Weinviertel

The Weinviertel (wine district) borders the Waldviertel to the east and as its name indicates it, the area is dominated by agriculture, in particular wine growing. This part of Niederösterreich which is actually the largest wine growing area in the entire country is a worthwhile destination for culinary discoveries and offers visitors some charming sceneries.

The major wine types in the area are the Grüner Veltliner, Pinot Blanc, Welschriesling, Zweigelt and Blauer Portugieser.

Austrian Wine

Even though the Weinviertel is less well known than the Wachau or the Wienerwald region, and although the region's peaceful beauty is not always apparent at first glance, it is nevertheless well worth a visit, because with a little time, you can explore the many charms of this area away from the typical tourist trail.

One particular jewel in the Weinviertel's crown is the town of  RETZ:

Retz can boast many picturesque aspects of the Weinviertel in a concentrated form - for example, this 700 year old town has one of the most beautiful market squares in Austria.

Korneuburg, Eggenburg, Hollabrunn and Mistelbach are also very interesting destinations, with the latter forming the economic and cultural heart of the Weinviertel.

Eggenburg
Hollabrunn-surrounding

Those of a sporting disposition can explore the region by bicycle, enjoying its gentle hills without too much effort thanks to the well-developed road network. "Heurigen" along the way entice you to linger. For those who are not content with pedal power, they can choose a horse from one of the many horse-riding clubs in the region.

In the south-eastern part of the Weinviertel along the Danube is the Donau-Auen National Park, which protects the last remaining vestiges of the ancient woods along the river. The Donau-Auen area stretches from Vienna to Bratislava. It constitutes a unique habitat with rare flora and fauna, and tempts visitors to walk through the area at length and watch the wildlife.

National park Donau-Auen

The Weinviertel is home to another national park, the March-Thaya-Auen in the north-east of the region. There, at the border to the Czech and the Slovak republics, due to the political circumstances during the Cold-War period, the March-Thaya river system could develop undisturbed for decades, resulting in a virtually intact biotope. The national park is now used as a focal point in the development of dynamic yet nature-friendly tourism. This is an outstanding example of how a border region, whose position at the former Iron Curtain stifled its development for almost half a century, can be revived with fresh dynamism thanks to skilful regional management.

The Weinviertel is a good starting point for trips into the neighbouring Czech region of Moravia or to the adjacent Slovakia, which together with the Weinviertel form a single 'cultural area' and are also distinguished by a wide variety of scenic and cultural highlights.