Wels
Wels is the second largest city in Upper Austria, with about 65,000 people, and sits on the river Traun between Linz and Salzburg. It was a Roman town, and its old centre has a long, wide main square lined with coloured Gothic, Renaissance and baroque house fronts.
The city is a regional centre for trade and shopping and has a trade fair ground. It is calmer than Linz or Salzburg, and works well as a day stop for architecture and history.
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Beste Reisezeit
April to October is best for walking the old town and the surrounding countryside. Summer is warm and lively, with events on the main square. December has a Christmas market. Winter is cold and quiet.
Top-Sehenswürdigkeiten
- Burg Wels is the old castle of the city, where Emperor Maximilian I died in 1519.
- Burgmuseum is a museum of the city history in the castle area.
- Ledererturm is a medieval tower in the old town wall.
- Marienwarte is a lookout tower with views over the city.
- Welser Tiergarten is a small city zoo.
- Medien Kultur Haus is a culture and media centre.
- Schloss Aigenegg, Schloss Puchberg, Schloß Traunegg and Schloss Pollheim are castles and manor houses in and around the city.
- Naturschutzgebiet Kuhschellenrasen is a protected meadow with spring flowers.
- The Stadtplatz is the main square, with painted facades.
Empfohlene Listen
Erlebnisse & Aktivitäten
- Walk the Stadtplatz.
- Visit the castle and museum.
- Climb the lookout tower.
- Take the train to Linz.
- Cycle along the Traun.
Touren & Aktivitäten
Wels — Karte
Tagesausflüge
Orte zum Entdecken
- Linz is the nearest preferred destination.
Anreise
- By air: Linz Airport is about 20 minutes away by car. Salzburg is about 1 hour 10 minutes, and Vienna about 2 hours.
- By train: Wels is on the Westbahn line, with fast trains to Linz, Salzburg and Vienna. Check times on ÖBB.
- By car: Leave the A1 Westautobahn at Wels.
Unterwegs vor Ort
The old town is walkable and mostly traffic free. City buses cover the rest. The station is a 10 minute walk from the main square. Cycling is easy.
Autofahren
A car is not needed in the city. It helps for the lakes of the Salzkammergut. Parking in the old town is limited. Winter tyres or chains are required in snow. Motorways in Austria need a vignette.
Essen & Trinken
Upper Austrian food includes Knödel, dumplings, roast pork with sauerkraut and Linzer Torte, a jam tart. Look for local beer and cider. The city has many cafes on the main square.
Sicherheit & Gesundheit
Wels is very safe. Tap water is clean and safe to drink. The emergency number is 112. The mountain rescue number is 140.
Geschichte
Wels began as the Roman town of Ovilava and became an important regional city. In the Middle Ages it was a trading town on the Traun, and its castle was a residence of Emperor Maximilian I, who died here in 1519. Today it is a modern city with a preserved old centre.
Länderfakten
Quick practical facts for Austria at a glance:
- Währung
- Euro EUR € · Kartenzahlung · Häufig akzeptiert
- Notrufnummern
- 112
- Stromnetz
- 230 V · 50 HzSteckertyp C / Steckertyp F
- Sprachen
- Deutsch
- Leitungswasser
- Trinkbar
- Fahrseite
- Rechtsverkehr
- Telefonvorwahl
- +43
Wels – Plane deine Tage
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Data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata, Wikipedia, Tripomatic, Official websites, geoBoundaries (CC BY 4.0). Tours by GetYourGuide. We earn commission from bookings. Travel guide generated with AI.