Traveling around Austria, it is difficult to abandon an amazing excursion to the Vienna Woods: it is located only 25 kilometers from the capital and offers to enjoy not only nature, but also a number of medieval attractions. Travelers choose several options for excursions: group, individual, often go here on their own, renting a car - choose the most convenient way, being in the Austrian capital! Leaving the country without visiting the Vienna Woods is a big omission that cannot be allowed.
A bit of history
The Viennese forest is often called the “Viennese lungs” - its area is 1250 square kilometers with different landscapes: river valleys, small mountains, the highest of which is named Schöpfl (893 meters above sea level).
In the time of the Celts, this area was referred to as a “mountain forest”. Later, the first settlement of St. Pölten appeared here, after which the forest was renamed in honor of this community. Over time, the larger settlement of Tuln appeared on the territory of the forest, influencing the name of the forest, and the place became known as the Vienna Woods only about a thousand years ago.
A brief chronology of the forest is as follows:
- 8th century - the beginning of the first settlements, the emergence of the villages of Leasing, Gablitz, Döbling
- 16th century - the forest became a favorite place for hunting among the nobility
- 1840s - expansion of villages near the forest
- 1870 - the cleaning of large areas of the forest was proposed for construction
- 1870 - thanks to the wide resonance and participation of celebrities, the authorities decided to leave the forest and signed a document on the protection of nature in the area.
Features
Since 2005, the Vienna Woods has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This place, which is dedicated to songs, poems, performances. Kafka, Freud and hundreds of other famous people loved to relax here. In addition to the beautiful vegetation stretching for many kilometers, in the forest, tourists will see lawns, dozens of places of rest, picturesque restaurants - here you can relax your body and soul, enjoying the pristine nature.
Excursions
Tourists are offered several types of excursions: group tours cost from 40 € to 60 € depending on the route, include a 4-hour walk through the forest itself, a visit to Heiligenkreuz, the resort area of Baden.
Individual tours last about 6 hours and cost 336 € per group for up to 5 people. The route runs through the most interesting corners of the attraction and includes lunch at the Heiligenkrejts monastery refectory.
Tourists can go for a walk on their own, by renting a car or using bus routes: this way you will not depend on the proposed program, you will see more interesting places, including Liechtenstein Castle, but you will not hear amazing stories from the guide. When traveling by car, be prepared to pay for travel on major roads.
Interesting Facts
- If you want to spend a few days in the vicinity of the Vienna Forest, book a cottage long before the trip - free places here are rare.
- The bus route from Vienna No. 38A goes towards the forest along a narrow street with 19th-century villas - prepare your video camera in advance to capture the unique European architecture.
- A sign was left on the observation deck of Bellevue, indicating that it was here in the summer of 1895 that Freud discovered the "secret of dreams."
The object belongs to natural parks.
