Wels

Off the beaten path: Wels

In the much-traveled east-west road and rail routes between Vienna and Salzburg, most travelers bypass this smallish Upper Austrian city in favor of a side trip to Linz on the Danube or picturesque Steyr, to the southeast. But Wels, clustered on the left bank of the River Traun, deserves more than a cursory glance from the window of a train. Its Roman history, baroque architecture, summertime concerts, and choice of value hotels are a winning combination.