Styria
On the trail of winter!
A walk in the snow-covered forest, a winter experience nearby - this is easy to find even with a relatively short journey and a great enjoyment factor in Hochsteiermark.
We start our short, relaxing break at Pogusch, where the Reitbauer family's Steirereck inn is a popular destination for lovers of good food. This is nothing new, but it has a different effect when you come in winter. This is because the Alpine pass, which connects the municipalities of Turnau and Sankt Lorenzen im Mürztal, lies at 1059 m above sea level, and we experience the magnificent wooded landscape enchanted under a thin blanket of snow.
It's like a winter wonderland as we begin our excursion with a short hike to the Himmelreichbauern farm. The farm, which has been run by the Weissenbacher family since 1868, is now a snack stop on the idyllic Bründlweg, which is also open in winter. The 400-year-old house is still without electricity and the parlor invites you to linger by candlelight. A good tip is the Kaspressknödelsuppe (cheese dumpling soup).
When we get back to the Steirereck, the room is ready for us to move into. We are accommodated in the stable directly opposite. It smells wonderfully of hay - no wonder, we are in the hay room. We can also choose between the bird or tree houses, the hunting lodge or the cabins in the glass house.
cabins in the glass house. Each of these accommodation options is very individual. Some are very traditional, others modern, which is not a contradiction in terms - on the contrary, it shows the Reitbauers' openness to preserving tradition without losing touch with tomorrow. This is also reflected in the menu, which is different in the Wirtshaus than in the Schankkuchl. What unites them is the high quality standards and regionality.
INFO
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Hochsteiermark Tourist Office
03862/550 20
www.hochsteiermark.at
RECOMMENDED ADDRESSES:
- Wirtshaus Steirereck, 8625 Pogusch, 03863/2000, www.steirereck.at (open again from February 5th after the company vacation)
- Montestyria Chalets & Suites, Kalvarienberg 5, 8630 Mariazell, 03882/93080, www.montestyria.at
- Brauhaus Mariazell, Wiener Straße 5, 8630 Mariazell, 03882/252 30, www.brauhaus-mariazell.at
- Lurgbauer, Lurg 1, 8630 St. Sebastian, 03882/3718, www.lurgbauer.at
- Pirker Lebkuchen, Grazer Straße 10, 8630 Mariazell, 03883/2179-0 www.lebkuchen-pirker.at
- Apotheke zur Gnadenmutter, Hauptplatz 4, 8630 Mariazell, 03882/2102, www.zurgnadenmutter.com
- Café Caliano, Hauptplatz 3, 8630 Mariazell, 0664/202 58 82, www.caliano.eu
- Liqueur manufactory & Kaufaus Caj. Arzberger, Wiener Straße 2, 8630 Mariazell, 03882/2611, www.arzberger.co.at
- Bakery Konditorei Frühstückspension Seidl, 8625 Turnau 8, 03863/2242, www.baeckerei-seidl.at
- Butcher's shop Aigner, Bürgergraben Str. 50, 8623 Aflenz Kurort, 03861/2353, www.fleischerei-aigner.at
STYRIAN HIKING:
Dates for winter hikes: www.steirischwandern.at
- Bründlweg: www.bruendelweg.at
- Himmelreichbauer snack station
Bründlweg, 8625 Pogusch
0664/480 57 35
www.himm elreichbauer.at
The diversity of our own agriculture, down-to-earth in the inn, interpreted in a contemporary way in the Schankkuchl. "Let it flow" is the motto, and those who embrace it will have fun, enjoying and observing, because you are right in the middle of the action. The long table, where guests sit together and easily get into conversation, is adjacent to the open kitchen.
"Styria is the culinary heart of Austria," says Heinz Reitbauer, the patron of the Steirereck, with conviction. "I believe that Styria is a country that has exceptional products. Styrian cuisine is unique, authentic and regional."
We also experience that regionality is a strength in the region when we stop at the Seidl bakery (Café Konditorei Frühstückspension) in Turnau to stock up on the great Erzherzog Johann bread - the specialty of the house.
We continue to Aflenz, which is of interest to us today for two reasons, namely the excellent Hirschwürstel sausages and the Wurzelspeck bacon, which HG (Hans Georg) Aigner produces himself with great passion, along with many other products. It snowed during the night, and the Bürgeralm, a ski area without snow cannons, is a paradise full of natural snow slopes. The Schönleitenhaus is a good place to stop for a bite to eat; you can even get a Fedlkoch there - a specialty of Styrian cuisine.
WINTER VACATION FOR EVERY BUDGET
High peaks, breathtaking scenery - the north-eastern alpine region of Styria has six larger and five smaller ski areas, which is particularly popular with families. From magic carpets to FIS downhill runs, the Brunnalm-Hohe Veitsch offers everything for every target group. At Niederalpl, on the other hand, children up to the age of 15 ski for free when accompanied by an adult, but there is also an attractive budget-saving offer at Mariazeller Bürgeralpe.
If you book until January 31st or from March 1st to the end of the 2025 season in a premium partner establishment (minimum 2 nights), you will receive a free ski pass. That's not a bad argument for traveling to Mariazell. What's more, the Hotel Montestyria Mariazell Chalets & Suites is a real hideaway and the only hotel in Styria to have been awarded a Michelin Key. Six chalets and two suites in a high-quality and extremely appealing design, a real gem with a maximum of 28 guests. The facilities include plenty of space and a private sauna; it is a retreat on the Calvary in a prime location with a view of the mighty basilica.
Helga and Peter Lindmoser are passionate hosts and have fulfilled their dream of running their own hotel in their home town. Each of the houses has two bedrooms with bathrooms and a cozy living area, where the table is already set with a rich breakfast as if by fairy hands when you wake up in the morning. Recently, the Lindmosers also started running the Mariazell brewery, which looks back on 350 years of history as a brewery and pub and where guests can now enjoy a contemporary interpretation of authentic Austrian pub culture. Wonderful!
If you like good food, Hochsteiermark is the place for you, as the abundance of award-winning restaurants means you are spoiled for choice - the time out may be short, but every evening is a culinary treat. The Lurgbauer in St. Sebastian, which belongs to Mariazell, is also highly recommended. We drive through the forest for a while - after all, we are in the most densely wooded area in Austria - and then end up at the "toque-awarded farmer" (quote from "Krone" culinary expert Karin Schnegdar).
Max Leodolder's kitchen, which has been awarded three toques, is dominated by his own Aberdeen Angus oxen and the Lurgbauer grazing calf. The beef cuisine is creatively reinterpreted and delicious. In the old farmhouse, whose history dates back to 1390, there are even some romantic rooms for overnight stays.
Nature and culinary delights play an important role in the area and are a major incentive for guests to come. During the day, winter hiking, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing and, of course, ski tours, which are becoming increasingly popular throughout the country. Heinz Reitbauer Sr. also observes this when he lets us take a look at the new Gamshütte on the snow-covered Seeberg. The vacation home is located in a hidden paradise in the mountains of the Gamsgebirge Hochschwab and is ideal for anyone looking for peace and relaxation.
Everything has been thought through down to the last detail, wood and iron - as a tribute to the Erzberg - have been skillfully combined, many small details create a whole that is very inviting and cosy. From the sauna you have a view of nature, in the bathroom there is a wall bars for gymnastics, at the entrance a heated wall warms cold clothes, in a drawer a hearty snack is prepared - you would love to move in here right away!
MARIAZELL: GINGERBREAD, HERBAL BITTERS AND PANTHER KNITWEAR
Mariazell, until now only known to me as a place of pilgrimage and "Advent stronghold", also offers surprises. The gondola to the Bürgeralpe is right in the middle of the village - that's practical and convenient, even for non-skiers who just go up for a walk, pass the Erzherzog-Johann-Warte to the Edelweißhütte (TIP: semolina casserole with strawberry sauce) and then explore the groomed Drei-Seen-Blick winter hiking trail. Johann Kleinhofer, the managing director of the Bürgeralpe, is also delighted that the toboggan run is very popular with young and old alike.
In the village itself, it is of course worth taking a look at the magnificent basilica, which will be the destination of many pilgrims this year in the Holy Year. In addition, the Pirker gingerbread is - without exaggerating - world-famous, a product that is produced here in numerous varieties (now also gluten-free) and of the highest quality, providing work for 243 people at peak times, as we learn from the landlord Georg Rippl-Pirker. A very famous Austrian who lives in California also orders his annual requirements from Pirker. This is a living tradition that is constantly being developed and tastes good.
Just a few steps away - we are in a small village after all - is the pharmacy and drugstore "zur Gnadenmutter", which has been open since 1718. For more than 300 years, the pharmacy has been working with the healing properties of local Alpine herbs, explains Bernhard Widlhofer, the pharmacist, during a guided tour, which groups can book by appointment, including a tasting. The oldest product, Mariazell stomach drops, has been produced in the in-house laboratory according to original instructions since 1780.
The Arzberger family has also been producing Mariazell stomach liqueur according to a tried and tested recipe for five generations. The department store is a true shopper's paradise, a world full of variety and tradition, whether it's the products from the liqueur factory or the panther knit that Gabi Arzberger created in 2012. The panther, the heraldic animal of Styria, adorns the collection of 27 different knitted items, which are made from the finest merino wool or 100% cashmere using high-quality knitting techniques - almost a must for cold winter days
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