REFRESHINGLY moving Road map of Lower Austria, with tips for visitors WWW.LOWER-AUSTRIA.INFO Mostviertel, © Robert Herbst Mostviertel, Welcome! “With this map, we want to direct you to the most beautiful corners of Lower Austria. As you will see, Austria‘s largest federal state presents itself as a land of diversity, with a wide variety of landscapes for refreshing outdoor adventures, great cultural heritage, world-class wines and regional specialities. All that’s left to say is: I wish you a lovely stay, and hope that your time in Lower Austria will be unforgettable!” JOHANNA MIKL-LEITNER Lower Austrian Governor © NLK/Filzwieser “Here you will find inspiration for your next visit to, or stay in, Lower Austria. Exciting excursion destinations, varied cycling and mountain biking routes, and countless hiking trails await you. This map also includes lots of tips for that perfect stay in Lower Austria. Have fun exploring!” JOCHEN DANNINGER Lower Austrian Minister of Economics, Tourism and Sports © Philipp Monihart Wachau, © Robert Herbst Wachau, LOWER AUSTRIA 2 national parks in numbers Donau-Auen and Thaya Valley. 1 20 Vienna Woods nature parks years old is the age of the Biosphere Reserve. in all regions. Venus of Willendorf, the 29,500 world’s most famous figurine. fortresses, castles 70 and ruins are open to visitors. 93 centers for alpine abbeys and monasteries have “Natur im Garten” show gardens 9 adventure featuring 15 shaped the province and ranging from castle and monastic summer and winter its culture for centuries, gardens steeped in history sports. Melk Abbey being one to sweeping landscape gardens. of the most famous. spas and health 21 resorts with sulfur, carbonic acid or other natural health- 1,700 20 promoting substances. seats plus lawn space for venues provide 300 more spectators at a summer stage Wolkenturm open-air theater for the Theaterfest in Grafenegg, where the Niederösterreich. Grafenegg Festival offers the best in classical music. 50 TOP excursion TOP cycling routes destinations 10 with a total length of attracting more than 30,000 visitors a year. silver-gray zinc shingles were 1,400 km. 7,200 incorporated in the facade of the new More on this topic: Landesgalerie Niederösterreich in Krems. www.lower-austria.info LOWER AUSTRIA 220 Wirtshauskultur – public inns and at a glance restaurants featuring regional and seasonal menus are at the heart Capital city: St. Pölten 1 of local culinary enjoyment. 286 km of the Danube flow 28,000 ha through Lower Austria. of vineyards It is the longest 4 2 river in the land. 2 1 8,269 8 2,076 m wineries wine-growing regions 3 is how high the Schneeberg 6 The Grüner Veltliner is is, making it the highest Heuriger or buschenschank the premier white but Riesling, 5 point in the province. 3 taverns serve exclusively their Zierfandler, Rotgipfler, own wines. This institution Roter Veltliner, Zweigelt, is the envy of many! Blaufränkisch, St. Laurent, UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES Pinot Noir also grow here. 3 Wachau 4 , Semmering Railroad 5 , Wilderness Area Dürrenstein / World Natural Heritage Beech Forests 6 cellar-lined roads are a unique aspect of Cultural heritage 1,000 local wine culture and found only in Lower Austria. Here is how connoisseurs rate Culinary treasures galore the restaurant scene in Lower Austria: 7,000 & 1,600 158 163 316 tons of apricots tons of poppy-seeds chef’s hats stars from forks from have been awarded to Á la Carte Falstaff are harvested annually. Lower Austria has a total of 96 establishments 26 regions offering culinary delights (Genussregionen). 5 tips Wald- AT FIRST-HAND 1 Pristine nature 4 Home of craftsmanship viertel Thanks to its pristine nature and mild climate, the Waldviertel is one of the Rugged beauty, unspoiled nature, mind and body with its pleasantly healthiest regions in Austria. You can quiet and powerful landscapes – this warm days and cool nights. It is no enjoy wonderfully fresh air, clean water and those rare moments of tranquillity is the best way to describe the Wald- wonder that the Waldviertel has Robert Herbst viertel. This region extending from become such a sought-after desti- in the Thayatal National Park, on the the Danube to the Czech Republic in nation for health and wellbeing. On Heidenreichsteiner Moor, or on the the north has preserved its original discovery tours through the region, Schrems Moor, just to give a few © Waldviertel Tourismus/ character. Rivers and streams have you will also come across imposing examples. The Dobersberg, Nordwald, etched themselves deeply into this old castles, picturesque small towns Geras, and Kamptal-Schönberg tranquil expanse of impressive and a cuisine that is characterised nature parks are also worth a visit. Traditional craft workshops have a landscape. Nature here is dominated by specialities from the Waldviertel grand tradition in the Waldviertel. 2 by vast forests, bizarre rock forma- – such as Mohnnudeln (poppy seed The tastes Top quality artworks and articles of tions, as well as moors and heaths dumplings) or baked carp. of the Waldviertel daily use are produced from wood, shrouded in mystery. stone, textiles and glass, among other Culinary delights are central to life in It is perfect for hiking and cycling, More on this topic: materials. mountain biking and simply relaxing. www.waldviertel.at/en the Waldviertel. Poppy seeds, potatoes, carp, cheese and bread from the region The local climate is a fine balm for 5 Culture are star ingredients in the top-quality eateries. Not to speak of fine brandies, within ancient walls wine from the Kamp Valley or the famous The Waldviertel is rich not only in scenic beers brewed in Schrems and Zwettl. beauty but also in ancient historical architecture. Altenburg, Geras and Zwettl abbeys, Hardegg and Heiden- © schwarz-koenig.at reichstein fortresses, Rosenburg, Weitra or Grafenegg castles are just a few of examples of the diverse and colorful Studio Kerschbaum cultural treasures to explore here. © Waldviertel Tourismus/ 3 Mohn landing Mohn is the German word for poppies. They immerse the Waldviertel in glorious seas of red at blossom time in July and are all-present in these northern climes. Majcen © Christian Poppy-seeds occur in the regional cuisine mainly as oil or in the form of OTTENSTEIN RESERVOIR IS A RECREATIONAL PARADISE. dumplings or pastries such as mohn- zelten and mohntascherl. 5 tips Wein- AT FIRST-HAND 1 Wine as far viertel as the eye can see With all the varietal diversity, Grüner In the region directly north of wine tavern or cycling and hiking Veltliner is and remains the premier Vienna, clocks tick a bit differently. through the vine yards, at a tradi- grape in the Weinviertel. In its typical Enjoyment is wed here with an tional wine festival or of course regional variation, it is also known as easygoing attitude toward life. along one of the more than 1,000 Weinviertel DAC and Weinviertel DAc You feel that immediately. The cellar-lined rural roads. These Reserve. pace becomes more relaxed in roads with their press houses are Herbst Tourismus/Robert © Weinviertel the gently rolling hills of the Wein- landmarks of the Weinviertel and 2 Cycling viertel. The name of the region is genuinely unique to this region. over hill and dale no accident either. The Weinviertel (wine quarter) is dominated by More on this topic: wine. A good 1,600 wine makers www.weinviertel.at/en engage in their art in the region that produces more wine than any dining in the Weinviertel”. It is staged other in Austria. It is no wonder where food tastes best, with Mother that you encounter wine every Nature as the backdrop. step of the way, be it at a heuriger 4 The secrets W of cellar-lined roads © Herbst Tourismus/Robert einviertel A tour with a guide specializing in The Weinviertel literally cries out for the local cellar-lined roads provides © Robert Herbst exploration on regional vineyard insights into the ancient heritage of cycling routes. Multi-day bicycle tours viticulture in this region. Once pro- on the Kamp-Thaya-March cycling route duction and storage sites, these or the Iron Curtain Trail delight amateur roads are lovingly cared for today and athletes and passionate cyclists alike. venues for sociable cellar festivals. 3 Open-air 5 The Weinviertel culinary pleasures in the olden days The Weinviertel is the breadbasket of How about a trip back in time? An outing the land. You can taste the love that to the museum village of Niedersulz, goes into growing the local produce Lower Austria’s largest open-air museum, here, especially when chefs and wine shows what everyday life was like in makers treat their guests to “Al fresco a Weinviertel village 200 years ago. CELLAR-LINED ROADS AND PRESS HOUSES ARE COMMON FEATURES OF THE WEINVIERTEL. 5 tips Most- AT FIRST-HAND 1 The wilderness trail viertel The Dürrenstein Wilderness Area, with the largest primeval forest remains in Central Europe, is a UNESCO World Located between the Danube and region around Ötscher, Hochkar Natural Heritage Site. Visitors are the Alps, the contrasting Most- and Dürrenstein, with its untouched invited to explore this protected area, Felsenreich © Romeo Pölten, St. viertel inspires in many ways. In alpine pastures, is particularly starting with a visit to the Haus der 4 Cultural outings the north, over 300,000 pear trees popular with hikers. In the colder Wildnis / House of Wilderness visitor in the city line the soft, hilly and fertile land- months, family ski resorts and centre in Lunz am See. scape of the Moststrasse. A visit to picturesque cross-country skiing St. Pölten is a must-see destination. the land of the pear trees, where centres attract countless winter 2 Mostviertler The Lower Austrian capital city is a you can cycle, walk, indulge and sports fans year after year.