits built around futuristic technologies. It is one of the best places to visit in Linz, Austria. It will take you about 3 hours to explore this place.

4. Lentos Art Museum (Lentos Kunstmuseum)

This museum is dedicated to modern and contemporary art. You will get to see works of art by well-known creators such as Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoscha, Max Pechstein, Egon Schiele and many more. It is one of the most fascinating things to see in Linz. You will need about 2 hours for this museum.

Day 2

1. Voestalpine Steel World

Voestalpine is a steel manufacturing and processing company. A tour of this facility tells you about the history and usage of steel alongside the operations of the company. It is quite an interesting addition to Linz sightseeing. You will need about 2 hours for this tour.

2. Linz Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten Linz)

These botanical gardens house more than 10,000 species of plants and trees. You will get to see some exotic varieties of plants which are native to other countries and continents. You will need an hour to explore this place when you visit Linz.

3. The New Cathedral (Neuer Dom)

Also known as the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, this roman catholic cathedral was built in 1862. It is the largest church in Austria and is also included among Linz attractions for its architecture, history and contribution to the region’s culture. You will need about an hour for this church.

4. Linz Castle

This castle was built over a Roman Fort named Lentia. It was first built in 1477 and rebuilt in 1493. It is one of the most popular Linz sights and is known for its history, architecture, interior decor, museum and so on. You will need 2 to 3 hours to explore this castle.

5. Linz Main Square (Hauptplatz)

This historic square is considered the heart of the city. The square is surrounded by important historical and cultural buildings of Linz. You will need 30 to 45 minutes here during Linz travel.

If you are looking for more top things to do in Linz, Austria, check out the sections below. We have compiled an exhaustive list of attractions and activities to explore in and around the city.

Things to do in Linz

Monuments, Museums & Historical Places to Visit in Linz

Lentos Kunst Museum
Ars Electronica Center
Schloss Museum
Postlingberg
Mauthausen Memorial
Stift St. Florian
OK Center for Contemporary Art
Nordico Stadt Museum
Old Cathedral
Voetalpine Stahlwelt Museum
The New Cathedral
Tower 9 Stadt Museum Leonding
FC Fransisco Carolinum
Columna de la Trinidad
Zeitgeschichte Museum de Voestalpine
KV Kapu
Wilhering Abbey
Lauriacum Museum
Aterlierhaus Salzamt
Galerie Brunnhofer
Schilifte Kirchschlag
Ursuline Church of St. Michael
Franz Josef Warte
Schloss Pragstein
Zahn Museum
St. Martin Church
Postlingberg
Stifterhaus
Stadtturm Enns
Postlingbergbahn Museum
Schloss Traun
Biological Museum
Apothoken Museum
Freilicht Museum Pelmberg Denkmalhof
Anton Bruckner Museum
Burgruine Spilberg
Artemons Gallery
Sankt Florian Museum
Mary of Mount Carmel Monastery
Museum Cowboy
Linz Postcity
Schloss Riedegg
Schloss Ennsegg
Schloss Burg Wildberg
Schloss Hohenbrunn
Minoriten Kirche
Schloss Rufling
Sumerauerhof
Limonikeller
Schloss Ottensheim
Museum im Steinhumergut
Schloss Ebelsberg
Tower No. 13
KZ Gedenkstatte Gusen
Basilica of St. Lawrence

Nature & Wildlife Tourist Spots in Linz

Pleschinger See
Pichinger See
Ausee
Weikerl See
Oedter See
Kurnberg
Pfenningberg
Freinberg
Volksgarten
Badesee Steyregg
Puckinger See
Pesenbach
Traun Donau Auen
Koglera
Jahresstiege
Kurnbergburg

Entertainment & Leisure Tourist Spots in Linz

Linz Botanical Garden
Grottenbahn
Linz Zoo
Mural Harbour Gallery
Casino Linz
Bauernberg Park
Erlebnisoase Schorgenhub Water Park
Tagaluba Children Park
Donaulande
Schillerpark
Wasserwald Park
Stadwerkstatt Theatre
Badesee Oedt Bike Park

Shopping in Linz

Atrium City Center
Land Strasse
Arkade
Herren Strasse
Lentia City
Bischof Strasse
Lenaupark City
Spittelweise
Palais Mannstorf
Bethlehem Strasse
Plus City
Promenaden Galerien

Offbeat Places, Tours, & Adventure Activities to Do in Linz

Camping
Water Skiing
Hiking
Swimming
Cross Country Skiing
Snowshoe Hiking
Boating
Bike Tours
Skiing
Snowboarding

Sightseeing in Linz

Postlingbergbahn
Hauptplatz
Linz Main Square
Neue Eisenbahnbrucke
Pont Nibelungen
Giselawarte
Pont Voest

Food, Dining, Restaurants, & Street Food in Linz

Cafe Jindark
Gelbes Krokodil
Herberstein
Zum Kleinen Greichen
Alte Welt
Wirtshaus Keintzel
Promenadenhof
Il Caminetto
Trattoria da Giuseppe
Casa Italiana
Verdi
Non Solo Vino

Where to Stay in Linz?

Here we have listed Top Rated Luxurious, Mid-Range and Budget Hotels in Linz. You can check the below listed hotels for your perfect stay in Linz.

Luxurious Hotels

Mid-Range Hotels

Budget Hotels

Custom Tours Package in Linz

How to Reach Linz?

By Air

Linz Airport, also known as Blue Danube Airport, receives direct flights from Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna, Hurghada, Rhodes, Brac, Burgas, Dusseldorf, Kos, Karpathos, Corfu, Heraklion, Gran Canaria and Palma de Mallorca. You can get buses and cabs from the airport to get to the city.

Other major airports you can consider for Linz travel are Vienna and Salzburg. Vienna is connected to Linz by flight, train, and bus. Salzburg is connected by bus and train.

By Road

You can get direct trains to visit Linz from Salzburg and Vienna. These two cities in turn connect you to several places in Europe. The bus network connects Linz to several cities and towns in Austria. You will also need to take the bus to explore some of the Linz sights situated amidst the mountains and plains outside the city.

If you are planning to travel by road, you should choose between routes A1, A7, A9 and B125.

By Water

You can get passenger boats from Vienna and Passau to reach Linz. Though these trips are part of Danube river cruises and are hence quite expensive. They are not suitable option for those just looking for transit.

Image Reference

Grottenbahn – Martin Belam / Flickr
Zoo Linz – Red Pandazine / Flickr
Ars Electronica Center – Ars Electronica / Robert Bauernhansl / Flickr
Lentos Art Museum (Lentos Kunstmuseum) – magro_kr / Flickr
Voestalpine Steel World – Ars Electronica / voestalpine Stahlwelt / Flickr
Linz Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten Linz) – Rainer Stropek / Flickr
The New Cathedral (Neuer Dom) – Jorge Franganillo / Flickr
Linz Castle – Leonhard Niederwimmer / PixaBay
Linz Main Square (Hauptplatz) – Markus Fischer / PixaBay