Upper Austria

Linz, a City Reinvented

Once known mainly for its steelworks, Linz has remade itself as a hub of digital art and culture. The Ars Electronica Center glows above the river, the Lentos museum lights up the waterfront, and the old town keeps its baroque squares and hilltop pilgrimage church. A ride up the Pöstlingberg on the steep little railway rewards you with the whole city laid out along the Danube.

Lakes, Peaks and the Salzkammergut

Southward lies the Salzkammergut, a dreamy realm of mirror still lakes ringed by mountains. The Traunsee, Attersee and Mondsee draw swimmers and sailors in summer, while the mighty Dachstein keeps its glaciers and caves year round. This is walking and paddling country at its most postcard perfect, with lakeside towns that have charmed visitors for generations.

Abbeys, Hills and Quiet Roads

Beyond the lakes, the granite Mühlviertel rolls north toward the Czech border in a patchwork of forests, farms and cycle paths. Grand baroque monasteries such as St. Florian, long tied to the composer Anton Bruckner, and Kremsmünster reward a slower wander, as does the historic ironworking town of Steyr with its painted houses. The Danube cycle path glides through it all, making the whole region a joy to explore at an easy pace.