Why should I choose Linz for my year abroad?
Linz puts its name firmly on the Austrian map thanks to its contemporary and hip personality. Home to the much celebrated and highly anticipated annual electronica event, the Ars Electronica Center festival, the city greets thousands of people who descend onto the centre to experience a weekly session of all things electronic. If you feel this doesn't hit the right bass notes with you, then fear not—the city has many other venues to titillate even the most niche music lovers out there. Nirvana, that little grunge band from a while back, played at KAPU, a popular locale with alternative music heads for some live gigs and a few good beers. And let's not even start on pop music—the city has many a dancefloor to get your freak on to RnB's latest offerings.

Theatre is also big news in this student town, with The Phoenix Theatre showing contemporary plays on a regular basis. Fans of moving pictures can sit back and relax in late April, when Linz plays host to Crossing Europe, the filmic festival that showcases works by young European filmmakers. The Movimiento cinema regularly screens independent art-house films, a gem of a place for any would-be cinema buff. Museums abound in the city named 'European Capital of Culture' in 2009.

A good selection of cafes and bars echo the city's hip and happening lifestyle, and would make any Year Abroader proud to call this place home! An added bonus is the city's proximity to the Czech Republic, making quick trips to Prague and Ceske Budejovice a strong possibility should you feel the need to venture out!