Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SOUTHERN STYRIA
Southern Styria is known as
Steirische Toskana
(Styrian Tuscany), and for good reason.
Not only is this wine country, but the landscape is reminiscent of Chianti; gentle rolling
hills cultivated with vineyards or patchwork farmland, and capped by clusters of trees. It's
also famous for
Kürbiskernöl,
the rich pumpkin-seed oil generously used in Styrian cook-
ing.
Region Süd und West Steiermark
( 03462-43152;
www.sws.st
;
Hauptplatz 36, Deutschlandsberg)
handles
telephone, email and postal enquiries for western and southern Styria.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Styrian Wine Roads
The
Weinstrassen
(wine roads) of southern Styria comprise an idyllic bundle of winding
roads criss-crossing a picturesque landscape that is reminiscent of Tuscany. The region is
at its best about two weeks after the grape harvest (usually September), when
Sturm
(young wine) is sold. The
Weinlesefest
(Wine Harvest Festival; 03454-70 70 10;
www.rebenland.at
)
takes place in Leutschach on the last weekend in September, with lots of wine and song.
The main towns in the region are Ehrenhausen, Gamlitz and Berghausen in the north,
and the town of Leutschach in the west, less than 20km away but best reached via a ser-
pentine route partly along the Slovenian border. Settlements and vineyards rather than
fully fledged villages dot the region, some of these offering picturesque and romantic
places to stay overnight. Less-rural accommodation is available in Ehrenhausen (
Click
October, accommodation is usually booked out. During the week and at other times it's
usually fine if you're flexible.
If you're without your own wheels, take a train from Graz to Leibnitz. A bus runs five
to eight times daily from Monday to Saturday via Grossklein from Leibnitz to Leutschach
(€8, 40 minutes), where there's bike hire, easy access to hiking trails, and numerous wine
and panorama roads. Car hire is in Graz.
To explore further, from Leutschach a road veers left at the top of the main street at
Rebenlandhof restaurant. This leads to Eichberg-Trautenburg, a pretty region with
Buschenschänke
(wine taverns) and narrow sealed roads. A walking trail (560) goes
