Micheldorf in Upper Austria: Culture, Trails and Nature

Micheldorf in Upper Austria offers cultural, scenic and sporting attractions. When choosing a hotel, the purpose of your trip can help you decide what to focus on: the trails differ in duration and content, while wildlife watching, dining and winter sports each depend on specific conditions.

Cultural History and Georgenberg

With its authentically preserved buildings and many original objects, the Micheldorf Scythe Museum brings to life the everyday lives of Caspar and Josepha Zeitlinger, their family, and the scythe-makers’ workers. The museum also reflects the 500-year history of the workshop at Gries, also known as Gradn. Family and working life are presented alongside the long history of scythe-making.

Micheldorfer Georgenberg is a steep, 594 m-high conical hill with panoramic views and a Gothic church dedicated to St George that was remodelled in the Baroque style. Archaeological excavations and finds show that its summit was already inhabited in the second millennium BC. The Georgiritt takes place every two years on the Sunday after St George’s Day, 23 April. If you are travelling specifically for the procession, check the date for the relevant year.

Nature and Trails

Along the gravelled main path in the Himmelreich Biotope, signs identify marble, gneiss, slate, limestone, and fossilised corals and snails from the surrounding area. A display case provides additional information about various minerals. Sixteen different native orchid species and five different gentian species have been recorded in the biotope. May and June are considered particularly suitable for visiting when the orchids are in bloom; flowering times may vary from year to year.

The Sengstschmiedroas is an approximately two-hour themed circular trail and walking experience in Micheldorf. Information boards along the route explain the history of the scythe-makers. The Kulturweg is an easy circular walk that starts at the Alpenbad car park and has an estimated walking time of 3 hours and 30 minutes. In terms of duration, the Sengstschmiedroas is the shorter tour; for the Kulturweg, allow for both the starting point and the longer walking time.

Micheldorf Leisure Park covers around five hectares and includes two football pitches, a tennis facility, an athletics facility, a running track, skateboarding areas and a four-lane skittle alley. As facilities may change, check the current amenities if you have a specific interest.

Gradnalm, Winter and Relaxation

Gradnalm lies at the foot of the rugged ridge of the Kremsmauer at an altitude of around 1,240 m. A marked hiking trail leads from the source of the Krems River via Sattelhald to the alpine pasture in about two hours; the route is not particularly difficult. The Gradnalm circular trail leads between rocks and meadows to the alpine hut. The hut is open from 1 May to 31 October; drinks and light meals are available at weekends. Check seasonal dining availability before your hike.

When there is enough snow, an extensive network of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails extends in winter from the source of the Krems River through the Krems floodplain meadows. Availability depends on snowfall, making it quite different from the hiking trails described above.

The sauna complex in Micheldorf offers a sauna, an herbal sauna, a steam bath, a solarium and massages; services may change depending on operations. It can be reached by the Pyhrnbahn railway, with Micheldorf station as the stop. If you are planning a specific visit, check the current services and the train connection before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Inzersdorf in the Kremstal, Dauersdorf, Wartberg an der Krems, Kirchdorf an der Krems, St. Pankraz, Grünburg, Ried im Traunkreis, Etzelsdorf.

Back to the main travel overview: Kirchdorf an der Krems.