Making Your Holiday to Linz Easier —
in Five Easy Steps
“In Linz beginnt's”, or “It Begins in Linz”,
is the tourist slogan for this large Austrian city. In 2009 it is set
to become the European Capital of Culture largely due to its innovative
arts scene and especially the internationally renowned Ars Electronica
Festival, or Festival of Electronic Art. If you are planning a holiday
to somewhere in Europe then this is a more unusual place to consider.
Cheap Flights
Flights to Linz
have come down dramatically recently, especially since the launch of a
RyanAir direct flight from Stansted to Linz. You want to compare other
market leaders offering cheap flights to the area at companies such as
Travelzoo.
Bear in mind that, if you’re driving to the airport, various companies
such as AirParks offer discounted airport parking at many of the major
airports including Gatwick airport parking for 60% cheaper than the rate
you would pay if you turned up on the day.
Accommodation
Most hotels in Linz are fairly reasonable. For an upmarket hotel you
could try the Landgraf Hotel. The interior of Landgraf is in an art nouveau
style whereas the exterior is the remains of an historic town house. The
Landgraf prides itself in its modern, young staff and well-equipped modern
rooms while the hotel’s restaurant, Cafe Landgraf, is famous in
itself. For a budget hotel you could contact Hotel Kolping; each room
is well presented and has Internet access and Satellite TV; the hotel
also has its own restaurant and bar.
If you are looking for something a little different and are prepared
to travel then you could try the amazingly peculiar Das Park Hotel in
Ottensheim. These are rooms made from large (new) sewage pipes. Each room
has the bare essential including a double bed, a light, and a power point.
Guests are provided with a blanket and a sleeping bag on arrival and there
are showers and toilet facilities nearby. On top of this the rooms are
hired on a donation basis, given after your stay, and can be reserved
at www.dasparkhotel.net. For more hotels in the city, take a look at Lastminute.com.
Things to See and Do
If you have seen all of the common sights and are looking for more to
do then here are a few ideas. You could always take a ride of the wonderfully
weird Grotto Railway where you get to ride on a train in the shape of
a dragon into a fairy-tale kingdom. It may sound like a fairly new concept
but, believe it or not, this place recently celebrated its centenary.
If you are feeling energetic you may consider joining one of the many
guided walks around the city. These are offered through the linz.at website
and cost is dependent largely on how many people join the group. There
are many different types of walk ranging from architectural exploration
to walk up to the famous Postlingberg castle; be aware: this is a bit
of a bit of trek.
Where to Eat
One authentic local place to eat is the Hotel Schwechaterhof. They have
some very interesting and tasty dishes including the delicious Kasnock'n,
small cheese dumplings delicately served with a crisp salad - very good
value for money. One thing that you must try whilst in Linz is the Linzer
Torte, which is named after the city. It is made from one of the oldest
cake recipes in existence from crumbly pastry, nuts and jam.
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