I first visited Linz in the winter of 2022 on a snowy early January day. I had just moved to Salzburg and decided to spend a weekend on the train to a new city to discover more about the country I had just moved to.
→ Check out all my guides about Austria!
On that first snowy visit, I wandered around the little streets, still quiet and subdued from lingering COVID-19 lockdowns. From Linz, I took a train onward to the gorgeous Kremsmünster Abbey, just 45 minutes away.
→ Check out my guide to visiting Kremsmünster Abbey!
A few years later, my partner and I thought it was high time that another visit to Linz was due - a first for him - and so we chose a sunny weekend to explore the city, rediscovering the delightful streets and what makes this city so special.
Linz, sitting on the Danube River, is the third-largest city in Austria behind Vienna and Graz, and bigger than Salzburg but much less touristy than any of the other three. We reveled in that, enjoying the fact that we could wander a city without it being full of touristy attractions. For us, we consider Linz the perfect spot for a peaceful day trip or weekend visit.
I first visited Linz in winter 2022 and returned for another visit in spring 2025 and updated the original post with all the new things I did. This post was first published on 9 January 2022; last updated May 24 2025.
By flight: Linz does have its own small international airport with flights to select destinations across Europe however you're much more likely to fly into nearby Vienna, Austria's capital city.
From Linz International Airport, you can be in the city in just 20 minutes either by car or with bus 601. From Vienna International Airport, it takes just two hours either by car or by train via Vienna Hauptbahnhof to Linz.
By car: For our spring visit in 2025, we traveled to Linz by car from Salzburg, a journey of just over an hour and a half. Our favourite place to park is right in the old town at Garage Pfarrplatz.
By train: The first time I visited Linz in 2022, I came by train from Salzburg. Direct trains regularly connect the two in just over an hour with ÖBB, Austria's national rail service. It's about a half-hour walk from the train station into downtown Linz, or you can hop on a bus or tram directly from the station.
By bus: FlixBus services Linz with direct connections from 115 cities.
The old town of Linz, where most of the pretty streets, fun boutique shops and great restaurants are located, is easily walkable. You might also want to join a walking tour with a local guide to learn more about the city.
If you'd like to get somewhere quicker or a bit further away, a great network of trams and buses service the city.
To reach the viewpoint at Pöstlingberg, you can either drive up or take the cute tram (Pöstlingbergbahn) up from Linz Hauptplatz. The journey takes about 20 minutes and then you can say you've ridden the steepest adhesion railway in Europe!
→ Check the schedule and latest ticket prices for the Pöstlingbergbahn on their website.
Walking the streets in snowy January 2022
And the sunny streets of May 2025
View from Pöstlingberg
We've been repeat visitors to two restaurants in Linz, so they must be good!
We love stopping in at the Be Right Back for an Asian fusion lunch - I especially love the summer rolls and their avocado curry bowl.
I can highly recommend the Friedlieb und Töchter café, particularly their chai lattes and cookies.
Lunch at Be Right Back
Afternoon coffee at Friedlieb und Töchter
Visit Mariendom Linz, Austria's largest church
Also known at Linz's "new" cathedral, the Mariendom opened in 1924 and is now the largest church in all of Austria! I visited in both 2022 and 2025 and both times was in awe of the massiveness of the space with seating capacity for 20,000 people. I think my favourite part of the church both times was the exquisite stained glass windows depicting the history of Linz.
Find the Old Cathedral
Much smaller than the New Cathedral, the Old Cathedral - also known as the Church of Ignatius - was completed in 1669 and is tucked away in a small street in the old town.
Wander the colourful streets and go shopping
The best thing to do in a non-touristy city is simply to wander through the streets and discover the hidden corners and pretty façades. We also really love the shopping in Linz - and I especially can recommend going secondhand shopping here! Here are some of my favourite shops in Linz:
- Vintage Design Isole - amazing antique store
- A/T Store - sustainable concept store
- Buddy and Murphy - my favourite secondhand clothing boutique
- WARDROBE No2 - a beautiful Scandinavian secondhand boutique
- Kleider machen Leute - lovely clothing shop
- XILING - sustainable fair fashion brand
Take in the view from Pöstlingberg
We drove up to the viewpoint at Pöstlingberg - which you can also reach with the Pöstlingbergbahn from Linz Hauptplatz - and enjoyed a sweeping view of Linz and the surrounding areas.
There is also an impressive church at the summit, the Wallfahrtsbasilika Sieben Schmerzen Mariae, standing there since the 18th century.
Visit the gorgeous Wilhering Abbey
The interior of Wilhering Abbey is so beautifully done, decorated ornately in pink and white. While we there, a wedding was taking place, so we couldn't properly explore the church, but it was so great to see it nonetheless. There is also a lovely little self-service café onsite.
Wilhering Abbey is about ten minutes by car from downtown Linz.
While you're visiting Linz, you might want to add a few other nearby destinations to your list! Click on each photo below for my complete guide.
One place I have not yet visited but would like to is the Mauthausen Memorial at the former Concentration Camp, a stone from which stands outside Hitler's birth house in nearby Braunau-am-Inn on the German border.
Kremsmünster Abbey and Library
Steyr
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Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.
