Linz, Austria

Named the European Capital of Culture in 2009 and added to the roster of UNESCO Creative Cities as a City of Media Arts in 2014, Linz embraces the present and future, even as it remains reverential to its past. There is much to be proud of: Here on the gentle curve of the Danube, Linz rose to power as a political and economic hub for the Holy Roman Empire. Trade and influence extended in all four directions, from Hungary and Germany to the east and west and Poland and Italy to the north and south. Later, Linz sparkled as a city of the Habsburgs, the last home to German Emperor, Friedrich III. The city’s layout reflects its history, with an ancient medieval center encircled by neoclassical, neo-baroque and neo-Renaissance neighborhoods, a kind of tree-rings of age and architectural styles. Highpoints of old traditions and impressive landmarks include the Linzer torte, dating to 1653 and thought to be the oldest cake in the world, and St. Martin’s church, the oldest church in Austria.