Stainz: Castle, views and trails through the countryside

In Stainz, a variety of interests are close at hand: the castle’s history and museums offer plenty to explore on a cultural visit, while the observation tower and hiking trails invite you to take in the scenery and get moving. You can tailor your stay to what you want to discover locally. Highlights range from the development of agriculture in Styria to views across several mountain and hill landscapes.

Stainz Castle: Architectural history and museums

The originally Romanesque monastery complex at Stainz Castle was expanded, remodelled and rebuilt by the Augustinian Canons. Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles were added over time. The different building phases give the site a rich architectural history. The former refectory stands out for its ornate stucco work and paintings—another way to appreciate the complex beyond its architectural styles.

Several museums explore different topics. The Agricultural Museum presents the development of agriculture and forestry in Styria in a varied exhibition. The Archduke Johann Museum offers insights into 19th-century life through ideas, models, institutions and challenges. Since September 2006, the Hunting Museum has focused on the many facets of hunting culture and the relationship between people and nature. On the second floor, the tour continues as a “stalk”: you can look for animal tracks and listen to animal calls. Together, the museums offer different perspectives on history, agriculture and relationships with nature, rather than focusing on just one aspect of the castle.

Stainz observation tower and views of the landscape

Built in 1902, the Stainz observation tower is 26 metres high and stands on the 608-metre-high Lethkogel. From there, the panoramic view stretches from the Koralpe and Gleinalpe ranges across the Graz Highlands and the eastern Styrian hill country to the Bachern Mountains in northern Slovenia. The view takes in a wide range of different landscapes. If you want to reach the tower on foot, several family-friendly hiking trails lead up to it; by car, you can get there via a nearby car park.

The area around Stainz also features a variety of landscapes: fertile plains with fields of maize, wheat and pumpkins; the characteristically steep Schilcher wine slopes; little streams and springs; and the forests of Reinischkogel and Rosenkogel on the foothills of the Koralpe massif. This mix of fields, vineyards and forests provides the setting for extended cycling and hiking tours, for which Stainz is a popular starting point.

Trails and other places to visit

The unspoilt Höllerhansl Trail is open year-round and is family-friendly. It has mostly gentle gradients and passes farmhouses, vineyards and chapels. This gives you a different kind of route to choose from than the hike to the observation tower: here, rural buildings and winegrowing shape the route, while the tower hike centres on the viewpoint.

Another way to explore the region through a particular theme is the Stainz Flascherlzug. This nostalgic railway features historic locomotives and carriages. If you’re interested in swimming, the Stainz outdoor pool has an approximately 60-metre-long slide for children aged six and over, a multi-purpose pool with water features, and a children’s pool with a water slide.

Getting there by regional bus

A regional bus connects Graz directly with Stainz’s main square; the journey takes about an hour. As route information can change, check the latest connection before you travel.

Discover more destinations: Wettmannstätten, Aug, Lamberg, Deutschlandsberg, Zehndorf, Gamsgebirg, Breitenbach in der Weststeiermark, Sankt Stefan Ob Stainz.

Back to the main travel guide: Deutschlandsberg.