David Whitley
Why Linz?
If you’ve come for the Austrian stereotypes – grand Habsburg palaces, classical music and alpine cowscapes – then Linz’s forward-thinking, innovative modernity comes as a shock. Austria’s third-largest city is all the better for not being a tour-bus-crammed kitschbomb, however. Built at the spot where the River Danube turns to the east, Linz is understatedly pretty. Look up while wandering through the old city and you’ll find plenty of handsome stucco work. Take the vertiginous tram up to the Postlingberg Hill and there’s evocative, old-school charm.
But the overall feel is of a city looking to the future – more Google than apple strudel. Highly distinctive cultural attractions are showcased inside bold architectural statements, a large student population feeds a young energy and change is actively welcomed rather than fought against.
A comfortable bed
The Spitz Hotel (www.spitzhotel.at) embraces Linz's artistic verve, with different cultural organisations from the city having a hand in designing each floor. The rooms all have massive, individually designed screen prints behind the beds, and the bright-red, starburst-style sponges in the bathroom add to the quirk factor. Double rooms cost from €94 (Dh377).
The oddly shaped, glass-and-concrete blob opposite the neo-Gothic Mariendom cathedral is another design-focused joint. The Hotel am Domplatz (www.hotelamdomplatz.at) makes clever use of space, with gorgeous wooden floors, hyper-cool mood lighting panels and dreamy cathedral views. Doubles cost from €105 (Dh421).
For something evocatively old-fashioned, the Wolfinger (www.wolfinger.at) is primely positioned on Hauptplatz, the city's main hub. It has kept most of the rooms – some with vaulted roofs – furnished in a charmingly time-warped Regency style. Doubles cost from €119 (Dh478).
Find your feet
Kick off at the Schlossmuseum (www.landesmuseum.at/schlossmuseum), which stretches between the castle and a strikingly contemporary glass extension. The collection is large, and covers multiple topics – from technological developments in Upper Austria to armoury and natural history – but English-language signage is minimal. If picking one section, go for the folk-art collection – the painted wooden cabinets are absolutely gorgeous, and need little explanation.
From there, stroll through the largely pedestrianised streets of the old town until you emerge at Hauptplatz. Detour to the gigantic Alter Dom cathedral for a gawp at the OTT decoration, then finish at the big glass oblong on the riverbank, Lentos (www.lentos.at), Linz's modern-art museum. The permanent collection, which features the likes of Warhol and Klimt, is strong, but its strength tends to be in daring temporary exhibitions.
Meet the locals
There shouldn’t really be any excuse needed to take a walk alongside the Danube, but the Donaupark, along the southern bank, is a great place to catch joggers and dog walkers. It also acts as an open-air sculpture gallery – giant, weird art installations are evenly spotted on the grass.
Book a table
In keeping with the city's character, dining veers towards modern and inventive rather than hearty Austrian classics. Cook (www.cook.co.at) is a great example, marrying a fish-heavy Scandinavian ethos with Asian flavours. Top dishes include monkfish in coconut curry for €16.50 (Dh66).
Herberstein (www.herberstein-linz.at) is similarly playful, straddling homely and contemporary, often with surprising fusion ingredients in dishes such as the €21.50 (Dh86) stewed beef cheeks. The ivy-strewn garden is lovely when it's warm outside, too.
Shopper’s paradise
The old town is liberally sprinkled with shops that make you want to have a second look – homewares, design and independent fashion boutiques are prevalent. But Bischofstrasse has an almost 100 per cent hit rate. Among the antique stores and jewellers, Living (www.living-store.at) does fabulous giftware – all stone-carved figurines and beautifully quaint wooden radio sets. StandArt (www.standart.at) goes for ultra-bold cartoony trinkets, from dressed-up rubber ducks to garish toasters.
What to avoid
Never repeat this statement while in the city, unless you want to be lynched, but the Linzer torte isn’t all that special. The much-revered local delicacy, made with almonds, spices and red-currant jam, can often be a little too dry. Given that this is Austria, land of the tremendous, gooey cake, eating one may well feel like a waste of an afternoon’s ration.
Don’t miss
Linz's unquestioned star is the Ars Electronica Center (www.aec.at), which is all about technology and how it affects society. There's some pretty cutting-edge stuff in there, such as thought-controlled prosthetic limbs and high-end 3-D printers. But it's most fascinating where art, technology and sociological statement meet – such as the giant jigsaw puzzle of a man made from pieces of information about him that Facebook had stored.
Getting there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies direct from Dubai to Vienna from Dh2,225. Direct trains (www.oebb.at) from Vienna airport to Linz take about two hours and cost from €9 (Dh36).
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