Upper Austria

Unfolding across the gently undulating countryside, this under-the-radar region has a taste of all that is great about Austria. For starters, there's the mighty Danube and a rich musical heritage, old-world coffee houses and castle-topped medieval towns, and resplendent Augustinian abbeys and spas.

Beyond the high-tech museums and avant-garde galleries of Linz lies a land in miniature filled with surprises: from rustic farmhouses serving home-grown Most (cider) to the limestone pinnacles of the Kalkalpen, where the elusive lynx roams and picturesque towns such as Steyr and Schärding are painted in a palette of ice cream–coloured hues. Whether you're among the mist-shrouded hills rippling towards the Czech Republic or wheat fields fading into a watercolour distance at dusk, you'll find these landscapes have a quiet, lingering beauty of their own.

Explore Upper Austria

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Upper Austria.

  • Abbey

    Augustiner Chorherrenstift

    Rising like a vision above St Florian, this abbey dates at least to 819 and has been occupied by the Canons Regular, living under Augustinian rule, since…

  • Gallery

    Lentos

    Overlooking the Danube, the rectangular glass-and-steel Lentos is strikingly illuminated by night. The gallery guards one of Austria's finest modern-art…

  • Cathedral

    Mariendom

    Also known as the Neuer Dom, this neo-Gothic giant of a cathedral lifts your gaze to its riot of pinnacles, flying buttresses and filigree-traceried…

  • Museum

    Ars Electronica Center

    The technology, science and digital media of the future are in the spotlight at Linz' biggest crowd-puller. In the labs you can interact with robots,…

  • Monastery

    Stift Engelszell

    The little riverside village of Engelhartszell an der Donau is home to one of only eight licensed Trappist breweries outside Belgium, and the only one in…

  • Abbey

    Stift Kremsmünster

    Kremsmünster’s enormous Benedictine abbey dates from 777, but was given a baroque facelift in the 18th century. Elaborate stucco and frescoes shape the…

  • Memorial

    Mauthausen Memorial

    Mauthausen's status as a quarrying centre prompted the Nazis to site KZ Mauthausen concentration camp here. Prisoners were forced into slave labour in the…

  • Public Art

    Mural Harbour

    Street art comes into its own on the graffiti-blasted industrial facades in Linz' harbourside Hafenviertel. You'll find eye-catching, larger-than-life…

  • Church

    Pfarrkirche St Wolfgang

    In the pindrop-quiet village of Kefermarkt, this pilgrimage church’s main claim to fame is its breathtaking Gothic Flügelaltar (winged altar). A…

  • Viewpoint

    Pöstlingberg

    Linz spreads out beneath you atop Pöstlingberg (537m), a precipitous 20- to 30-minute ride aboard the narrow-gauge Pöstlingbergbahn from the Hauptplatz…

  • Tower

    Sternwarte

    Part of the Stift Kremsmünster complex, the 50m-high Stern­warte is dedicated to numerous schools of natural history. Spanning seven floors, the mind…

  • Distillery

    Peter Affenzeller Destillerie

    Single, blended and grain whiskys, liqueurs, schnapps, vodka and gin are all distilled at Peter Affenzeller, 12km southwest of Kefermarkt. Go behind the…

  • Gallery

    Landesgalerie

    Housed in a sumptuous late-19th-century building, the Landesgalerie focuses on 20th- and 21st-century paintings, photography and installations. The…

  • Castle

    Schlossmuseum

    Romans, Habsburg emperors, fire – Linz' castle has seen the lot. Enjoy the panoramic city views before delving into its museum's trove of treasures,…

  • Park

    Schlosspark

    Footpaths through this quiet park lead to baroque Schloss Lamberg, sitting pretty between the confluence of the Enns and Steyr Rivers. A steep passageway…

  • Museum

    Schlossmuseum

    The city’s 14th-century castle, with a square tower topped by a tapering red-tiled roof, harbours this museum, exhibiting 600 works of engraved painted…

  • Church

    Stiftskirche

    You don't have to tour the Stift Kremsmünster to enter its Stiftskirche. The marvellously over-the-top baroque church is criss-crossed with white…

  • Museum

    Museum Arbeitswelt

    Housed in a converted factory by the river, this excellent museum delves into Steyr’s industrial past with exhibits on working-class history, forced…

  • Church

    Stadtpfarrkirche

    The spire of this Gothic church is one of Steyr’s most visible landmarks. The church shares features with Stephansdom in Vienna and the same architect,…

  • Historic Site

    Stadtplatz

    Wels’ main square is framed by slender town houses, many of which conceal arcaded inner courtyards. Particularly attractive is the ivy-clad courtyard at…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Upper Austria.

  • Activities