Söchau: Herb Gardens and Hiking

Söchau is a great place to combine a trip with three gardens, each with a different theme, and a hike. More than 120 different medicinal herbs grow in the herb and rose garden. The witch’s garden focuses mainly on poisonous plants, while the herb energy chakra garden is about relaxation and herbs for personal well-being. There is also a particularly scenic hike through the East Styrian hills to Riegersburg Castle, starting in Söchau. This gives you a choice between the garden themes and a hike that starts in Söchau. Consider whether you are most interested in plants, the hike, or both.

Gardens with Different Focuses

More than 120 different medicinal herbs grow in the herb and rose garden in Söchau. This figure gives the garden a clear focus and makes the variety of medicinal plants a central theme for garden enthusiasts. The name also brings together two plant themes: herbs and roses. If you plan your trip around your botanical interests, this garden is the clear choice for medicinal herbs. The herb and rose garden is a public garden. Please check current visiting arrangements in advance before planning a specific visit.

The Söchau witch’s garden presents a different side of the plant theme. It contains mainly poisonous plants such as deadly nightshade, hemlock, mandrake, and monkshood. Consuming them can be fatal in high doses. The difference from the herb and rose garden is clear: the focus there is on medicinal herbs, while here it is mainly on poisonous plants. If you are interested in different plant profiles, these two garden themes offer a concrete comparison.

A third focus is the herb energy chakra garden. There, you can learn more about relaxation and herbs that support personal well-being. Unlike the focus on medicinal herbs and poisonous plants, this theme explicitly connects herbs with relaxation and well-being. This lets you choose garden themes according to your interests: the variety of medicinal herbs, poisonous plants, or the connection to personal well-being.

Plan Your Hike and Journey

A particularly scenic hike through the East Styrian hills to Riegersburg Castle starts in Söchau. It offers a different travel experience from the garden themes, focusing on the hike, the landscape, and the named destination. If you plan to do the hike, check current trail conditions before setting out, as they can change. This way, you can make the hike a distinct focus of your trip.

There is also a practical option for traveling by train: Söchau is accessible via S-Bahn line S3. Söchau train stop is about a 500-metre walk away. This is an approximate distance. Check the current S3 timetable before travelling so you can plan your journey accordingly.

Find Hotels in Söchau

If you are looking for hotels in Söchau, use your planned activities as a guide. Are gardens your main interest, would you like to plan a hike to Riegersburg Castle, or are you interested in both? This decision can help tailor your search to the purpose of your trip. Then compare the hotels you find based on your personal requirements for your stay. When planning, also take into account current visiting arrangements for the public garden, trail conditions for the hike, and the S-Bahn timetable.

Discover more destinations: Bad Blumau, Siebenbrunn, Geiseldorf, Maierhofbergen, Karnerviertel, Obertiefenbach, Buch-Geiseldorf, Bad Waltersdorf

Go to the main travel overview: Hartberg-Fürstenfeld.