Scharten between Fruit Blossom and Church History

If you are looking for a hotel in Scharten, you can plan your trip around the different themes of the town and its surroundings: fruit blossoms and paths through the hilly countryside, a circular trail with exercise stations, or the history of the churches. Nature, exercise and culture each add their own focus when planning your stay.

The Orchard Hills, Blossom Season and Trails

The Obst-Hügel-Land Nature Park is a 26 km² protected landscape area in the municipalities of Scharten and St. Marienkirchen an der Polsenz. It was designated in 2005 to preserve and further develop the cultural landscape characteristic of the Upper Austrian Alpine foothills. The scenic hilly countryside of Scharten and its surroundings forms the southern edge of the Eferding Basin. In spring, the blossoms of countless cherry, pear and apple trees transform the Obst-Hügel-Land into a sea of white flowers. This is an especially inviting time for hiking or cycling, giving your trip a clear seasonal focus.

For a route with exercise stations, the Schartner Wanderfit is a specific option: the 3.5 km circular trail starts in the centre of Scharten, by the Nature Park Primary School. It has six stations with a total of nine pieces of equipment; the exercises and stations are clearly signposted. The Cherry Blossom Trail offers a different focus and is signposted in both directions. The Bee Experience Trail is located on the Cherry Blossom Trail in Hochscharten/Wolfsgrub. Redesigned in spring 2015, it features 18 information panels covering topics such as a worker bee’s life cycle, honey production and pollination.

The trails therefore have different focuses: the Schartner Wanderfit centres on stations and equipment, while the Bee Experience Trail provides information about bees and pollination. The Cherry Blossom Trail brings the seasonal blossom into your trip planning. A visitor information notice dated 1 April 2026 mentions regional specialities served by local inns, snack stations and fruit farms around the Cherry Blossom Trail during blossom season.

Church History in Scharten

The Maria Scharten pilgrimage church also offers a distinct historical connection. It is first documented in a charter dated 1 January 1400. Construction of the present-day church began in 1506 and was completed in 1632. The object of the pilgrimage is a crowned statue of the Virgin Mary holding the crowned Christ Child. The early documentary mention and the later construction period are two distinct dates in the church’s history.

The Evangelical Tolerance Church dates back to a wooden prayer house built in 1782, the first Tolerance prayer house in Upper Austria. This wooden structure was followed by a brick prayer house in 1819. The tower was built in 1900, and the conversion into a Tolerance Church was completed in 1911. While the early documentary mention and the construction period of the present-day church are important chronological reference points for Maria Scharten, the history of the Evangelical Tolerance Church can be traced through several successive building phases.

Plan Your Journey and Stay

Scharten can be reached by car from Wels or Eferding via the B 134. You can choose the focus of your stay in Scharten according to your interests.

Discover more destinations: Alkoven, Prambachkirchen, Hinzenbach, Eferding, Haibach Ob Der Donau, Aschach An Der Donau, Fraham, Stroheim

Back to the main travel overview: Eferding.