Lower Austria's Regions

Lower Austria consists of 6 holiday destinations, each with its own character:

• The Weinviertel region north of Vienna is characterised by gently rolling vineyards, wine cellar lanes and enjoyable cycle paths.
• The Waldviertel in the north of Lower Austria is characterised by vast forests, granite formations, ponds, high moors and relaxing nature experiences.
• Danube Lower Austria stretches along the Danube between Upper Austria and the Slovakian border and combines river landscapes, picturesque towns, wine-growing areas and the UNESCO World Heritage Site Wachau.
• The Mostviertel lies between the Danube and the Alps and ranges from orchards in the north to the alpine mountains around Ötscher and Dürrenstein in the south.
• The Thermenregion Vienna Woods begins just outside Vienna and combines vast deciduous forests for hiking and cycling with the wine villages of the Thermenregion and their lively wine tavern culture.
• The Vienna Alps south of Vienna are characterised by high alpine landscapes, summer resorts and culture around the Rax, Schneeberg and Semmering.

• Weinviertel: ideal for wine and pleasure holidays around wine cellar lanes (former wine production and storage sites), Heurigen culture and cycling experiences.
• Waldviertel: perfect for tranquillity, nature experiences and active holidays in peaceful landscapes.
• Danube Lower Austria: combines culture, viticulture and UNESCO World Hertige sites along the river.
• Mostviertel: varied cycling, hiking and winter sports holidays between the Danube and the Alps.
• Vienna Woods: suitable for wine journeys and a combination of city and nature holidays.
• Vienna Alps: ideal for hiking, mountain and winter sports holidays in an alpine landscape.

Lower Austria is not called the wide open country for nothing and is less crowded than other Austrian federal states. The Waldviertel, Weinviertel and parts of the Mostviertel and the Vienna Alps in particular offer generous landscapes with plenty of space for exercise and experiencing nature. There are also personal favourite spots along the Danube and in the Vienna Woods away from the well-known places.

You can find curated travel tips for different interests and lengths of stay on the region pages and in our discovery trips, city breaks and wine journeys.

The regions of Lower Austria can be easily combined within a single trip. Some multi-day cycling and hiking routes lead through several destinations and make it possible to experience scenic transitions.

Cycle tours through several destinations:

• Iron Curtain Trail through the Waldviertel and Weinviertel regions
• Kamp-Thaya-March cycle route from the Danube through the Waldviertel and Weinviertel regions
• Vienna Woods Tour through the Vienna Woods, along the Danube and through the Mostviertel region
• EuroVelo 9 from the Weinviertel via the Vienna Woods to the Vienna Alps
• From the Danube cycle path, many tours can also be combined as a circular tour through several regions, including the Ybbstal cycle path and the Erlauftal cycle path in one round, the Marchfeldkanal cycle route or the Triestingau cycle path together with the Thermenradweg.
  

Hiking tours through several destinations:

• Via Sacra through the Vienna Woods into the Mostviertel to Mariazell
• Way of St James along the Danube and in the Weinviertel region
• Viennese pilgrimage route from Vienna or Perchtoldsdorf to Mariazell
• North-South long-distance hiking trail 05 - stages from Nebelstein via the Wachau into the foothills of the Alps to Mariazell
• Lower Austrian circular hiking trail along the provincial border
• East Austrian Border Trail 07 through the Waldviertel, Weinviertel and the Vienna Alps

Thanks to good train and bus connections, individual combinations of city, nature, wine and culinary tours can also be planned flexibly.