Discover Illmitz: Salt Lakes, Wet Meadows and Tours

Illmitz is a destination for anyone who wants to include the landscapes of the Seewinkel and nature-related experiences in their trip. Salt lakes, wet meadows and breeding grounds feature on several of the routes described, along with tours that have specific destinations. Martiniloben in November offers a different focus. Nature and local culture thus provide a range of starting points for a stay.

Nature at the National Park Centre and along the way

The National Park Centre is located on the northern edge of Illmitz. An exhibition there provides year-round information about the flora and fauna of the Seewinkel. While the centre brings both topics together in one exhibition, the routes focus on individual habitats and landscape features. Anyone interested in nature can keep these perspectives separate when planning their trip: an overview of the animal and plant life on the one hand, and specific lakes, wet meadows or grazing areas on the other.

Lakes, silting zones and wet meadows

The Stinkerseen, Hölle & Lettengrube route passes the Upper, Middle and Lower Stinkersee lakes and runs through their silting zones. The three lakes and the transition zones together make up the route as described. The Illmitzer Zicksee & Geiselsteller route has a different landscape focus: it passes through wet meadows and along the edges of salt lakes that serve as breeding grounds for meadow-nesting waders. Bird sightings may vary seasonally.

The Illmitzer Zicksee & Geiselsteller route also offers a glimpse of a natural phenomenon that depends on certain conditions: During dry periods, salt efflorescence can be observed from the path at the salt lakes and in the seasonally wet meadow areas. Both the location along the path and the dry spell are therefore essential to this effect. The route thus combines wader habitats with a phenomenon that is not expected in every weather period.

Tours with named destinations

The Zicklacken tour takes visitors to the Lower Stinkersee and the Przewalski horse enclosure. Its focus thus differs from that of the routes whose descriptions highlight lakes, silting zones or wet meadows: here, two specific destinations are named, a lake and the horse enclosure.

The Sandeck tour starts at Kutschenhof Gerhard Gangl on Ufergasse in Illmitz and then heads into the National Park. The Lake Neusiedl tour also starts at Kutschenhof Gerhard Gangl on Ufergasse; its destination is the Sandeck area of the National Park. The Sandeck area offers a view into the inaccessible core zone of the National Park. White donkeys there play an important role in nature conservation: by trampling and grazing, they keep the vegetation short. When choosing between the two tours, the areas described as their destinations provide the specific distinction.

Martiniloben in November

The traditional Martiniloben takes place in Illmitz on the first two weekends of November; the exact dates may vary from year to year. In 2026, open cellar days at 32 Illmitz winegrowers are scheduled for 6–8 and 13–15 November. This provides a clearly defined event in the local calendar alongside the nature-related experiences. If you would like to combine your trip with Martiniloben, use the event dates listed for 2026 as a guide.

Discover more destinations: Kaisersteinbruch, Pamhagen, Wallern in Burgenland, Weiden am See, Winden am See, Halbturn, Edelstal, Bruckneudorf

For the overarching travel overview: Neusiedl am See.