Itinerary: 1 Day in Linz

To visit Linz, Austria, is to discover the 3rd ^largest city in the country.

Less known than Vienna or Salzburg, the city nevertheless offers many places of unmissable interest. Located on the banks of the Danube, it has experienced a cultural resurgence in recent years, especially after being designated as European Capital of Culture in 2009.

So what to see, what to do in Linz?

Follow now our top 10 things to see absolutely in Linz as well as all our advice and tips for 1 day Linz itinerary.

Visit Linz: the must-sees

1. The historic center of Linz

The discovery of Linz begins with a walk in the historic center to admire the emblematic monuments of the city.

The center is particularly beautiful with its houses with colorful and typical facades, Renaissance and Baroque buildings, and many trendy cafes and restaurants as well as nice little designer boutiques.

To see in the old town of Linz:

• Hauptplatz: Linz’s main square where the Old Town Hall and the Trinity Column are located . With its 13,200 m², it is the largest closed square in Europe. In winter, you will find the Linz Christmas market here.
• The Landhaus, seat of the president of the region. The very beautiful building, in the Renaissance style, houses in one of these courtyards, the “Fountain of the Planets”. It pays homage to a famous personality who lived in Linz, the astronomer Johannes Kepler. He discovered that the planets revolve around the sun following an elliptical path and not a circular one.
• The Kremsmünstererhaus where Emperor Frederick III is said to have died in 1493.
• Mozart’s house  where the famous composer created “The Linz Symphony” in just 3 days, in homage to the city.
• St. Martin’s Church, whose construction dates from before 788, making it the oldest church in all of Austria. Archaeological digs have uncovered inscriptions as well as a Roman oven.

Tips:
While you are on the Hauptplatz, take the opportunity to stop by the Tourist Office to get a map of the city.

2. The Mariendom / New Cathedral

Not far from the Hauptplatz, I then advise you to visit the Mariendom, also called “New Cathedral”. With a capacity of more than 20,000 people, it is the largest church in Austria.

Inside, you can admire magnificent stained glass windows such as the Linzer Fenster or the Kaiserfenster. The interior gallery, 15 meters high, also allows you to enjoy an unprecedented view of the entire church.

Don’t forget to climb the bell tower to admire the panorama of the entire city of Linz.

3. Linz Castle

Linz Castle is located on the heights and overlooks the historic center of Linz and the Danube. It is one of the places of interest not to be missed during your stay in Linz.

It notably served as the residence of Emperor Frederic III until his death in 1493. The castle has undergone several modifications over the centuries and has also served as a hospital, prison and military barracks.

The castle has a strange facade mixing the old and the modern. One of its wings having been destroyed by fire in 1800, it was rebuilt in a contemporary way with a glass and steel structure, on the occasion of the city’s election as European Capital of Culture.

You can visit the courtyard and the exteriors of the castle for free to admire all the contrasts.

Inside is the Upper Austrian Land Museum with permanent exhibits about the region and the city. The opportunity to learn a little more about the history of Linz.

Depending on the time of year, you will also find temporary exhibitions on the theme of art or natural sciences. The museum is really interesting and a must to discover this part of Austria.

The Linz Castle Museum is open daily. Price: 6.50€.

4. Monter au Postlingberg

Another activity to do in Linz, climb the Postlingberg hill.

To do this, you will have to take the funicular (the Postlingbergbahn) from Hauptplatz, famous for being one of the steepest in Europe. In 20 minutes, you will climb a vertical drop of 255 meters!

The funicular operates every day, there are about every 30 minutes and the round trip costs around 6€.

Arrived at the top of the hill, 600 meters above sea level, you can admire a breathtaking panorama over Linz and the surrounding area. This is clearly the place where you can enjoy the most beautiful view of the city. If you have clear weather, it is even possible to see the Alps in the distance.

At the Postlingberg, you will also find another symbol of Linz, the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Seven Sorrows whose 2 bell towers are visible from the heart of the city.

If you are visiting Linz with your family, your children will also be delighted to climb the Postlingberg for 2 reasons:

• They can take the little train in the cave (Grottenbahn) which takes them to discover a world of elves and tales. A reconstruction of Linz in miniature version has even been recreated. Thanks to a system of animations and games of light, several scenes from famous tales are illustrated and acted out. Open from March to November. Price: €5.50 for adults and ^€ 3.30 for children.
• Halfway up the Postlingberg climb, you can stop to visit the Linz Zoological Garden. More than 600 animals, including llamas, crocodiles and many birds are present there. Open all year. Price: 5.50€ adults / 3.50€ children. Free for children under 5 years old.

5. The Lentos Museum

Continue your visit to Linz with some cultural tourism. I recommend you to visit the Lentos Museum, located directly on the banks of the Danube.

The Lentos is Linz’s modern art museum and is one of the most important in Austria.

Covering more than 8,000m², the museum houses an impressive collection of paintings, sculptures and photographs. Famous Austrian artists such as Klimt, Schiele or Kokoschka are represented there.

Do not hesitate to have a drink on the terrace of the Lentos café, it offers a magnificent view of the Danube and the Postlingberg.

The museum is open every day except Monday. Prices: 8€. Free for children under 7 years.

Tips:
Go admire the Lentos museum at night, its facade is illuminated in multiple colors.

6. L’ARS Electronica Center

Opposite the Lentos Museum, on the opposite bank of the Danube, is the other museum to visit in Linz, the ARS Electronica Center.

The ARS presents itself as a museum of the future, dedicated to the arts and digital culture. It is very interactive and fun.

In particular, you will find permanent exhibitions on the art, technologies and society of tomorrow. He is particularly interested in biotechnology and robotics.

It also has a huge projection room to immerse yourself in fantastic places. Several spaces and workshops are also available for carrying out experiments.

Museum open every day except Monday. Prices: 9.50€

Just like the Lentos, you can go for a walk there at night, because it is also illuminated thanks to its facade made up of LEDs.

Tips:
On the top floor of the Ars Electronica Center, you will find   the CUBUS restaurant which offers an exceptional view of the Danube, the old town and the Lentos.

7. Take a cruise on the Danube

As you can see, I talk to you a lot about the Danube, so why not take advantage of your trip to Linz to take a cruise?

It is one of the main tourist activities to do in Linz thanks to the ideal location of the city.

You will of course have the choice between several companies and several cruise durations.

Some offer, for example, a tour of Linz only, while others will take you to discover the landscapes of the Danube valley or the Wachau over half a day or a whole day, sometimes even as far as Vienna!

If you choose to visit Linz, you can admire the Mural Harbor, an open-air art gallery. In the port of Linz, more than a hundred graffiti have been painted on industrial buildings.

For a slightly more authentic version, I advise you to opt for a cruise on the paddle steamer Schönbrunn, the oldest steamboat in Europe.

8. Linz Botanical Garden

For flora lovers, I recommend that you take a tour of the Linz Botanical Garden.

On 4 hectares, you will find around 10,000 plants and above all the largest collection of cacti in Europe. Also worth visiting is the tropical greenhouse, the Japanese garden, the rose garden and the part devoted to typical Alpine vegetation.

The place is really pleasant for a bucolic stroll.

Open all year and every day. Price: 3€

Tips:
To reach the Botanical Garden from Linz city center, take bus no. 27 to the “Botanischer Garten” stop. Otherwise, on foot count about 30 minutes.

9. Hohenrausch

If you find yourself in Linz between May and October, there is one thing you must do, the Hohenrausch exhibition.

It takes place every year, the principle remains the same but the theme varies.

The exhibition consists of walking on various footbridges between the monuments and on the roofs of the city. As you go, you climb ever higher in the city and the panoramas are superb.

Numerous works and installations by famous artists created especially for the occasion and the theme are arranged throughout the course. In 2016, the exhibition was, for example, devoted to angels. In 2018, the theme is water.

A truly original way to discover Linz.

10. Taste a Linzertorte

Visiting Linz without tasting a Linzertorte is like visiting Canada and not tasting a poutine, or visiting Sicily and not eating a cannoli, it’s not done!

So you have been warned, I advise you to include a tasting step especially for this culinary specialty.

The Linzertorte is a pie with blueberry jam whose top is covered with dough in the form of braces.

The inhabitants of Linz are particularly proud of it, so much so that the tourist office has adopted the Linzertorte as its official logo. It would be the oldest known pies in the world, a recipe was even discovered in a book dated 350 years ago!

Of course, as for the quiche lorraine or the pasta carbonara, several camps clash when it comes to the original recipe but everyone agrees on one point: the Linzertorte must be cooked in a metal pie dish, it must be blueberry and have braces on top.

Well now that you know all that, all you have to do is find the best place in Linz to taste it. There too, there is a divergence of points of view so I recommend 2 places:

• Chez Jindrak, a well-known tea room that is very popular at tea time
• The KUK Hofbackerei Cafe  : the oldest patisserie and bakery in Linz

The only way to decide between them will obviously be to taste both!

How many days to visit Linz

To visit Linz, 1 day is enough.

The historic center is very well done on foot and the only visit a little far from the center is accessible by bus in 15 minutes.

Of course, if you prefer to take a little more time or take a day cruise on the Danube , plan to spend 2 days in Linz.

If you want to visit the museums, you can get the Linz Card for 18€ for one day. You will have free access to Lentos, ARS and the Castle Museum which are among our top 10 things to do in Linz.

You will also be entitled to discounts for the Grottenbahn, Zoo, Botanical Garden and cruises on the Danube. You can buy it directly at the tourist office on Hauptplatz.

Visit Linz in 1 day

• Walking tour in the historic center of Linz to admire the buildings
• Discovery of Linz Castle
• Visit of your choice: the Lentos museum for art lovers or the ARS Electronica if you are more oriented towards new technology
• Lunch break
• Funicular ride to Postlingberg
• Taste the Linzertorte
• Passage in front of the Mariendom
• End of the day at the botanical garden or cruise on the Danube.

Accommodation in Linz

Are you looking for where to sleep during your stay in Linz? Here are my best deals based on your budget:

• Hotel Garni Wilder Mann: Located between the station and the historic center. Spacious and bright double room from €70 per night, breakfast at €8. The pluses: the good breakfast, the comfort of the rooms.
• Star Inn Hotel Linz Promenadengalerien, by Comfort: Located in the center of Linz, 200 meters from Mariendom. Modern and designer double room from €110 per night, breakfast at €14. The pluses: brand new hotel and therefore modern equipment, the generous breakfast, the location for visiting Linz on foot. It is our favorite for its performance / price ratio.
• Hotel AM Domplatz: Located right next to the New Cathedral. Very spacious and ultra-modern double room with open space on the bathroom from €160 per night, breakfast at €19. The pluses: the spectacular view of the cathedral from the rooms, the design and comfort of the rooms, the calm. The best hotel for a luxury stay in Linz!

Where to eat in Linz

• Fischerhaeusl: Located in Flusgasse street. The restaurant offers dishes based on fresh produce and a slightly revisited and more modern Austrian cuisine. Everything is delicious and the price/quality ratio is excellent.
• Rauner: Located on Kraussstrasse. Excellent cuisine with some rather original dishes. Very pleasant and warm environment. You can even see the cooks preparing the dishes thanks to the glass that separates the kitchen from the dining room.
• Wirtshaus Keintzel: Located on Rathausgasse street. Traditional Austrian dishes, copious quantities, all for cheap! Friendly service and a pleasant setting in a pretty interior courtyard.

How to get to Linz

From Vienna:

• By car: 2h15
• By train: 1h15 for 20€

From Graz  :

• By car: 2h35
• By train: 4h30 for 60€
• By bus: 5h30 for 30€

From Salzburg:

• By car: 1h30
• By train: 1h10 for 13€

Linz tourist map

To help you visualize the city a little better, I made you a tourist map of Linz, listing the places to visit that I talk about in this top 10 things to do. You can display the map legend by clicking on the top left button with a small arrow.

And you ? Do you plan to visit Linz during your tour in Austria? 

Are you going to Austria? Also to read

• Discover all our articles about Austria: all articles about Austria are listed here.
• What to do in Austria? The TOP 20 things to do and see in Austria
• Itinerary: A week in Austria: Itinerary to prepare your trip to Austria
• Graz: Top 10 must-see places
• Innsbruck: Top 15 places to visit
• Vienna: 4 Days in Vienna