Our weekend trip to the Christmas market in Linz started on Saturday at 06 am. We experienced pleasant journey and very fast border crossing. After Graz, we stopped on the landing Rosenberg. After driving in direction of Salzburg/Linz (Linz is on half way between Vienna and Salzburg), after about 2 hours, stopped once again about 40 km before Linz. Here, in the Landzeit you could find really huge choice of food, sweets, cakes and different souvenirs and decoration.
Linz is 3th Austrian city by population (about 200 thousand inhabitants) and is main town of the Upper Austria. It is very important harbor on the Danube River and railway center.
By arrival to the Linz, we have stopped just near to dock for the cruise ships on the Danube River and continued walking to the city center.
Some of the recommended sights are:
The Old Cathedral, also called the Church of Ignatius or the Jesuit Church. It was built between 1669 and 1683 in Baroque style.
The New Cathedral (also called the Mariendom or the Mariä-Empfängnis-Dom) is the largest (but not the highest since Vienna’s Stephansdom Cathedral is 2 meters higher) church in Austria. Amazing glass windows decorate the cathedral, which was finished in 1924 and can accommodate 20,000 people.
Pöstlingberg
The Linzer Hausberg, 539 m high hill is located right in the city and is a popular tourist destination, because of the great viewing platform and impressive view over the Linz. You can use the well-known Pöstlingbergbahn to ride up to the mountain.
Ars Electronica Center
Its alternative name is Museum of the Future – “Museum der Zukunft”. The Museum offers interactive exhibitions on the topics of technology, innovation and the media. You are often able to participate in part of events during walking through the Museum. You will need about 2 hours for your visit. The Museum is located directly on the Danube, just a few minutes walking distance from the Old Town over the bridge.
Lentos Art Museum
It’s located on the Old Town side of the Danube River. From the Old Town you can reach the Lentos Art Museum in just a few minutes walking. They show alternating exhibitions in both modern and contemporary art.
Linzer Christkindelmarkt
It takes place at the Main Square and is the most popular Christmas market in Linz. Here you could find stalls decorated with painted signs and rooftop lights. We enjoyed walking through the fair, since charming atmosphere and great smells. You could try some of the many kind of different meals with accent on different kind of sausages. I definitely recommend hot sausages in combination with hot wine (I take my cup to home, as a souvenir). On the other hand, it is very hard to choose same from the many delicious sweets, since all looks so tasty. Here you could also find beautiful Christmas decorations, made by local’s crafts.
Food in Linz
Linzer torte
Linz is very well known since their famous Linzer cake, which locals said is the oldest cake in the world, with its first recipe dating from 1653.. We tried the really good one in Konditorei Jindrak (located in the Herrengasse), which is famous place in Linz to enjoy in a slice of mentioned cake. Additionally, I like to mention that we have asked if they offer some cakes without the eggs (since our child is allergic on eggs) and we have been very pleasant surprised when they offered Linzer torte for vegans (without eggs). So, it has been really special moment that our son has possibility to try such famous cake without an egg.
Food and restaurants
You have possibility to try different kind of cousins, but we preferred local’s pubs and choose Stieglbraü Klosferhof. So, we choose one of traditional meal – white sausages with cabbage and potato. When you are in Austria, it is something to “must”:)
I just adore Christmas season in Austria. We visited Linz in December 2019 and hope to visit it very soon again.
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