Upper Austria
Picturesque lakeshores, historic towns and awe-inspiring mountains

Upper Austria, with its mixture of unexpected art and culture in Linz and crystal-clear lakes and mountains in the Salzkammergut region, is pure summer joy.

Upper Austria: a land of contrasts

The granite hills of the Mühlviertel region, rugged and stark yet part of beautiful, sweeping landscapes. The Salzkammergut lake district, both filled with nostalgia for imperial times and cutting-edge art, which made it 2024's European Capital of Culture. The capital city Linz, both an industrial steel town and the site of Ars Electronica Center, the museum of the future. Upper Austria is full of contrasts - which is why it is worth a visit.

Quick facts about Upper Austria
Capital city:Linz
Area:11,982 km²
Population:approx. 1.53 million (as of 2024)
Bathing lakes:70
Deepest lake:Lake Traunsee, 191 m
Nature parks:4

Upper Austria Visitor Cards
Get your visitor card and use cable cars free of charge, visit sights at a reduced price and get discounts on lake and river cruises.

Event recommendations

Find Upper Austria's top events here

Meet Upper Austria

أبرز المعالم

مناطق

مدن وأماكن 

For everything, there is a season

Traditional events in Upper Austria
  • In Gmunden, people gift each other gingerbread hearts on the fourth Sunday in Lent, or "Liebstatt" Sunday, a custom dating back to 1641.

  • On January 5, "Glöckler" runs take place throughout the Salzkammergut region, where people carry brightly illuminated headgear, whilst locals in elaborate "Schönperchten" costumes intend to drive away evil spirits.

  • Since 1604, Carnival (or "Fasching") in Ebensee has been celebrated with colourful parades at the end of February.

  • In late summer, colourfully decorated cows return from the Alpine pastures and are celebrated with local festivals.

  • The Christmas markets throughout Upper Austria have made a name for themselves for their festive, cosy atmosphere.

Futuristic technology meets romantic castles

شخصيات مشهورة

Where the Emperor spent summer

Imperial Bad Ischl

Bad Ischl in the Salzkammergut region was where the Austrian Imperial family, and especially Franz Joseph I and Elisabeth "Sisi", spent their summers. Today, you can take a guided tour of the Imperial Villa ("Kaiservilla") or visit the Marble Castle ("Marmorschlössl"), built for Empress Elisabeth.

Experience culinary delights in Upper Austria

وصفات

أماكن فريدة للإقامة

A region famous for its biodiversity

Kalkalpen National Park

Kalkalpen ("Limestone Alps") National Park in Upper Austria has made a name for itself as a particularly biodiverse and sustainable region.

  • The National Park includes one of the largest "closed forest" areas in Austria, i.e., no public roads disturb nature here. The only paths are forest roads necessary for the woodland's conservation and upkeep.

  • More than 200 km of unspoilt streams and over 800 springs of crystal-clear mountain water can be found within the area.

  • Four-fifths of Kalkalpen National Park's area is covered in forest.

  • Among countless other animal species, the National Park's forests are home to the only lynx population in the Austrian Alps.

Unique architecture

Upper Austria's "Vierkanthof" farmhouses

Upper Austria is home to a unique kind of farmhouse, the "Vierkanthof", which roughly translates as "four-sided farm". Variously built from sandstone, limestone or granite, these buildings are large, almost fortress-like, and rectangular, with a courtyard in the middle. The walls, which are up to one metre thick, keep the interior warm in winter and cool in summer.

FAQs

The federal state of Upper Austria is known for:

  • crystal-clear lakes (including Lakes Attersee, Traunsee, Mondsee, Irrsee, Wolfgangsee and Hallstätter See) and impressive mountains (e.g., Hoher Dachstein (2,995 m), Torstein (2,948 m), Großer Priel (2,523 m), Traunstein (1,691 m), Hoher Nock (1,961 m) and Schafberg (1,783 m)) in the Salzkammergut region;

  • the European Capital of Culture, Bad Ischl Salzkammergut;

  • the province's capital Linz on the Danube with its eponymous treat, the Linzer Torte;

  • the hilly Mühlviertel region;

  • its 50 breweries and 100 types of beer.

The region's previous name was "Österreich ob der Enns" ("Austria above the River Enns"), which, over time, became "Oberösterreich" (Upper Austria).

In the south of Upper Austria, you'll find the mountains and lakes of the Salzkammergut region, sometimes called "Austria's lake district".

The regions in the south-east around Pyhrn-Priel and Kalkalpen National Park are famous for their densely wooded mountain ridges.

The Danube valley runs through the province from west to east, with Linz, the provincial capital, in the centre.

To the north are the hills of the Mühlviertel region.

Upper Austria with its capital Linz is the right place for people who are looking for a mix of contemporary art, futuristic technology and experiences in nature.

Top sights in Upper Austria include the Ars Electronica Center, the Lentos Museum, the Linz Castle Museum, the Pöstlingberg hill in Linz, the European Capital of Culture Bad Ischl Salzkammergut and the province's abbeys (located in St. Florian, Schlägl and Schlierbach).

The highest mountain in Upper Austria is the Hohe Dachstein (2,995 m), the highest peak within the Dachstein mountain range.

قد يكون هذا مثيراً للاهتمام أيضاً