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Splendid Cities and Salt Mines: A Tour Of Upper Austria

The region of Upper Austria is home to many of Austria’s most remarkable lakes, salt mines, and mountains.

Although most tourists visit Upper Austria for its natural wonders, this region also boasts many well-preserved buildings, some of which date back to the Middle Ages.

Renting a holiday home in Upper Austria is a great way to explore all this region has to offer with your family. 

The most popular tourist destination in Upper Austria is the tiny town of Hallstatt. Located on Hallstatt Lake, Hallstatt is a picturesque town has been inscribed in UNESCO’s World Heritage List for its beautiful architecture and long history as a salt mining town.

People who visit Hallstatt for the first time are awe-struck by the breathtaking beauty of the calm lake and the surrounding mountains. In addition to exploring the town proper, be sure to take a trip to the centuries-old salt mines to better understand how this region became so prosperous. 

The city of Linz is another tourist-friendly area to visit in Upper Austria. While not as famous as Vienna or Salzburg, Linz is home to the largest square and the largest cathedral in Austria. The most popular site in Linz is the Pöstlingberg hill, which offers stunning views of the city and is home to an important church dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

For a better understanding of Linz’s long past, take a trip through Linz Castle, which dates back to the 800s. 

In recent years, Linz has invested a great deal of money into building some of Austria’s greatest museums. The hi-tech Ars Electronica Center is one of the most impressive of these museums and is a great draw for anyone interested in the latest advances in technology.

Art lovers should spend most of their time in the Lentos Museum of Art and the Upper Austrian Literature Museum, both of which have great collections of artistic masterpieces and rare artifacts. Some of the more offbeat museums you’ll find in Linz include the Museum of the History of Dentistry and the Cowboy Museum. 

One well-preserved small town in Upper Austria that doesn’t get a ton of tourist traffic is Freistadt. People who make the trip to Freistadt are impressed by the city’s 13th century Main Square with its ornate St. Mary’s Fountain. Freistadt is also home to two grand Gothic buildings: the Freistadt Castle and the Parish Church Katharinenmünster. 

People who want to take part in an annual event while in Upper Austria must head back to Linz. Since Linz is the largest city in the region, it makes sense that most of the area’s big events happen here.

Linz is particularly well-known for its music festivals, especially its “Cloud of Sounds” and International Bruckner Festival, both of which happen in September. Other fantastic festivals in Linz include the International Circus Festival in July and the Crossing Europe Film Festival in April.