Marktl: History, Wine and Trails on Straden Kirchberg

Marktl combines history, trails through the countryside and wine offerings. The village lies under the protection of Straden Kirchberg and is suitable for travellers who would like to combine their stay with cultural discoveries, a tasting or wine tasting, or a guided tour. When choosing a holiday apartment or other accommodation, you can therefore consider whether historical sites, wine offerings or trails should be the focus of your travel planning.

Historical Traces in Marktl

Marktl was first mentioned in an official document in 1265. At that time, the village appears as “forum Merein”, meaning a market belonging to Merin Castle. This early mention places Marktl within a long local history that can be incorporated well as a cultural focus of a stay. Until 1848, Marktl was also the seat of the “am Straden” district court, also known as the Stein district court. The historical connection is therefore not limited to a single building, but is part of the traditional function of the village.

The Marktl district is also home to the Bulldogwirt, featuring one of the largest historical collections in Styria on rural life in the Thermal and Volcanic Country. Those travelling with different generations can plan another cultural highlight there alongside hikes and excursions. The collection complements the historical view of Marktl with the area of rural life.

Trails with Different Focal Points

Several described routes offer you different opportunities to explore Marktl and its surroundings. The “Stradener Bergsprint” leads from Marktl near Straden over 2 kilometres and 150 metres of elevation gain uphill to Straden’s church square. These specific details help you place the route within your daily schedule and take the elevation gain into account when choosing your activities.

The “Um die Mitte” route leads down into the Marktl district via the so-called Stiegenweg. The “Handwerksweg” hiking trail follows the road from Straden towards Marktl as far as an intersection. The two descriptions have different focal points: in one case, the Stiegenweg is the focus; in the other, the route along the road.

Marktl is also part of a longer route for cyclists. The “Radsternfahrt Tag 2 von 5 – Hügellandtour” cycling tour reaches Marktl at kilometre 25.8 and then continues to the right towards Hof near Straden. Those looking for a holiday apartment as a base for active days on holiday thus have a specific point on the route for their own planning, without this implying a particular travel time or any requirement regarding the accommodation.

Wine and Regional Experiences

The character of the village also includes the family-run Edi Tropper organic winery at Marktl 31, 8345 Straden. The organic winemaker offers the “Weinwies'n Wanderung”, a tasting or wine tasting, as well as a guided tour. These offerings can be included as a separate focus of your stay. They are particularly appealing to travellers who, alongside outdoor activities and history, are also looking for an insight into winegrowing.

Marktl and Its History of Trails

Historical transport connections complement the present-day experience of the trails. For a long time, the “Plankenweg” was the only carriageway from the southwest up to Straden Kirchberg. A road near Marktl branched off from the Radkersburger Straße at Hof and provided a cross-connection from the Sulzbach Valley to the Poppendorf Valley. Such traditional connections make it understandable why trails and crossings are part of the local history, without any current traffic routing being inferred from this.

When choosing accommodation in Marktl, you can set the focus of your stay according to your interests: culture and rural history, wine offerings, hiking trails or a cycling tour with Marktl as a point on the route. For other places in the surrounding area, you can also view Burgfeld, Klöchberg, Reiting, Lugitsch, Weitersfeld An Der Mur, Deutsch Haseldorf, Stang Bei Hatzendorf and Mahrensdorf.

For the higher-level travel overview: Southeastern Styria.