Discover Köflach: Thermal Spa, Culture and Lipizzaners

Köflach offers unusual contrasts for a varied trip: at the NOVA Thermal Spa, thermal water and sauna take center stage, while the Kunsthaus, museum, Piber and the Zigöllerkogel add cultural and scenic highlights. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Köflach for your trip, you can decide on your preferred focus when planning – whether relaxing days at the thermal spa, historical discoveries or trails through forests and rolling hills.

Thermal water, sauna and trails with a special starting point

The natural thermal water of the Barbara Spring is at the heart of the thermal spa experience at the NOVA Thermal Spa in Köflach. The facility has more than 1,000 square meters of water area. In addition, there is an extensive sauna area spread over two levels, offering views across the rolling hills of western Styria. This means that a stay in Köflach can be organized in different ways, even if not everyone in your travel group has the same interests.

Another option for planning your day is the Maestoso Circular Trail. It starts at the NOVA Thermal Spa by the Dechantteich pond and initially leads through the forest towards the Holy Mountain in Bärnbach. The starting point makes the route a separate option for planning your trip; it does not imply any specific accommodation location or distance.

Art, the Museum and the Lipizzaner District of Piber

The Kunsthaus Köflach was built around 1900. As part of the “Mythos Pferd” regional exhibition in 2003, the municipality of Köflach purchased the building and converted it into a modern exhibition venue. Today, the Kunsthaus presents several exhibitions every year. The Köflach Museum documents human presence since the Paleolithic period, including the pagan temple on the Zigöllerkogel. For a behind-the-scenes look, the museum welcomes visitors by prior appointment.

The district of Piber is also part of Köflach’s distinctive identity: it is the birthplace and nursery of the Lipizzaners. The parish church in Piber contains high-quality Roman stones. Anyone interested in horses, regional history and religious architecture can combine these topics when putting together their own itinerary, without having to follow a fixed tour.

Zigöllerkogel and trails through the landscape

The caves of the Zigöllerkogel, which lies to the north-northwest of Köflach, have been known since the Middle Ages. Stone tools and animal remains were discovered in a semi-cave on the Zigöllerkogel and have been dated to approximately 18,000 to 12,000 BC. The Zigöllerkogel Circular Trail (94) passes Lipizzaner pastures at the foot of the mountain and leads through beech forest. This means that the same destination offers a choice of both cultural and historical topics and a route through the landscape.

The KERN-BUAM panoramic hiking trail also runs around the mountain village of Graden. It is a tribute to the legendary musicians of the Kern Buam. Depending on your interests, you can choose a trail with a connection to regional culture or place the Zigöllerkogel and its history at the center of your trip.

Practical information for your planning

Depending on the weather, the Lipizzanerheimat Activity Park is open between March and October from 07:00 to 20:00. An absolute ban on smoking, animals and cycling applies throughout the grounds. You should take these regulations into account when planning your day. Advance registration is required for the Köflach Museum. When looking for a suitable holiday apartment, you can then check which location fits the points of interest you have selected and your own travel arrangements.

For further orientation, you can also visit the pages for Salla, Maria Lankowitz, Dietenberg, Graden bei Köflach, Söding, Krottendorf Bei Ligist and Edelschrott.

For the overarching travel overview: Voitsberg.