City tours
PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION
City tours
We have collected all the programs and attractions that can help you enjoy your free time during your stay here.
Bad Ischl
(distance from the hotel 90.3 km, approx. by car: 1 hour 18 minutes)
The resort town, also known for its spa, was a favorite residence of József Ferenc, which is why it is also referred to as “Kaiserstadt”.
Sights:
- The Lehár Villa The Drinking Hall The Conference Center The Calvary Church The Seilern Villa The Zauner Confectionery
- the imperial villa was given to Franz Josef and Elizabeth as a wedding gift from Archduchess Zsófia and was significantly expanded in the classicist style in the following years. Today it is a museum and can be visited with a guided tour.
- the city museum in the former Hotel Austria building
- the Lehár villa, Ferenc Lehár’s former residence
- the transport and aviation museum
- the photo museum in the Marmorschlössl (in Sissi’s former teahouse)
- the Ischlerbahn open-air museum
- St.Nikolaus Parish Church is mentioned for the first time in 1344. Its tower was built in 1490 and its nave between 1771 and 1780. The altarpiece is the work of the renowned painter Leopold Kupelwieser (1847–1851).
- the Lutheran church was completed in 1879
- the Calvary Church was built between 1704 and 1706, it was expanded in 1779 • the cross chapel from 1726
- Parish Church of the Virgin Mary in Pfandl
- hhe Parish Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Lauffen is from the 15th century
- the Kongress & Theaterhaus was built in 1875
- the classicist Lehár cinema
- the Trinkhalle
- the Seilern villa
- the Blumenthal villa was dismantled and transported to the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893
- the isler cake (named after the town) was invented in the Zauner confectionery
- the ruins of Wildenstein Castle Events
- the birthday of József Ferenc is celebrated every year on August 18. A traditional military parade is organized in the city; political and ecclesiastical figures and members of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine take part in the celebratory mass.
- Liachtbratlmontag is celebrated on the first Monday after St. Michael’s Day (September 29) and is part of Austria’s intellectual world heritage. On this day – according to tradition – employers invite their employees to a pig roast (Bratl, Schweinebraten) from the money saved by the lighting in the summer. The tradition is still alive today.
- the Glöcklerlauf parade is held the evening before Epiphany (January 5).
- game bird exhibition in the framework of the Salzkammergut bird hunt
- the Salt Orchestra (Salinenmusikkapelle) holds bathhouse concerts on ten Tuesdays of the summer in accordance with the 125-year-old tradition. On the first Sunday of Advent, the band will perform at the St. Borbála gala.
- international choir competition in Bad Ischl • Lehár festival (operetta festival)
Graz
(distance from the hotel 142 km, approx. by car: 1 hour 29 minutes)
The old town of Graz was added to the World Heritage List by UNESCO in 1999, because the historical part of the city has remained in very good condition and its development can be easily traced starting from the Gothic times. The site was completed in 2010 with the Eggenberg Castle. Most of Graz’s sights are located in the Old Town, although many beautiful old buildings can also be found in the St. Leonhard (II.) and Geidorf (III.) districts.
Sights:
- Castle Hill and its surroundings (Schlossberg)
- Paulus Gate is the last surviving structure of the Renaissance outer fortification system
- Palmburg Castle (now a court building)
- Museum of Ethnography
- St. Anthony’s Church
- Saurau Palace with its large portal and the figure of the Turkish soldier above it
- with the characteristic round balconies of the former “Aranypátétom” inn
- the former Augustinian monastery, the “staircase church” (which was once part of the fortress) and the monastery of the German Knights • Landschaftsapotheke (Graz’s oldest pharmacy)
- Kellersberg Palace
- Widow’s Palace (Witwenpalais)
- Attems- (“The most important noble palace of Styria”),
- Herberstein (Palace Museum) and Khuenburg palaces
- Ferenc Ferdinand’s birthplace
- Graz City Museum
- Apothecary Museum
- Graz’s oldest building, the Reinerhof
- Fairytale railway,
- Holy Trinity Church
- Mura Island
- Grazer Stadtkrone (“Crown of the City of Graz”), an ensemble consisting of four buildings: the Gothic St. Eyed Cathedral, the integrated St. Catherine’s Church and II. Emperor Ferdinand’s mausoleum, the old Jesuit university and Graz Burg
- The Graz Cathedral
- Bronze statue of St. Giles (the patron saint of the cathedral).
- Eggenberg Castle
- Archduke János fountain
- White House, Eagle Pharmacy, the stucco Luegg houses, the Weikhard house or the Stürgkh Palace • Landeszeughaus is the world’s largest surviving medieval armory with an exhibition of 32,000 pieces
- Painted House
- city parish church
- Franciscan quarter (Franziskanerviertel) with the Franciscan church, which is the second largest church in Graz
- Joanneum district with the province’s largest museum, founded by Archduke János with the Joanneum
- neo-baroque Opera House
- The ruins of Gösting Castle, the high fortress once controlled the Mura valley
- The largest Art Nouveau building complex in Austria is the university hospital in the eastern part of Graz, when completed it will be the most modern hospital in Europe
- Kees Palace, where the Imperial and Royal General Staff were based
- Meran Palace, the former residence of Archduke János (now the main building of the Graz University of Arts).
- Another attraction of the city is the botanical garden, which is operated by the University of Graz. museums
- the Joanneum Universalmuseum Joanneum is the oldest museum in the province and the second largest in the country (after the Museum of Art History in Vienna). It was founded in 1811 by Archduke János, who donated his private collection, mainly scientific and technical, to the museum. It also includes the Museum of Natural Sciences, which opened in 2013, and the multimedia collection.
- the Old Gallery (Alte Galerie) in the Eggenberg Castle is famous for its medieval (Roman to Baroque) collection. The 19-20. century art is presented by the Neue Gallery in the Joanneum.
- Eggenberg Castle is also home to the Coin Collection and the Archaeological Museum.
- the Museum of Ethnography
- the Landeszeughaus (Armory) with the world’s largest collection of historical weapons
- the Apothecary Museum
- the Graz City Museum in the Khuenburg Palace
- Camera Austria in the House of Arts
- Diocesan Museum
- Literary House
- the Museum of Perception
- Frida and Fred children’s museum
- Electric Museum
- Hans Gross criminological museum
- Hanns Schell collection
- Johann Puch Museum
- Robert Stolz Museum
Hallstatt
(distance from the hotel 78.3 km, approx. by car: 1 hour 15 minutes)
The small town has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.
Sights:
- parish church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary
- the cemetery and a small ossuary from the 16th century are located on the north side of the church. Due to the limited cemetery, the dead were exhumed after 20-30 years, and their bones were bleached and decorated. The names of the deceased, the year of birth and death, as well as crosses, oak leaves, and flowers were painted on the skulls. There are a total of 610 skulls in the bone chamber
- the lakeside Lutheran church
- located in the Hallstatt Museum, it is the richest exhibition of Hallstatt culture in Austria after the Vienna Museum of Natural History
- the Iron Age cemetery and the world’s oldest known salt mine are located on the hill above the town, where a footpath and the Salzbergbahn lead up, the mine can be visited in guided groups,
- the Lord’s Day procession has been held on the shore of the lake every year since 1623,
- Since 1987, the Hallstatt half-marathon running race has been held on the first weekend of May,
- the concert on Tuesdays of the Hallstatt Cultural summer music festival is free to attend,
- the Salzkammergut Mozart Festival is held in July-August,
- The Hallstatt swimming marathon has been organized since 2011,
- due to the limited space, fruit trees were planted near the walls of the houses in many places and they were run up the wall
Mariazell
(distance from the hotel 97.6 km, approx. by car: 1 hour 36 minutes)
The city is one of the best-known Marian shrines in Central Europe and a famous place of pilgrimage.
Sights:
- Skt. St. Sebastian’s Church of St. Sigismund The Erlaufsee The Golden Lion Inn
- Basilica: the characteristic, three-towered church is the symbol of the city. It combines Gothic and Baroque features in a special way, its altar was made by Fischer von Erlach.
- Magnus rock (Ursprungsfelsen): according to legend, this rock blocked the monk’s path, but it split in two as a result of his prayers, the origin of the city is traced back to this. A marked tourist path leads to the rock.
- Mining museum in Gußwerk: the former k.u.k. an exhibition showing the history of mining in the region can be seen in the iron foundry building.
- Museum tram (Museums tramway): the world’s oldest steam tram can be seen at the Mariazell railway station. The authentically restored carriages evoke the atmosphere of the 19th century during the short journey.
- Mariazellerbahn: the 83 km long narrow-gauge light railway offers a romantic travel alternative between Sankt Pölten and Mariazell.
- Bürgeralpe: Mariazell’s 1,267 m high mountain can be reached on foot or by cable car. In addition to the beautiful view, the mountain has several ski slopes, an observation deck, an adventure park and several cozy alpine huts.
- Holzknechtland adventure park: the adventure park on the Bürgeralp presents the life of woodcutters.
- Gemeindealpe: the highest point of the Mariazell region is already in Lower Austria. The 1,626-meter-high mountain can be reached by chairlifts, which offer a wonderful view of the surrounding mountains. Popular ski resort in winter. You can also go down the mountain with go-karts and mountain bikes.
- Salza: the 88 km long river is well known among white water hikers.
- Holy well (Heiliger Brunnen): the well’s water is believed to have healing powers, so pilgrims often take it home with them.
- Mechanical nativity scene: a unique nativity scene in a private house on Calvariae Mountain depicts 12 scenes from the New Testament with a total of 130 moving figures.
- Erlaufsee: Lake with drinking water quality, which offers the opportunity to go to the beach in summer. The crystal-clear lake is also suitable for diving.
- Hubertussee: A beautiful lake suitable for excursions in the Walster valley.
Salzburg
(distance from the hotel 175 km, approx. by car: 1 hour 51 minutes)
The city is often called Mozartstadt, as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born here and spent more than half of his short life here. The Salzburg Festival (Salzburger Festspiele) is one of the most important music festivals in the world, which has been held continuously since 1920, except for a few years during the Second World War. The festival starts at the end of July every summer and lasts for five weeks.
Museums
- Museum der Moderne Salzburg (Museum of Modern Art)
- House of Nature (Haus der Natur)
- Zoo
- Silent Night Museum
- Dom Quartier Salzburg
- Salzburg Museum
- Toy Museum