Excursions

Vienna's outskirts are especially attractive: romantic landscapes and picturesque villages invite you for a day's outing.

Or one can take a cruise through the Wachau valley, an especially beautiful area along the Danube. The majestic Benedictine Abbey of Melk, towering above the river; the vintner's villages Spitz, Dürnstein and Weissenkirchen; hills, on which exquisite wines are grown - all of this is part of the colorful kaleidoscope of profound impressions.

The southern part of the Vienna Woods can easily be visited in half a day: one should not miss Heiligenkreuz Abbey if one takes such a trip. Also, one should visit the seemingly modest hunting mansion of Mayerling, which gained some notoriety due to the mysterious death of Crown Prince Rudolf. The tranquil resort town of Baden (about 20 kilometers south of Vienna) with its sulfur springs, casino and racetrack is definitely worth a detour.

Laxenburg is about 25 km to the south of Vienna city center in the southern Vienna Woods. The park and palace complex was the former summer residence of the Emperor and impresses with important monuments as well as the historic garden art of the 18th and 19th centuries. The extensive cycle network offers cyclists a wide range of excursions.

Neusiedler Lake, to the south-east of Vienna, can be reached by car in about one hour. It is the biggest steppe lake in Central Europe and the largest lake in Austria. It lies at the beginning of the Little Hungarian Plain, surrounded by a wide reed belt with unique bird species. Some vintner's villages around the lake, such as Rust or Mörbisch are especially charming; the latter is ecially well known because of its lake festival during the summer.

A day trip to the Neusiedler See nature region can be combined with a visit to the Parndorf Designer Outlet. 160 designer shops, cafés, restaurants, play areas for children and free parking spaces promise a special shopping experience.

Due to their proximity to Vienna, the Schneeberg, Raxalpe and Semmering are known as Vienna's home mountains. This popular hiking and excursion region is noted for its idyllic hilly landscapes and mighty mountain massifs. In winter, the snowy landscape is the first port of call for winter athletes.

An excursion to Bratislava is also recommended. In just 75 minutes, the Twin City Liner carries you along the Danube from Vienna straight to the centre of the Slovakian capital, which above all impresses with its romantic Old City and castle.