Litschau: Herrensee, Hiking and Culture

In Litschau, nature, outdoor activities and culture can be considered different focuses for a stay. The hiking trails range from a loop of around two hours to much longer routes. There is also Herrensee, historic church interiors, museums and seasonal cultural events. The combination you choose depends on whether you would rather spend your days outdoors, exploring local history, or enjoying music and regional specialties.

Hiking Trails and River Landscape

Litschau has the 32-kilometer 7-Dörfer circular hiking trail. The Litschau Marathon Trail is 42.195 kilometers long. For a shorter loop, the Höllgraben Trail is a good option: the roughly 8-kilometer route takes about two hours. It starts at the town square, passes through the Höllbachgraben, crosses the Reißbach and returns through the village of Schönau. The approximate distance and duration give this loop a specific time frame.

The Höllgraben near Litschau is a river valley with underground waterfalls and striking granite formations. The hike to Fiedelstein also combines different landscapes: it first follows Herrensee through the forest for a stretch, then continues through the varied, typical Waldviertel landscape to the legendary Fiedelstein.

The Reißbach is a Natura 2000-protected watercourse that meanders freely through species-rich wet meadows.

Herrensee and the Outdoor Swimming Pool

Herrensee, also called Herrenteich, has a water surface area of 24 hectares and is 1.6 kilometers long. The outdoor swimming pool at Herrenteich has an open-air swimming pool and access to Herrenteich. During the main season, it also offers a children's paddling pool, a large playground with a climbing castle, a multi-purpose sports court and a beach volleyball court. The children's paddling pool is therefore explicitly a seasonal amenity.

The Schrammel.Klang.Festival is held on numerous natural stages around Herrenteich and is dedicated entirely to Schrammel music. The program varies from year to year. So if you would like to plan your trip around a festival visit, check the event dates for the period in question.

Churches, Museums and Guided Tours

The parish church of St. Michael dates from the mid-13th century. Beneath the church is the newly renovated lower church, the Credo Chapel. The parish museum is housed in the former count's gallery of the Gothic hall church. Its religious objects include old stained-glass images, wooden statues and statues of the Virgin Mary, Baroque monstrances and chalices. The museum's seasonal opening arrangements may vary; check the current opening hours before visiting.

You can book a guided tour of Litschau through the tourist office. Among other places, it visits the old town wall, the Fischertor gate, the castle, the church, and the local history and parish museums. The tour costs €2.00 per person. Check booking options before your trip.

The Kulturbahnhof in Litschau provides information about the history of the Lower Austrian State Railways, former freight transport and railway operating safety systems. There are also two historic museum railcars. The Waldviertel Railway is associated with a nostalgic train ride from Litschau to Gmünd through the landscape of northern Lower Austria. Timetables vary seasonally; check the current schedule before planning your trip.

Regional Specialties and Planning

Regional specialties associated with Litschau include Litschauer “Mangerl” and the traditional Litschau wholemeal poppy seed cake. Whether they are available during your stay depends on local businesses. At Schlossfischerei Litschau, you can book a guided tour of the fish holding tanks, the Himmelteich pond and the production facilities, followed by a tasting. Reservations are required.

The Litschau tourist office can advise you on hikes, cycling tours, musical events at Herrensee, swimming, natural attractions and museums. If you are looking for a hotel in Litschau, these different themes can help you decide what to focus on during your trip: a hike, a museum visit, an event or time at Herrensee.

Discover more destinations: Hirschenwies, Neunagelberg, Sankt Wolfgang, Lauterbach, Heidenreichstein, Moorbad Harbach, Sankt Martin, Weitra

For the overview of the wider area: Gmünd.