A very Happy New Year
from Mumbai! How has 2015 begun for you? I started the New Year by falling ill,
but it did give me some time to sort through the photos from my recent visit to
Austria. So here’s the first post of 2015 – on the culturally happening and
very charming city of Linz. In Austria most people usually end up visiting
Vienna (read Where
to Eat and Stay in Vienna) and Salzburg (especially fans of Mozart,
or Sound of Music), maybe Innsbruck. Another place I highly recommend is Hallstatt,
the oldest still-inhabited village in Europe.
Since I had already
visited these places in the summer of 2013, I decided to check out a new city
this time around. I opened up the map, well Google Maps actually, and Linz
caught my eye, as it’s a short train ride from Vienna, which was my base. So I
started doing some research online (the Linz Tourism website
is full of helpful information in English, and it was my starting point). I
spent just one day in the city, which is certainly not enough, but I look at this
trip as a recce for another, longer trip in the future!
So here's my Linz travel guide for you!
1) Location, location,
location
Linz is located on a
bend in the Danube River, the second longest river in Europe.
The city’s Celtic
and Roman names “Lentos” and “Lentia” derived from the fact that, here, the
Danube bends and changes direction. Linz is 185 km from Vienna and there are
frequent trains between the cities that bring you in less than 90 minutes.
Linz
is quite literally located in the centre of Europe and can be a great base to
explore not just Austria, but also neighbouring Germany, Czech Republic &
Hungary.
2) Oldest & Biggest
Linz is home to the
oldest church in Austria – St. Martin’s Church, which first finds mentions in
records dating back to 799.
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| Image courtesy Linz Tourism |
The church is preserved in its original state.
Inside you can see excavated stones with Roman inscriptions, as well as a kiln
from the Roman era.
But that’s not all; the city also boasts of the largest
church in Austria – the Cathedral of St. Mary (Mariendom), simply
referred to as Neuer Dom (the New Cathedral). The cathedral's cavernous interiors can accommodate
some 20,000 people at a time. The stained glass windows in the cathedral are
particularly noteworthy – I haven’t seen such detailing and vibrant colours in any other
cathedral. Some parts of the church were bombed during WWII and the windows
were restored in a slightly more modern fashion. The church also offers a “Tower
Hermit” programme, which was started in 2009 – where one can ascend
the 395 steps up the spire and spend a week in the Türmerstube (built during
WWII and possibly served as a lookout) hermitage – and ponder on the meaning of
Life!  |
| Image courtesy Linz Tourism |
3) Soak in the Culture
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| Image courtesy Linz Tourism |
Linz was the European
Cultural Capital in 2009, which did a great deal to give rise to a vibrant and
very contemporary cultural scene. Curiously, while the Viennese culture revels
in its glorious past, Linz seems more resolutely forward-looking. That is not
to say that its history is forgotten.
The superbly-preserved Old Town,
historical churches, the Baroque ambience of the Hauptplatz (main square) and
the Renaissance-era vaulting in the inner courtyards of many buildings in the
old town, all showcase a city proud of its history.
Yet one look at the city’s ‘Culture Mile’ along the Danube will have you thinking that you’re in quite another city.
Yet one look at the city’s ‘Culture Mile’ along the Danube will have you thinking that you’re in quite another city.
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| Image courtesy Linz Tourism |
The modern architecture of the Lentos Art Museum reflects
its status as one of the most important contemporary art museums in Austria.
Linz is home to Europe’s most modern opera house, the Musiktheater at
Volksgarten, which offers five stages of varying capacities.
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| Image courtesy Linz Tourism |
On the other side
of the Danube lies the very futuristic looking Ars Electronica Centre, with its
façade lit up by ever-changing LED lighting. AEC houses the Museum of the
Future, which focuses on new media art using material such as computer
animation, 3D, digital music, space pixels etc.
4) Year-round
destination
In summer take the
Pöstlingbergbahn, the steepest mountain track railway, up the Pöstlingberg hill
that overlooks the city, to enjoy the various cultural events in the
Rosegarden. The Grottenbahn or grotto train, in a 19th century fortification
tower on the hill, takes children (and adults) through an illuminated fairyland
of dragons and dwarves.
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| Image courtesy Linz Tourism |
The 18th century Pöstlingberg church, with
its unique double steeples is a pilgrimage centre. The Linz Zoo lies halfway up
the hill. 
The more than 100-year-old Pöstlingbergbahn runs throughout the year
and I took an afternoon train ride up to the hill. However, since it was a
cloudy day, I couldn’t get a very good view over the city; yet, it was a fun
ride up and down (one return ticket included in the Linz Card).
One of Linz’s famous
residents was the celebrated composer Anton Bruckner, who was born here and was
the organist at the Old Cathedral for three years. The concert hall
Brucknerhaus is named after him, as is the annual Brucknerfest held in
September-October.
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| Image courtesy Linz Tourism |
The “Cloud of Sound” joins the Brucknerhaus with the Ars
Electronica Centre, converting the entire area into an outdoor multimedia
concert.
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| Image courtesy Linz Tourism |
In December the city
transforms into a sea of twinkling lights and Christmas Markets spring up on
either end of the Landstrasse, the main shopping street.  |
| Image courtesy Linz Tourism |
The market at
Hauptplatz was charming, but small compared to the massive markets I had seen
in Vienna (read 5
Best Christmas Markets in Vienna).
The one at the Volksgarten was
much bigger, with the scent of frying sausages and brewing mulled wine in the
air. There were big huts offering glühwein
and punsch, and there was a warmed-up
outdoor area to eat, drink and mingle. A hot käsekrainer (cheese-filled sausage) and a plateful of potato fries
was the perfect dinner to end the day!
While Linz is not a
skiing destination, there are several good ski resorts nearby – many of which
are great for families and kids (and beginners).
5) Let them eat Cake
Linz’s most famous
culinary treat is the Linzer torte, supposedly the oldest cake in the world
(first mentioned in 1696), or as Fritz Rath, the fourth generation owner of the
bakery k.u.k. Hofbäckerei says, “It’s the oldest of the best-known tarts in the
world!” I dropped in for a coffee and a slice of the famed cake. The café
itself is quite intimate and quaint, filled with old photographs, and furniture that seems at least
50 years old.
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| Image courtesy Cafe Hofbäckerei |
Recipes of the cake vary within the city itself, and the one that
arrived at my table is baked to the secret recipe of Hofbäckerei. It’s made up
of hazelnut flour, nuts and spices and has a thin layer of red currant jam,
something that combats the slightly dry texture of the cake. It went perfectly
with my coffee & cream, and the sweet and tart taste of the cake explained
why it might have been a favourite with Sisi, as the Empress Elisabeth (wife of
Franz Joseph I) was fondly known.
Where to stay in Linz,
Austria
Accommodations in Linz range from big hotels near the railway station to cute BnBs in the city centre. I had the best of both worlds as I stayed the night at the conveniently located Hotel am Domplatz. The hotel
is a short cab ride from the train station and is located right opposite the
New Cathedral. Talk about a room with a view! The cathedral view is not
available for the Standard room (which I had), but these rooms look out over
the city and it’s a pretty nice view too. 
The floor to ceiling windows let in
plenty of light. The room is quite spacious and the bathroom+wc+shower was
quite large, by European standards. The breakfast buffet was plentiful and
delicious.
As with everything else
in Linz, the hotel’s glass façade and clean lines stand in stark contrast with
the neo-Gothic cathedral opposite it, though without striking a jarring note. The
Old Town, Hauptplatz & Lentos are a short walk in one direction, while the
Volksgarten and Musiktheater are in the opposite direction, easily reached by
foot. Of course you can take the tram from one end of Landstrasse to another.
For lunch, I’d
recommend the Lentos Restaurant at the museum. The gastro-bar has a sweeping
view of the Danube and a modern ambience. I had a Weiner Schnitzel, which was
served with parsley potatoes, rice and a cranberry sauce on the side – quite an
unusual combination, one that I had never had before, but the freshness of the
sauce cut some of the heaviness of the crumbed & fried schnitzel.
I imagine Linz will be
a completely different experience in summer, when all the cultural events are
in full swing, and I hope to make it back to explore it better. So will you be
adding it to your travel plans for 2015?