The Waldviertel
Waldviertel means “forest district” and has trees galore. But it also has meadows and fields, high moor and heath landscapes, not to mention famous rocking stones.
Northern Lower Austria has myriad streams, rivers and ponds. The many hiking trails pass through forests that seem endless. The taste of this district between the Danube and the Czech border is reflected in the unpretentious yet delicious Waldviertel cuisine: Poppy seeds, carps and potatoes are the culinary ambassadors of the region.
Healthy nature and fresh air
The Waldviertel has retained a wonderful originality down to the present day. Nature seems so untouched here; the landscape, more tranquil and powerful. Nature presents itself in enchanting and striking ways in Thaya Valley National Park, Blockheide or Heidenreichsteiner Moor. An intact environment and the slightly bracing climate with warm days and cool nights make the Waldviertel ideal as a climatic resort and are naturally also conducive to enhancing the health of body, mind and soul.
El Dorado for hikers and mountain bikers
Bicyclists can shed stress and improve their fitness in hours-long tours. The Waldviertel welcomes mountain bikers in exemplary ways. It has Austria’s most extensive network of routes, 90 in all with a total length of more than 2,000 km. Hikers will find true fulfillment in this region, too. The hilly southern Waldviertel with the largest self-contained area of forest in Austria is unbeatable for hiking. And a bit further to the north in the central Waldviertel, a dense system of hiking trails takes visitors to meadows full of fragrant herbs, along bubbling brooks and rivers and by old cottage gardens in tiny villages.