The heart of Wels is the long Stadtplatz, anchored at its western end by the Ledererturm, the last surviving medieval gate tower, and at the east by the Gothic Stadtpfarrkirche. Along the square you will find the town hall, the Kaiserliche Burg — where Emperor Maximilian I died in 1519, now home to the city museum — and a string of baroque and Renaissance burgher houses. The Minoritenkloster just south of the square gives a quieter counterpoint to the busy main street.
A few kilometres north of town, Schloss Puchberg is the closest castle to the city. For families, Zoo Schmiding — about 8 km north of Wels — is one of the largest zoos in Austria, with a particularly strong bird collection.