Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Linz
A Danube city of media art and Bruckner, with a baroque Old Town, a mountain tram up to a pilgrimage basilica and an easy base for the Salzkammergut and Wachau.
Best time to visit: May to September are best: warm days, Danube riverside life and open-air events; April and October are mild and quieter. Pflasterspektakel, Linz's street-performer festival, runs 15-17 July 2027. Ars Electronica Festival (media arts), the free Linzer Klangwolke on the Danube and the Brucknerfest classical festival all fall in September (in 2026: 9-13 Sept, 12 Sept and 13-30 Sept); 2027 dates are announced later. The Advent markets in 2026 run 21 November to 23 December. Winters are cold and grey, with fog common on the Danube; January and February are quiet.
Getting your bearings: Linz lies on the Danube, with the Old Town (Altstadt) on the south bank around Hauptplatz and the Landstraße shopping street, and the Schlossmuseum on the hill above. The modern Danube bank has Lentos art museum, Ars Electronica Center, Brucknerhaus and the Donaulände promenade, joined across the Nibelungen bridge to Urfahr on the north bank. The Pöstlingbergbahn, one of Europe's steepest adhesion railways, climbs from Urfahr to the basilica viewpoint. Most of the centre is walkable and trams and buses cover the rest; the Hauptbahnhof is about 1.5 km south of Hauptplatz.
Linz Christmas markets (Linzer Christkindlmarkt)
The Christkindlmarkt on the Hauptplatz is the centrepiece of Linz Advent, with around 80 stalls selling mulled wine, roasted chestnuts, gingerbread and handicrafts around a lit tree. The Volksgarten market nearby is the calmer, family-oriented one, with children's rides, a large nativity scene and craft demonstrations. Both open on 21 November and close on 23 December 2026, with stalls optionally open on 24 December 9:00-16:00. Smaller markets stand at the cathedral (Advent am Dom) and on Pfarrplatz, and a market takes place on Pöstlingberg on Advent weekends; a free Christmas train links the markets on weekends. Hauptplatz is a short walk from the Hauptbahnhof by tram or bus; go on weekday afternoons for fewer crowds.
All the sights in Linz
History & Old Town
-
Main Square and Trinity Column (Hauptplatz, Dreifaltigkeitssäule) High priority
One of Europe's largest enclosed squares, framed by Baroque townhouses and the 1723 Trinity Column.
Hauptplatz is the heart of Linz: a huge sloping square with pastel Baroque facades, the Plague (Trinity) Column in the middle, the Old Town Hall on one side and the Danube just a few steps north. It is the natural start for any walk and the stop for trams 1, 2 and 3, so from the main station you are here in a few minutes by tram. Come in the morning for empty photos or in the evening when the cafes fill up; the Pöstlingberg tram also leaves from here. It is free and always open.
-
Old Town Hall and Tourist Information (Altes Rathaus) Bonus
Historic town hall on the main square that houses the city's tourist information office.
The Old Town Hall stands on the north side of Hauptplatz and is easy to recognise by its tower. Inside you find the Linz tourist information, a good place to pick up city maps, public transport advice and event tips. It is open every day, so it makes a handy first stop right after you step off the tram at Hauptplatz. The building is just a short look from outside, so plan only a few minutes.
-
Landstraße Shopping Street (Landstraße) Nice to have
Linz's long pedestrian shopping street, running south from the Hauptplatz area, lined with shops and cafes.
Landstraße is the main pedestrian artery of the city centre and the best place for a relaxed walk with coffee and shopping. Along the way you pass the Baroque Carmelite and Ursuline churches and passages with little courtyards. Trams 1, 2 and 3 also run nearby, so you can ride out and walk back. It is free and the shops follow normal Austrian opening hours, with Sunday mostly closed.
-
St Martin's Church (Martinskirche) Nice to have
One of the oldest churches in Austria, with Roman inscriptions and a Roman kiln inside.
Martinskirche sits quietly just below the castle and goes back to the early Middle Ages, with reused Roman stones and a Roman kiln in the interior. The church is open to the public only on limited occasions (the doors open on Friday afternoons) and interior visits otherwise need a guide, but you can look in through the glass door at any time. It combines nicely with the castle, 5 minutes on foot. Plan a short stop.
-
New Cathedral (Mariendom) High priority
Austria's largest church by capacity, a neo-Gothic cathedral with a climbable tower.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The Mariendom, a neo-Gothic cathedral finished in 1924, is free to enter every day and is worth a look for its stained glass and its sheer size. On Saturdays, Sundays and holidays at 14:00 a 45-minute guided tower climb (over 395 steps) goes up to about 68 m for city views; there is also a longer Himmelsstiege tour with 633 steps. Visits are not possible during services. From Hauptplatz it is about a 10-minute walk west along Landstraße and the Domgasse area.
-
Old Cathedral (Alter Dom, Ignatiuskirche) High priority
Baroque Jesuit church, the former cathedral, where Anton Bruckner once served as organist.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The Alter Dom, built in the late 17th century for the Jesuits, was the diocese's cathedral from 1785 to 1909. Its interior is richly Baroque and it houses the famous Bruckner organ; concert series take place here in the summer. The church is open daily from 08:00 to 18:00 and entry is free. It is only a few minutes' walk from Hauptplatz and Landstraße, so it fits easily into an old-town stroll.
-
Minorite Church (Minoritenkirche) Nice to have
A Rococo church from the 13th-century monastery, richly stuccoed and next to the Landhaus.
The Minoritenkirche began as a monastery church in 1236 and was transformed into an opulent single-nave Rococo church in 1751. Inside you can see stucco work, altar paintings and ornaments from artists of the period. The adjoining former monastery is today the seat of the Upper Austrian state government. It is open daily 10:00-17:00 and is a short walk from Landstraße.
-
Tobacco Factory Linz (Tabakfabrik Linz) Bonus
Former industrial monument turned creative hub with cafes, studios and free exhibitions.
The Tabakfabrik is an industrial monument that has become neither museum nor ruin but a working creative quarter with workshops, start-up spaces, dining and event venues. Public areas, restaurants and exhibitions are freely accessible, for example the exhibition '90 Jahre Rauch & Schall' (free entry, 5 February to 30 December 2026). Guided tours exist but are mainly for booked groups. It is on Peter-Behrens-Platz, reachable by buses 12 and 25 (Parkbad) or on foot from Landstraße.
-
Pöstlingberg Pilgrimage Basilica (Wallfahrtsbasilika Pöstlingberg) High priority
Twin-towered baroque basilica from the 1740s that crowns Linz and is visible from the whole city.
The pilgrimage basilica of the Seven Sorrows of Mary was built in 1742–1747 on the highest point of the Pöstlingberg and is the landmark of Linz. Step inside to see the lavish baroque interior, then walk out to the terrace for the sweeping view over the city, the Danube and on clear days the Alps. It is a 5-minute walk from the Pöstlingbergbahn terminus. The Grottenbahn is right next door, so the two combine well.
-
St. Florian Abbey (Stift St. Florian) High priority
Baroque Augustinian abbey with a huge library, marble hall and the Bruckner organ, visited only on guided tours.
St. Florian is a baroque Augustinian abbey where the composer Anton Bruckner served as organist and is buried beneath the organ. The guided tour (about 75 minutes) covers the library with more than 150,000 volumes, the marble hall, the Altdorfer altar and the basilica with the Bruckner organ. Visits are possible only with a guide; from May to October tours start at 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00, so book ahead by phone or email. From Linz it is about 25 minutes by car, or about 45 minutes by regional bus from the Hauptbahnhof area.
-
Mauthausen Memorial (KZ-Gedenkstätte Mauthausen) High priority
Memorial on the grounds of the former Nazi concentration camp; free to enter and a place for quiet remembrance.
The Mauthausen Memorial preserves the site of the former Nazi concentration camp near Linz. Entry to the grounds and the exhibition is free; guided tours and educational programmes are charged separately and public tours resume in summer 2027. Visit with respect and allow at least two to three hours; the memorial is not recommended for children under 14. It is about 25 km east of Linz, reached by regional train to Mauthausen station and a walk of about 25 minutes uphill, or by car. The 'Death Steps' are open from 1 April to 26 October in good weather.
-
Steyr Old Town and Stadtplatz (Altstadt Steyr) Nice to have
Medieval town between two rivers with a long, colourful square lined with burgher houses.
Steyr's old town sits where the Enns and Steyr rivers meet, and its Stadtplatz is lined with Gothic, Renaissance and baroque burgher houses. A walk through the pedestrian centre and along the rivers takes a couple of hours. Regional trains from Linz take about 40 minutes. Pair it with the Museum Arbeitswelt, a short walk away.
-
Enns City Tower (Stadtturm Enns) Nice to have
Nearly 60 m tall Renaissance tower on the main square with a gallery reached by 157 steps.
The Stadtturm was built in 1564–1568 and stands alone on Enns's Hauptplatz. Climb its 157 steps to the gallery for a view over the Alpine foothills; the entrance costs only €2 in coins at the door. Enns is one of Austria's oldest towns and is about 20 minutes from Linz by train. Combine the tower with a walk through the old town and the Museum Lauriacum.
-
Linz Parish Church (Stadtpfarrkirche) Nice to have
Baroque parish church with Romanesque and Gothic parts, where Emperor Frederick III's heart is buried.
The Stadtpfarrkirche at Pfarrplatz 4 is a Baroque church that still contains Romanesque and Gothic parts. Archduke Ferdinand married Anna of Bohemia and Hungary here almost 500 years ago, and the heart and bowels of Emperor Frederick III are buried inside. Pilgrims also come for the statue of St James. It is open every day from 9:00 to 18:00 and is free, a few minutes on foot from Hauptplatz on the way to Landstraße. Expect a quiet, short stop; Sunday mass is at 9:15.
Museums
-
Linz Castle and Castle Museum (Schloss Linz, Schlossmuseum) High priority
Hilltop castle above the old town with a large museum of Upper Austria's nature and cultural history, plus views over the Danube.
The castle houses the Upper Austrian Landesmuseum's Schlossmuseum, spread over more than 10,000 square metres: archaeology, art, crafts, nativity scenes and natural history from about 250 million years ago. Special exhibitions currently include a show on the 1626 Peasants' War (to January 2027). The castle grounds and terrace are a nice free spot for a view across the Danube. You can walk up from Hauptplatz in about 10 minutes via the Römerstraße, or take the stairs from the old town.
-
Stifter House Literature Museum (StifterHaus, OÖ. Literaturmuseum) Bonus
Free museum in writer Adalbert Stifter's former home with preserved rooms and Upper Austrian literary history.
Adalbert Stifter lived here from 1848 until his death in 1868, and five of his rooms (kitchen, dining room, bedroom, salon and study) are preserved with period furniture. The exhibition also presents around 30 Upper Austrian authors through objects, film and audio. Entry is free and the building is step-free. It is on Adalbert-Stifter-Platz, a short walk from Landstraße; plan an hour at most.
-
Landesgalerie Linz (Francisco Carolinum) Nice to have
State art gallery in an 1895 historicist building with modern and contemporary art.
The Landesgalerie occupies the Francisco Carolinum on Museumstraße and shows about 2,000 paintings and sculptures plus thousands of prints and photographs, with a focus on modern and contemporary art. The building itself is a handsome historicist hall with frescoes. There is a lift at the back for step-free access. It is open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00-18:00.
-
Nordico City Museum (Nordico Stadtmuseum) Nice to have
City museum of Linz with changing exhibitions; closed 5-22 October 2026 for a new exhibition.
The Nordico is the city's museum, with changing exhibitions on Linz history and society. It is currently closed from 5 to 22 October 2026 while a new exhibition ('Death Positive') is installed. After that it is open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00-18:00, Thursday until 20:00. Tickets cost €9 for adults, kids under 7 enter free, and on Sundays there is a two-for-one deal. Trams 1-3 stop nearby at Mozartkreuzung or Taubenmarkt, about an 8-minute walk away.
-
Ars Electronica Center (Ars Electronica Center) High priority
Interactive museum of media art and new technologies on the north bank of the Danube.
The Ars Electronica Center opened in 1996 and shows digital art, AI, music and global change through hands-on exhibits, with a large 8K projection space (Deep Space 8K). Highlight tours last about 1.5 hours and there are family tours for younger visitors. Lockers are in the foyer. You get here by walking across the Nibelungen Bridge from Hauptplatz in about 5 minutes. Tickets are €14 for adults and children under 6 are free.
-
Lentos Art Museum (Lentos Kunstmuseum Linz) High priority
Modern and contemporary art museum in a glass-and-steel building on the Danube promenade.
Lentos is a modern art museum right on the Danube, a few steps from the Hauptplatz tram stop (trams 1, 2, 3, about 2-3 minutes on foot). Its glass facade is lit up at night. It is open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00-18:00, Thursday until 20:00, closed on Whit Monday, 26 October, 25 and 26 December. Adults pay €12, students €6, families €17 (1 adult) or €26 (2 adults), and kids under 7 are free; seniors get free entry on Tuesdays from 15:00.
-
Museum Arbeitswelt Steyr (Museum Arbeitswelt) Nice to have
Museum about work and society in two 19th-century factory buildings on the Steyr river.
The Museum Arbeitswelt occupies two protected 19th-century factory buildings in Steyr and shows rotating exhibitions on work, technology and society. Admission is free for everyone under 19, which makes it good for families. Steyr is about 40 minutes from Linz by regional train or about 45 minutes by car; the museum is a 15-minute walk from the old town. Combine it with a stroll through the Stadtplatz.
-
Wels Castle City Museum (Stadtmuseum Wels – Burg) Bonus
City history museum in the Welser Burg, including Austria's only preserved original stereoscopic panorama.
The Stadtmuseum in the Welser Burg tells the city's history with models, dioramas and reconstructed living rooms and shops. It also shows the Welser Kaiserpanorama, the only original stereoscopic panorama still preserved in Austria. Wels is about 25 minutes from Linz by train; the castle is a short walk from the old town. It is fully accessible by lift.
Family & Play
-
Fairy-Tale Grotto Railway (Grottenbahn Linz) High priority
A little dragon train rides through a fairy-tale world of dwarfs and scenes inside old fortification towers on Pöstlingberg.
The Grottenbahn is a fairy-tale ride in a small train through a world of dwarfs and fairy-tale scenes, set in the 19th-century fortification towers on the Pöstlingberg. Plan about an hour including the little museum parts. Get there by the Pöstlingbergbahn from Hauptplatz or by bus 150; the entrance is on Am Pöstlingberg 16, a few steps from the basilica. The last dragon train leaves 30 minutes before closing, and strollers are not allowed inside.
-
Linz Zoo (Zoo Linz) High priority
Small, family-friendly zoo halfway up the Pöstlingberg, open every day of the year.
Zoo Linz sits halfway up the Pöstlingberg next to the Urfahrwänd nature reserve at Windflachweg 1 and is open 365 days a year. It is compact enough for small children, with most of the grounds wheelchair-accessible; the Haus der Artenvielfalt and the Waldweg are not. The easiest way is the Pöstlingbergbahn (line 50) from Hauptplatz to the Tiergarten stop. Bus 150 from Landgutstraße (Mon-Sat) and Postbus 250/251 from Linz Hbf also stop at Tiergarten. In winter you must leave by dusk, so go earlier in the day; combine it with the Grottenbahn and the basilica higher up.
Green & Nature
-
Linz Harbour Cruise (Hafentour MS Linzerin) High priority
45-minute Danube cruise past the cultural mile and the large mural harbour.
The MS Linzerin leaves from the Wurm & Noé dock at Untere Donaulände 1, next to Lentos, and cruises for 45 minutes past the Kulturmeile and the Mural Harbor, described as Europe's largest outdoor gallery. In the 2026 season it sails Wednesday to Sunday from 25 April to 10 October with hourly departures from 11:00 to 16:00, then weekends only in October (17-31) and again in late November and December. Adults pay €15 (€16 in 2027), children 6-13 pay €7.50, and under 5 travel free. Booking is possible online or at the ticket office.
-
Danube Promenade and Mural Harbor (Donaulände) High priority
Green riverside promenade between Hauptplatz, Lentos and the Brucknerhaus, ideal for a stroll or picnic.
The Donaulände is the city's riverside living room: wide lawns, cycling paths and views to Ars Electronica Center across the water. You can walk from the Hauptplatz along the bank past Lentos to the Brucknerhaus in about 20 minutes. Farther east the harbour area is known for its mural art. It is free and open at any time, and has playground and picnic spots, with cafes nearby.
-
Pöstlingberg Mountain Railway (Pöstlingbergbahn) High priority
Historic mountain tram climbing from the main square to Pöstlingberg with one of the steepest gradients of any adhesion railway.
The Pöstlingbergbahn runs about 4 km from Linz Hauptplatz up to the Pöstlingberg hilltop, with a maximum gradient of around 11.6 percent. The ride is a sight in itself and ends next to the basilica, the Grottenbahn and the viewing terrace over the city and the Danube. Trams run every 30 minutes, and every 15 minutes on weekends and holidays from March to October between 10:00 and 17:00. Board at the Hauptplatz stop in the Altstadt, a short walk from the Old Town; the Erlebnisticket also gives you 24 hours on the whole LINZ AG network.
-
Linz Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten Linz) Nice to have
Free city botanical garden with themed plant collections; the glasshouses are closed for renovation.
The municipal botanical garden on Roseggerstraße is a quiet green spot with themed plant collections and shaded paths, free to enter. The glasshouses have been closed since September 2026 for a rebuild lasting about two years, so only the outdoor grounds can be visited. It is a relaxed stop for a stroll with a stroller; allow a short visit. Dogs on a short lead are allowed.
-
Volksgarten (Volksgarten Linz) Nice to have
Central city park next to the Musiktheater with monuments and shady lawns.
The Volksgarten is a green park in the middle of Linz next to the Musiktheater, with monuments including those to Franz Stelzhamer and Sebastian Kneipp. It is a good break between sights, open at all times and free. It lies a short walk from the Hauptbahnhof and the Landstraße.
-
Danube Park with Forum Metall (Donaupark) Bonus
Riverside park on the Urfahr bank with metal sculptures recalling Linz as a steel city.
The Donaupark lies right on the Danube on the Urfahr side and holds the Forum Metall, an open-air collection of metal sculptures that recalls Linz's steel-city history. It is a relaxed walk along the water, free and open at all times. Reach it on foot across the Nibelungenbrücke from the Hauptplatz, which makes it a good addition before or after the Pöstlingbergbahn.
Other
-
OK Linz (OK Offenes Kulturhaus, contemporary art) Bonus
Contemporary art centre of the Upper Austrian cultural quarter with changing exhibitions.
OK is the exhibition house and laboratory for contemporary art in the Upper Austrian cultural quarter, with a focus on media art and socio-political themes. Currently 'Carlos Motta: Pleas of Resistance' runs until 10 January 2027, and 'Elisa Andessner: BODY COUNTS' from 17 October 2026 to 21 February 2027 (free admission). Open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00-18:00. It is only for visitors who like contemporary art.
-
Brucknerhaus Concert Hall (Brucknerhaus Linz) Nice to have
The city's main concert hall on the Danube, famous for the Bruckner Festival and the Klangwolke.
Brucknerhaus is Linz's flagship concert hall on the Untere Donaulände, home of the Bruckner Festival and the yearly Linzer Klangwolke open-air show. Visiting is mainly by concert ticket or guided tour: family tours (about 70 minutes, for ages 0-99) run monthly and cost €7 for adults and €5 for children, free under 3; organ tours cost €7. Check the program on the official site for dates. Bus 26 stops at the Brucknerhaus, or it is a lovely walk along the Danube from Lentos.
-
Mural Harbor Street-Art Walk (Mural Harbor Linz, Mural Walk) Nice to have
Guided walks through Linz's harbour district, where artists from around the world painted huge murals on industrial buildings.
Mural Harbor is an open-air gallery of giant murals in the Linz harbour area, based at Regensburger Straße 2. Public Mural Walks (north or south route) take about 1.5 hours; combined and graffiti tours take about 2 hours, and there are also monthly Mural Boat tours on the Danube. Public tours run April to October, roughly Wednesday to Sunday, with the 1.5-hour walks at 17:00, the combined tour at 13:00 and graffiti tours on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. The harbour lies a few kilometres east of the centre, so use the LINZ AG journey planner or a bike along the Danube. Book your date online in advance.
-
Urfahr Fair (Urfahraner Markt: Linzer Frühling and Linzer Herbst) Bonus
Linz's big funfair on the Urfahr fairground, held twice a year: 24 April-2 May 2027 and 25 September-3 October 2027.
The Urfahraner Markt takes place at the Urfahraner Marktplatzgelände (Urfahrmarkt 1) on the north bank of the Danube, as the spring fair (Linzer Frühling) and the autumn fair (Linzer Herbst). The 2027 dates are 24 April to 2 May and 25 September to 3 October; the next edition after that is in spring 2028. It is a classic funfair with rides, food stalls and beer tents, popular with local families. Smoking is not allowed on the grounds. From Hauptplatz cross the Nibelungenbrücke on foot or by tram; LINZ AG strengthens its lines during the autumn fair. Outside these dates the grounds are closed to the fair.
Answer a few quick questions and we'll build a full day-by-day itinerary around what you want to see.
Plan my trip