UPPER AUSTRIA

Linz – European Capital of Culture 2009

The cultural wealth and the many attractions of the picturesque town center bear witness to the past glory and present beauty of Linz. A ride on Europe's steepest train up to Pöstlingberg Mountain creates memories that will stay with you forever. Stroll around the lovely old town quarter and soak up the enjoyable atmosphere of the Baroque downtown square. And don't miss out on tasting a delicious piece of the Original Linz Cake at a coffeehouse - and take one with you as a gift for your loved ones at home! Everything starts in Linz is the slogan of this refreshingly modern city and capital of Upper Austria. The ARS Electronica centre is a "museum" and festival dedicated to information, technology and art and the "Linzer Klangwolke" attracts ten thousands of people. The modern Brucknerhaus Concert Hall is regarded to be one of Austria’s best places for classical music. And the Lentos museum of modern art makes other places in Austria struggle in their endeavours to catch up in this area.

From Mühlviertel to Salzkammergut, Upper Austria presents a huge variety of landscapes!

The most charming spots of the province are the many market towns on a variety of corners. Part of the Salzkammergut is also in Upper Austria (including the towns of Mondsee, Bad Ischl, Hallstatt, Gmunden, Gosau, Traunkirchen, Altmünster, St Wolfgang by Lake Wolfgangsee, Bad Goisern and Schloss Scharnstein Castle). Mauthausen is a village near Linz and was the site of Austria’s biggest concentration camp during the Third Reich and is now a memorial site, it hosts an exhibition and is open to the public. The abbeys of St. Florian and Kremsmünster are among the molst elaborate of Austria's baroque monasteries. The county itself has preserved much of its rural atmosphere and there are plenty of small, historic towns that are worth being explored. These include Braunau, Schärding, Steyr, Wels, Freistadt, Ried and Enns. The Place for Health Freaks & Culture Buffs Tucked away in the folds of Upper Austria’s Alpine foothills, the fine Thermal Spa Resort of Bad Hall and the town of Kremsmünster, rich in historic weal...The Danube, of course, is one of the most legendary rivers in Europe, and the surrounding area is rich in scenic splendor, historic wealth, and architectural grandeur. The Bohemian Forest area, lovingly dubbed the "Green Roof of Europe", is of awesome natural beauty and lends itself to outstanding nature and culture exploration. The Kalkalpen National Park is an area of awesome natural beauty and is noted for being the most densely wooded and the most beautiful National Park in Austria.

Top Attractions of Upper Austria

- Gmunden & Lake Traunsee
- Hallstatt: Old Town, Salt Mines, Lake Hallstättersee
- Mauthausen, former concentration camp
- Baroque Abbeys: St. Florian, Wilhering, Kremsmünster
- Ars Electronica (museum of digital art) & Lentos, Linz
- Salzkammergut: Gosau, Bad Goisern, Bad Ischl
- Steyr & National Park Kalkalpen
- Freistadt & Mühlviertel
- Inn Towns: Braunau, Schärding, Obernberg & Ried
- Almtal Valley: Scenery & Hiking