Discover Wels-Land

Rolling ridges, small areas of woodland, gravel terraces, floodplain areas and sparsely settled farmland shape the landscape of the Wels-Land district. The Traun also serves as a local recreation area. This means your holiday plans can bring together riverside landscapes, paths through moorland and places with a distinctive architectural and cultural history. The holiday apartment that makes the right base for you depends on whether you would prefer to spend your days outdoors, visiting cultural attractions, or doing both.

Riverside areas and trails through the landscape

The Traun has been renaturalised and widened in Fischlhamer Au, where newly created side channels now complement the river. This has created recreation areas and wildlife refuges for people and nature. A system of ponds and pools fed by a high groundwater table has also been preserved there. The floodplain thus combines a local recreation area with a distinctive aquatic environment.

The region’s excursion and leisure portal provides information on more than 70 hiking and cycling trails with a total length of around 800 kilometres. The Wels-Land Circuit links all 24 municipalities in the district with the city of Wels over a distance of around 160 kilometres. It passes through gentle hill country, along rivers and floodplains, and past orchards, historic town centres and significant cultural sites. You can explore the circuit over several days or on individual sections.

Individual trails each have their own highlights: Über´s Lahholz zum Moor offers panoramic views from the Totes Gebirge mountains to the Hausruckviertel region. Über`d Moosleitn passes through moorland and ends at the Neydharting spa hotel. On a clear day, the Hafeldrunde offers views of the Salzkammergut mountain range, including the Traunstein. The Entenstein hiking trail has an approximately 300-metre detour to the Entenstein natural monument. The Fischlhamer Runde follows the Fischlhamerbach stream and passes the parish centre with its Fischerkanzel (Fisherman’s Pulpit).

The Traun Cycle Path R4 also offers a route of its own: it heads towards Stadl-Paura and Lambach, home to its Benedictine abbey, then returns to the Traun via Edt bei Lambach and follows the river on to Wels. Conditions on the Entenstein trail and the Fischlhamer Runde may change; temporary construction work or diversions are possible on the R4. Check the latest information before setting out.

Built in 2014, the Marchtrenk Peace Trail commemorates the two world wars and the subsequent reconstruction. Twenty-one information boards featuring contemporary photographs stand at 13 prominent locations in the town. The trail passes through Marchtrenk and along 13 stops. Route details may change; check the official tourism information before setting out.

Churches, museums and cultural destinations

The Church of the Holy Trinity in Stadl-Paura was built between 1714 and 1717. In its floor plan, a circle enclosed by an equilateral triangle symbolises the Holy Trinity. The Parish Church of St Peter in Fischlham offers another special perspective on sacred art: its Fischerkanzel (Fisherman’s Pulpit) was installed in 1759 and depicts the words from the Gospel of Luke, “At your word I will let down the nets.” It is one of three Fisherman’s Pulpits in Upper Austria and is considered a gem of art history.

The Schiffleutmuseum in Stadl-Paura focuses on the transport of salt along the Traun to the Danube. Among its notable objects is a five-metre-long model of the navigable canal at the Traunfall. The private Angerlehner Museum offers a different way to experience art, with changing exhibitions of contemporary works. Its collection comprises more than 2,500 works, with a focus on Austrian painting after 1945.

Architecture and event venues are also part of the region’s cultural offerings. The Knights’ Hall on the second floor of Bernau Castle has a magnificent wooden ceiling and, together with its adjoining rooms, provides a setting for concerts, readings and other cultural events. The castle concerts range from classical music and jazz to traditional folk music; individual programmes vary. Tempus – Museum of Archaeology spans the period from the Bronze Age to modern times. It is located at Almeggerstraße 5, in the immediate vicinity of the market square, the Hackenschmiede open-air museum and the Lambach–Vorchdorf local railway station.

Regional produce and choosing where to stay

At numerous traditional farm taverns and farm shops in the Wels-Land district, you can sample regional produce directly from the producers. When choosing your holiday apartment, it is worth keeping your planned excursions and interests in mind: would you like to explore trails through moorland and riverside landscapes, visit cultural destinations, or combine both? Regional transport routes can also factor into your plans. The A1 West Autobahn, A25 Wels Autobahn, A8 Innkreis Autobahn and A9 Pyhrn Autobahn all run through the district.

Discover more destinations: Wels, Sattledt, Weißkirchen an der Traun, Thalheim bei Wels, Stadl-Traun, Neukirchen bei Lambach, Offenhausen, Pennewang, Pichl bei Wels, Schleißheim, Sipbachzell, Au an der Traun, Fischlham, Lambach, Marchtrenk, Almegg, Bad Wimsbach-Neydharting, Aichkirchen, Bachmanning, Buchkirchen, Eberstalzell, Edt bei Lambach, Gunskirchen, Holzhausen, Krenglbach.

See the higher-level travel overview: Upper Austria.