Styria: Mountains, Cultural Heritage and Culinary Delights
Accommodation in Styria
A dark night sky is one of Styria’s special features: the Eisenwurzen Nature Night Region also includes the state. Astrophotography workshops offer a chance to experience the region’s skies; the programme may vary by season. If you plan to attend a workshop, check the dates in advance.
Landscapes between high mountains and wine country
The landscape stretches from the Dachstein Glacier across alpine pastures, forests and lakes to the wine-growing areas in the south and east. At 2,995 metres, the Dachstein is the highest mountain in Styria. The Skywalk, suspension bridge and Stairway to Nothingness are just a few minutes from its mountain station. At the Dachstein, striking views and structures therefore offer tangible experiences alongside the high-alpine landscape.
The Gesäuse National Park, Styria’s only national park, is defined by a different landscape. Between Admont and Hieflau, the Enns meets sheer limestone walls and alpine forests; the Buchstein massif and Hochtor group frame the area. Marked trails let you explore the national park by hiking, climbing and biking, as well as rafting. Guided hikes focus on geology, wildlife, forests and water. These themes offer different ways to experience the area: you can view the landscape through its rocks, habitats, or river and forest areas.
Culture, history and engineering achievements
The UNESCO World Heritage site “City of Graz – Historic Centre and Schloss Eggenberg” bears witness to the living heritage of a Central European urban complex. The Semmering Railway also tells the story of a defining connection across the high mountains: it was built over 41 kilometres between 1848 and 1854 and has been in continuous operation since 1854. Its construction made areas of great scenic beauty more accessible and led to their development for residential and recreational use. The Joanneumsviertel offers a different cultural focus, bringing together art, natural sciences and literature in historic buildings and modern architecture.
Industrial history takes centre stage at Erzberg, where rock has been mined for more than 1,300 years; Erzberg is Central Europe’s largest open-pit mine. The Hauly, a converted heavy-duty truck with 1,217 horsepower, takes you right through the open-pit mine. At the museums of Admont Abbey, you can learn about the lives of the Benedictines. Riegersburg Castle, meanwhile, sits atop a 482-metre-high volcanic rock; a bird of prey flight show is held there. In Mariazell, the basilica is the centrepiece of the pilgrimage town in the Mariazell region, which has attracted visitors from around the world for centuries.
Apples, wine and culinary trails
Regional food and wine culture can also shape the character of a trip. The 25-kilometre Styrian Apple Road connects orchards, cider taverns, farm shops and direct sales outlets. Along the hiking trails, you can experience apples there with all your senses. Hundreds of Buschenschänken, traditional wine taverns, are a defining feature of Styrian food and wine culture. Culinary hiking trails bring together the idea of landscape and cuisine: they link alpine pastures, apple orchards and vineyards with regional food.
Which experiences should shape your trip?
When planning your trip, it helps to start by prioritising the experiences that interest you most. In the Gesäuse, the river landscape and outdoor activities take centre stage; at Erzberg, the open-pit mine and the Hauly offer insight into a long mining tradition. UNESCO heritage, the Semmering Railway and the Joanneumsviertel provide cultural and engineering highlights, while the Apple Road and culinary hiking trails connect the landscape with regional produce. Choose your hotel based on these interests and use Styria as a base for discovering destinations that suit your stay.
Discover more destinations: Weiz, Voitsberg, Radkersburg, MĂĽrzzuschlag, Murau, Liezen, Leibnitz, Leoben, Knittelfeld, Judenburg, Hartberg-FĂĽrstenfeld, Graz-Umgebung, Feldbach, FĂĽrstenfeld, Deutschlandsberg, Bruck an der Mur, Mitterbach, SĂĽdoststeiermark, Murtal.
See the overview of destinations: Austria.
