CME Cruises Visiting Linz

Linz balances a historic baroque core with a sharp contemporary edge along the Danube. If you stay in town, walk the Culture Mile along the riverbank, anchored by the striking glass facade of the Lentos Art Museum and the interactive Ars Electronica Center. The old city center features the Mozart House—where the composer wrote his Linz Symphony in three days—and traditional cafes. Order a slice of Linzer Torte at Café Jindrak, the acknowledged master of the almond-and-currant pastry. For full-day calls, Linz is the primary launch point for excursions into two distinct regions:

• Salzburg: The drive south crosses the Austrian Lake District, often stopping at Mondsee to view the Basilica St. Michael. In Salzburg proper, focus on the baroque architecture of Residenz Square and the terraced Mirabell Gardens.
• Český Krumlov: Heading north across the Czech border brings you to this remarkably preserved medieval town, wrapped in a tight bend of the Vltava River and dominated by its 13th-century castle complex.
• Austrian Lake District: Half-day scenic drives focus purely on the Salzkammergut region, typically stopping in the lakeside village of St. Wolfgang for a walk past its frescoed buildings and gothic pilgrimage church.