Nature lovers and engineers will find their interests united in the Traunviertel, where Austrians have harnessed the power of the earth and celebrate its beauty. Named for the river Traun winding through its hills, the area has many of the country’s biggest industries. Note how these companies have carefully preserved the wildness around them.
Spend a few days in the capital Linz. Try the famous Linzertorte cake, which is available across the whole region. Travel to the Pöstlingbergkirche, a church that has been a pilgrimage destination for centuries. Stare up at the impressive fortifications of Linz Castle and breathe in the sweet scents in the air in the Botanic Gardens. In Steyr, the region’s second city, admire the elaborate architecture and decoration of the Bummerlhaus, a secular gothic building almost 800 years old.
From Steyr, head out into the wild hinterland of Kalkalpen National Park for hiking or mountain biking. Visit the Stausee Klaus, the reservoir of one of the country’s largest hydropower stations, for boating and fishing. Hike to Klaus Castle, overlooking the water. Experience an old-fashioned health cure in Gmunden, with a large variety of traditional healing baths. Go to Traun Fall, whose rushing waters course past Schloss Ort, a charming castle.
Traunviertel is located in northern Austria, near the borders with the Czech Republic and Germany. Linz has a small airport, though it has few international flights. Fly to Munich or Vienna. Take the train to the region in 1.5 hours from the Austrian capital. Drive from Vienna to Linz in about 2 hours or from Salzburg in 1 hour and 15 minutes. Most towns in the region have a train station, and Linz has a robust public transportation system. More far-flung destinations may require using a car.
Make the pilgrimage from Traunviertel to Kremsmünster Abbey, whose museums and 17th-century library, with more than 150,000 books, are testaments to the wealth and learning of the Austrian church.
