Zwettl: Nature and Cultural Experiences in the Waldviertel

Zwettl is a versatile starting point for a journey through the Waldviertel: nature experiences, circular hiking trails, historic sites and regional specialities offer a variety of discoveries here. Those looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home can therefore easily choose their accommodation based on their personal holiday plans – for example, days spent on forest trails, exploring culture or visiting special destinations.

Forest, Water and Special Nature Experiences

The Höllfall waterfall near Arbesbach is an impressive destination. The area is designated as both a natural monument and a European protected area. Small waterfalls make their way over and between thousands of granite boulders. The five-kilometre Höllfall Trail starts in Pretrobruck near Arbesbach and leads through the forest to the Höllfall waterfall and back. This allows you to combine a specific nature experience with a circular trail.

The BÄRENWALD Arbesbach also has its own special focus. The VIER PFOTEN animal welfare organisation’s sanctuary for bears in need offers bear watching, a visitor trail with information stations, an exhibition and play areas. Guided tours with information about bears are also available. The BÄRENWALD is also the starting and finishing point of the Bärentrail hiking network. When planning your day, you can therefore choose between observing nature, an informative visit and a longer trail.

Further hiking options cover a range of different landscape themes. The Waldhausen circular hiking trail is a five-hour route that starts at the sports field. The Wiesenreith Ökomeile is a circular trail focusing on landscape and agriculture. The Waldviertel Cultural Trail 665 runs for approximately 102 kilometres from Zwettl via Zwettl Abbey, Friedersbach, the Ottenstein recreation centre, Rastenfeld, Rastenberg, Brand, Loschberg and Waldhausen. Those who prefer individual destinations to a longer route will find suitable options here, as will travellers planning several stages.

Views and Regional Discoveries

Loschberg in Waldhausen is 800 metres high. In good weather, the panoramic view extends across the Waldviertel landscape to Jauerling, as well as to Ötscher and Schneeberg. Kottes-Purk is located in the Zwettl district, in the wooded hills of the Waldviertel and in the valley of the Kleine Krems. In Kottes, you can also visit the Weidenauer distillery, with tastings and guided tours of the production process for spirits and liqueurs made from carefully selected fruit.

The Waldviertel Poppy Farm in Ottenschlag is another regional speciality. The business specialises in growing grey, blue and white poppies and uses them to produce cold-pressed poppy seed oils. Since 1995, Kottes has been home to an ore and nature trail focusing on the geology and human use of the region’s natural resources. These destinations complement hiking plans with insights into the landscape, agriculture and regional processing.

Culture and Routes through the Waldviertel

For days focused on culture, Schwarzenau Castle provides a historic highlight. The castle is a Renaissance castle; the former fortress was first mentioned in official records in 1150. The grounds include a park and a pond. At the 180er KIKKER Tractor Museum of a different kind, you can view large tractors and model tractors in scales of 1:16, 1:32, 1:43 and 1:87. In Arbesbach, the Blacksmith Museum showcases a restored hammer mill with original reconstructed and restored water wheels in operation.

The journey itself or a separate excursion can also become an experience: The Waldviertel Railway connects Groß Gerungs and Gmünd with historic steam and diesel locomotives and offers views of the landscape on its journey through the Waldviertel. It also operates between Gmünd and Litschau. The Thayarunde Waldviertel route runs via Göpfritz/Wild, Groß Siegharts, Raabs/Thaya, Pisečné and Slavonice in the Czech Republic, then via Waldkirchen, Dobersberg, Thaya and Waidhofen/Thaya, before returning to Göpfritz/Wild via Windigsteig or via Dietmanns and Groß Siegharts.

Choosing the Right Starting Point

When looking for a holiday apartment in Zwettl, you can first decide which combination of holiday activities should take priority. For hiking and nature-focused days, the routes described above, the Höllfall waterfall and the BÄRENWALD Arbesbach are important reference points. Those interested in culture can include Schwarzenau Castle, the Blacksmith Museum and the Tractor Museum in their plans. If you want to combine different types of excursions, you should consider the location of the accommodation in relation to your daily destinations and preferred means of arrival. The specific features, prices and availability of each holiday accommodation should always be checked in the current listing.

Other Places in the Zwettl Area

For further regional orientation, you can also discover the following places and destinations: Bärnkopf, Griesbach, Bad Traunstein, Gutenbrunn, Friedersbach, Municipality of Groß Gerungs, Schönbach, Rosenau Castle, Ottenschlag, Zwettl, Lower Austria, Kottes, Arbesbach, Rappottenstein, Schoberhof, Schwarzenau and Bernreith.

For the higher-level travel overview: Lower Austria.