The Vienna Woods
A lush green idyll of meadows and forests undulates just outside the gates of Vienna. The Vienna Woods is a recreational paradise full of action and history, music and wine.
The writer Adalbert Stifter summed up his impressions of the Vienna Woods 150 years ago in much the same words he might use today: “It is as if you were in the wilderness, not one or two miles from one of the liveliest capitals in the world.” The heavily wooded region west of Vienna has always been an excursion destination for the Viennese: They love to hike and daydream there, to take curative waters, get a taste of culture or take a sip of wine.
On foot, by bicycle, with golf clubs
Even back in Stifter’s day, people were aware of the invigorating effect of moderate outdoor exercise. Today hikers can explore the Vienna Woods on about 6,000 km of marked and signed trails. Another 46 mountain biking routes over 1,000 km in length also pass through the region. And those who prefer practicing their swing to hiking have their choice of nine golf courses in Golf ARENA Baden.
Wine, women and song
For all the athleticism waiting to be exhibited in the Vienna Woods, however, this region is fundamentally a land of poetry. It has been a source of deep inspiration for many artists, especially composers. The names that come immediately to mind are Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert or Johann Strauss. Were these composers attracted by the scenic landscape? Or by the local wine? In the vineyards in and around the legendary wine villages of Gumpoldskirchen or Pfaffstätten, the finest whites and reds flourish and can be enjoyed sociably at myriad heuriger wine taverns in the region.