Lienz

Town · Tyrol, 🇦🇹 Austria

Lienz is the main town of East Tyrol, set in a sunny valley where the Isel and Drau rivers meet. The Dolomites rise just to the south, and the Hohe Tauern mountains lie to the north.

The town is relaxed and friendly, with a pedestrian centre and a castle on its edge. It suits walkers, cyclists and skiers who like quieter places.

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When to visit

June to September is best for hiking and cycling. Winter brings ski days and a calm Christmas market. Lienz is known for more sunshine than much of the Alps. Spring can be wet, and some mountain huts stay closed until June.

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Typical weather in January

Poor

4° (feels like 0°) · extremes -13°–9°
-5° at night
13 rainy days
8 sunny days
4 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 1 · low

Typical weather in February

Poor

5° (feels like 1°) · extremes -14°–10°
-4° at night
12 rainy days
8 sunny days
5 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 2 · low

Typical weather in March

Poor

8° (feels like 6°) · extremes -9°–16°
0° at night
15 rainy days
10 sunny days
6 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 3 · moderate

Typical weather in April

Poor

14° (feels like 12°) · extremes -3°–22°
4° at night
16 rainy days
7 sunny days
6 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 4 · moderate

Typical weather in May

Good

19° (feels like 18°) · extremes 3°–26°
9° at night
22 rainy days
6 sunny days
6 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 5 · moderate

Typical weather in June

Fair

24° · extremes 7°–30°
13° at night
23 rainy days
8 sunny days
8 hours of sunshine per day
Comfortable humidity
Calm winds
UV index 6 · high

Typical weather in July

Fair

25° (feels like 26°) · extremes 9°–30°
15° at night
23 rainy days
9 sunny days
8 hours of sunshine per day
Comfortable humidity
Calm winds
UV index 7 · high

Typical weather in August

Fair

25° (feels like 26°) · extremes 10°–30°
15° at night
21 rainy days
10 sunny days
8 hours of sunshine per day
Humid air
Calm winds
UV index 6 · high

Typical weather in September

Good

21° (feels like 20°) · extremes 5°–27°
11° at night
16 rainy days
10 sunny days
6 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 4 · moderate

Typical weather in October

Good

16° (feels like 15°) · extremes 1°–23°
7° at night
14 rainy days
9 sunny days
5 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 2 · low

Typical weather in November

Poor

10° (feels like 7°) · extremes -7°–17°
2° at night
14 rainy days
7 sunny days
4 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 1 · low

Typical weather in December

Poor

5° (feels like 2°) · extremes -12°–11°
-3° at night
13 rainy days
7 sunny days
4 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 1 · low

Climate data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2) · 1996–2025

Top sights

Burg BruckBurg Bruck is a medieval castle in Lienz in Tyrol, Austria. Burg Bruck is 711 metres above sea level.

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Hochstein

Lienz FriaryLienz Friary is a Franciscan friary in the centre of the town of Lienz in East Tyrol, Austria, formerly a Carmelite friary.

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Dolomitenbad Lienz

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Eisenbahn Museum Südbahn Heizhaus Lienz

Schloss Bruck is a medieval castle above the town with a museum of local art and history.
Franziskanerkloster St. Marien is a monastery in the town centre.
Herz-Jesu-Kirche is a church in the town with modern murals.
St. Andrä is the old parish church.
Rathaus Lienz is the town hall on the main square.
Eisenbahnmuseum Südbahn-Heizhaus is a railway museum in an old locomotive shed.
Hochstein is a local mountain with a cable car and walking trails.
Venedigerwarte is a lookout tower over the valley.
Dolomitenbad Lienz is the town's swimming pool and spa.
The Lienz Dolomites, to the south, have jagged peaks and long hikes.
Tristach lake, a small bathing lake, is a short drive away.

Featured Lists

Mefusbren69 / Public domain

Lienz Unmissables

Lienz serves as the cultural and alpine hub of East Tyrol, centered around the 13th-century Schloss Bruck and the historic Liebburg palace. The town's architecture spans from the medieval Franciscan Friary to the 17th-century towers on the main square. Outdoor landmarks like the Hochsteinhütte at 2,023 meters and the Venedigerwarte offer extensive views of the Lienz Dolomites, while sites such as the Kosakenfriedhof provide significant historical context regarding the region's 20th-century past.

10 places

What to experience

Walk or cycle part of the Drau Cycle Route.
Visit the castle and see the museum.
Hike in the Lienz Dolomites.
Ski at Zettersfeld or Hochstein in winter.
Drive the Grossglockner High Alpine Road from Heiligenblut.

Tours & Activities

Lienz — Map

Day trips

Heiligenblut, a village under the Grossglockner, is about 1 hour by car.
The Lienz Dolomites and Lienz Dolomites cable car are about 15 minutes away.
Tristach lake is about 10 minutes away.
Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy is about 1 hour 30 minutes away by car.
Carinthia's Lake Millstatt is about 1 hour 15 minutes away.

Getting there

By air: Innsbruck, Salzburg and Klagenfurt are all about 2 hours or more away.
By train: Lienz is on the Drau Valley line. Trains from Innsbruck run via Italy or via Salzburg and take about 3 to 4 hours. Check times on ÖBB.
By car: The B100 road follows the valley. The Felbertauern tunnel links Lienz with Mittersill and Salzburg. It is a toll road.

Getting around

The centre is small and best on foot. Local buses link nearby villages and the Dolomites cable car. Cycling is easy on the flat valley paths. A car helps for the high roads.

Driving

A car is useful for the high alpine roads and the Felbertauern tunnel. Winter tyres or chains are required in snow. Motorways in Austria need a vignette. The Grossglockner road is a toll road and is closed in winter.

Food & drink

East Tyrol cooking is simple and hearty. Try Schlipfkrapfen, pasta pockets filled with potato and herbs, and Tiroler Gröstl, a pan of potatoes and meat. Mountain huts serve warm dishes and cakes. The region is also known for dairy products.

Dinner

Wiener SchnitzelA thin, breaded and pan-fried veal cutlet, traditionally served with potato salad or parsley potatoes and a wedge of lemon.

TafelspitzBoiled beef in broth, served with roast potatoes and a sauce of apples and horseradish — a favourite of Emperor Franz Joseph.

Viennese Goulash Wiener SaftgulaschA rich beef stew slow-cooked with onions and paprika, typically served with a bread dumpling or bread roll.

Snacks & street food

KäsekrainerA grilled pork sausage studded with melty cheese, a classic order at Vienna's ubiquitous Würstelstand (sausage stands).

Sausage Stand Snack Würstel vom WürstelstandGrilled or boiled sausages (Bratwurst, Frankfurter, Bosna) served with mustard, bread and a pickle from street kiosks.

Sweets & desserts

ApfelstrudelThin pastry rolled around spiced apples, raisins and breadcrumbs, usually served warm with vanilla sauce or cream.

SachertorteA dense chocolate cake with a thin layer of apricot jam under a dark chocolate glaze, famously served with unsweetened whipped cream.

KaiserschmarrnA fluffy shredded pancake caramelised with sugar and dusted with icing sugar, served with plum or apple compote.

MarillenknödelApricot dumplings wrapped in potato or quark dough, rolled in buttery breadcrumbs — a Wachau and Viennese summer specialty.

Drinks

Viennese Melange Wiener MelangeThe signature Viennese coffee: espresso topped with steamed milk and milk foam, the centrepiece of coffeehouse culture.

Grüner VeltlinerAustria's flagship crisp, peppery white wine, widely poured in Vienna's Heuriger (wine taverns).

SturmA cloudy, lightly alcoholic partially-fermented grape must, available only for a few weeks in autumn.

Safety & health

Lienz is very safe. Mountain trails need care: check the weather, carry water and stay on marked paths. Tap water is clean and safe to drink. The emergency number is 112. The mountain rescue number is 140.

History

Lienz began as a Roman settlement, Aguntum, close by. The medieval town was ruled by the Counts of Görz, whose castle is now the main museum. It passed to the Habsburgs in 1500. After World War I, East Tyrol was cut off from North Tyrol, and it is still linked to it only through Italy and by the Felbertauern road.