Just outside Vienna, where rows of houses give way to vineyards and beech forests, lies the Vienna Woods Biosphere Reserve, a green lung, natural air conditioning system, water reservoir and local recreation area all in one. Between vineyards, shady beech trees, venerable monasteries and thermal springs, a bridge spans from history to the present, from culture to nature. Healing springs have been bubbling in the thermal region since Roman times, and with them a (wine) culture that has been cultivated for centuries.
The Vienna Woods are not just a "trip to the countryside", but a dialogue between urbanity and authenticity, close enough for spontaneous discoveries, rich enough for long stays. In an interview, Andreas Weiß explains why this is much more than just a nice phrase with travel tips and interesting facts.
A dense network of hiking trails runs through the forest area of the Vienna Woods Biosphere Reserve. The "Towers of the Vienna Woods" tour takes you from one lookout point to the next. Always along the limestone mountain range from Mödling to Bad Vöslau. At the top, a different view of the treetops of around 60 tree species awaits you each time: sometimes with the city on the horizon, sometimes with nothing but forest in a 360-degree panoramic view.
"Stories from the Vienna Woods" is a recommended hike with two very different stages: the first leads from the cultural town of Baden through the much-praised Helenental valley along the Schwechat river to Alland. The second takes hikers back to Baden, with detours to the Mayerling Carmelite monastery and Heiligenkreuz Abbey. The total length of the circuit is around 39 km.
G´schichten aus dem Wienerwald. The hiking trail - Stage 2
Hiking tour Starting from Bus stop Alland Hauptplatz (center)
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2 | Wine culture: Old roots, young shoots
The Thermenregion Vienna Woods is home to a wine culture that dates back thousands of years. The Romans planted vines here, and later monasteries shaped viticulture. Above all Stift Klosterneuburg, Austria's oldest winery, which is located in the Vienna Woods and cultivates numerous vineyards in the spa region. The second oldest winery is Freigut Thallern near Gumpoldskirchen. Austria's oldest protected wine brand, Königswein, can be tasted at the Gumpoldskirchen Wine Museum.
The wine-growing region has two originals: Rotgipfler and Zierfandler, indigenous grapes that were once considered the best wines in Lower Austria and are now celebrating a comeback. They love the calcareous soils and warm climate and are now being reinterpreted in wineries such as Alphart am Mühlbach in Traiskirchen or Schwertführer 35 in Sooß, with strong character, rare and unmistakable.
3 | Walking, forest bathing and tasting the forest
In the Vienna Woods, exercise becomes an encounter with nature and your own senses. At WienerWaldGenuss, nature guides show you what the forest tastes like on two-hour walks. With wine from oak barrels, cheese with a beechwood aroma or the famous Alpengummi made from pine resin according to the old craft of pitch production.
Those who prefer silence will find it at WienerWaldSein: mindfulness, breathing and slowing down under old beech trees, a forest bathing experience that inspires and grounds you.
Just like nose-to-tail in animals, there are an incredible number of flavours and dishes to discover in the forest, from the treetops to the roots. Resin also has its own distinctive taste.
Waldökologe ARTUR CISAR-ERLACH und Alpengummi-Mitgründerin SANDRA FALKNER
Emperor Claudius (41 to 54 AD) was already aware of the important role played by healing springs and named the settlement at that time "Aquae". Since 2021, today's Baden near Vienna has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the "Great Spa Towns of Europe".
Every Saturday, certified Baden Austria Guides lead themed city walks through the spa town. They follow the traces of water from the Roman spring under the spa gardens to the Arnulf Rainer Museum, where historic bathing halls merge with contemporary art. They tell of imperial summer resorts and great composers, spanning the spectrum from theatre to gambling, and can be combined with culinary experiences, such as the Art Breakfast.
A little further south, in Bad Vöslau, the thermal spa combines culture, nature and summer retreats. As one of the most beautiful spas in Austria, it is both an architectural gem and a cultural stage, with readings and theatre performances by the Schwimmender Salon.
Covering around 60 km, the Monasteries, Emperors and Artists Cycle Tour combines the best of the Vienna Woods - nature, culture and history. The starting point is Baden bei Wien, where the annual La Gacilly-Baden Photo Festival transforms public spaces into an open-air gallery.
The route leads through the Helenental valley to the Mayerling Carmelite convent, the scene of a tragic love story and now a quiet monastery offering impressive guided tours by the nuns. In the nearby Heiligenkreuz Abbey, spirituality becomes audible. The monks' Gregorian chants have filled the Romanesque-Gothic cloisters for centuries and have even become a chart success.
A detour to Laxenburg Castle, where you can stroll through history in imperial style between water, park and knight's castle, is also part of the tour.
