From hut to hut on the Rax
Reichenau an der Rax and Payerbach are ideal starting points for promising walks and delightful tours.
The Rax mountains are a definite highlight of the Vienna Alps. The view of both the mountain paradise and of the huts is a real pleasure. Here you can read our recommendations and overnight accommodation tips, and find out what else there is to see and do.
Reichenau an der Rax: Enjoyable hut hopping
The best hikes in Reichenau an der Rax have to start somewhere: The Rax Areal Ropeway. Hut hopping is the most popular “sport” in these parts – that is hardly surprising, given the many culinary huts. Our favourite is the extended 2 Day Tour. From mountain inn Raxalpe with its sun terrace and great overnight accommodation, the tour passes the huts Ottohaus and Neuen Seehütte and Habsburghaus, where you can also enjoy a wonderful overnight stay wonderful, and enjoy possibly the most beautiful sunsets on the Rax. The short tour is particularly family-friendly. From the mountain inn Raxalpe, the route passes the huts Ottohaus and Neuen Seehütte, where you can try the juicy roast pork (which is cooked in the wood-fired oven) and the home-made cheese strudel, before returning to base. A useful tip: The Ottohaus has a 4,000 m² alpine garden. To those who want to stay overnight in the valley, we recommend the Raxalpenhof with its fascinating herb garden. En-route to Payerbach, a short detour to Schloss Wartholz is on the agenda. The former imperial villa boasts an idyllic park which offers a magnificent view of the Rax Mountains, and the old garden with its elegant café invites you to stick around.
Payerbach: Places of interest for connoisseurs
Payerbach itself is worth visiting. The historic station is on the route of the Semmering railway, which is a UNESCO World Hertige site, an the Schwarza Viaduct impresses with its 13 arches Our tip: Be sure to visit the Vinodukt (a vinotheque in the Schwarza Viaduct), where you can taste wines from all of the regions through which the railway passes – from Vienna to Trieste. The Jakobi-Markt (farmers' market), where regional products are sold on the 1st Saturday of every month, is also delectable. Once you have fresh provisions in your backpack, our two favourite routes invite you to go hiking. You will end up in either Naturfreundehaus Knofeleben, a cabin with genuine regional hut cuisine, where you can collect another stamp your hut passport and enjoy a comfortable overnight stay; Or in the Looshaus restaurant and hotel, which was designed by the architect Adolf Loos, and which is suitable for families as it can be reached in 2 hours. Enjoy Kreuzberg trout and game specialities – as well as stunning views of the Rax and Schneeberg – in the restuarant, which is in the former living room of this imposing, two-storey building. Another accommodation suggestion in the valley is the Hotel Payerbacherhof, which offers a bio-sauna, whirlpool and relaxation area. Incidentally, it was built at around the same time as the Semmering railway.
