The northwest region of Niederösterreich known as the Waldviertel is an ancient frontier land of stark yet captivating beauty. You can delight in its dense coniferous forests and pristine river valleys, magnificent monasteries and castles, medieval towns and fortresses. You can also encounter rare examples of ancient crafts long gone elsewhere, and in many a spot, may sense in the air the mystic power of a long ago pagan past.

Just east of Krems, on a side arm of the Kamp River and surrounded by a 30 ha English garden, is Schloss Grafenegg, Austria’s most significant work of Romantic Historicism and now a host to regularly scheduled exhibitions and concerts. Just north of there, in the midst of extensive vineyards, is the start of the Kulturpark Kamptal (Kamp Valley Cultural Park). The towns and villages in this lovely valley have been favorite holiday destinations since 1900 and jointly offer visitors today the many unique features of their region’s nature, geology and cultural history in highlight sites. Especially worth seeing: Loisium, the stunning new wine centre in Langenlois. 

The Waldviertel’s countless fortresses attest to its strategic significance in days past. Two of the finest examples are Rappottenstein on the upper Kamp River and Ottenstein, some 30 km downstream. The Rosenburg, a magnificent Renaissance fortress near Horn, is well-known for its daily free-flight demonstrations featuring birds of prey. Heidenreichstein, the land’s largest water fortress, has successfully defied all enemies for over 800 years. A veritable chain of fortresses along the Thaya River once guarded the frontier with Bohemia and Moravia. The most impressive of them tower over the river in Raabs, Kollmitz and Hardegg. This last town is also a good base for excursions into the Nationalpark Thayatal. The park extends 25 km upstream from here, encompassing beautiful unspoiled river landscape.

There were of course periods of cultural flowering in times of peace, as evidenced by the many noble estates with their obvious emphasis on splendor rather than defense. Premier among them are the castles in Schwarzenau and Riegersburg (both on the Thaya River), the Baroque castle of Rosenau near Zwettl with its Free Mason Museum and the two Renaissance jewels in Weitra and in Greillenstein.

The grand abbeys of Geras, Altenburg and Zwettl trace their origins back to the Early Middle Ages when the Waldviertel was first cultivated and settled. Besides these cradles of culture that continue to house unique art treasures up to the present day, there are many smaller gems of sacred architecture to discover, such as the Romanesque parish church of Friedersbach (close to Zwettl) or the charming little fortified church of Kleinzwettl (near Thaya).

The Waldviertel has a delightful whim of Mother Nature to thank for its many “Wackelsteine”, the huge balanced or rocking stones that were once venerated by the Celts as cult objects and sources of special power. The ideal place to see and experience them is in the Blockheide near Gmünd. Ottenstein Reservoir, for its part, is a work of man and a much visited one at that. Along the densely forested rocky shore of this swimming and recreational paradise, you could almost swear you were in Scandinavia. The vast area of ponds and moorlands between Weitra, Schrems and Litschau is an inviting place for wonderful hikes.

In the same region you can also watch many glass etchers and blowers practice their traditional craft. And insights into a major chapter of the region’s industrial history are afforded at a total of 40 stops along the Waldviertel Textile Road, especially in the extensive collections of the textile museums in Gross Siegharts, Weitra and Waidhofen.

• Heidenreichstein: Heidenreichsteiner Moor Nature Park, year-round. Phone: 0043/2862/526 19; Heidenreichstein Water Castle, mid-April to mid-Oct. daily except Mon, tours at 9, 10, 11 a.m. and 2, 3, 4 p.m.
  Phone: 0043/2862/522 68
  
• Gmünd: Blockheide Nature Park, year-round, lookout tower, mid-April to mid-Oct. Phone: 0043/2852/525 06-100
  or -101
  
• Weitra: Historical center; Weitra Castle May–Oct. daily except Tues. 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Walkman city tour. Phone: 0043/2856/29 98
  
• Rappottenstein: Rappottenstein Castle, admission only with tour, Easter and 15–30 Apr. Sat., Sun. 11 a.m., noon, 2, 3, 4 p.m., May–Sept. daily except Mon. 11 a.m., noon, 2, 3, 4 p.m. July–Aug. also 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.; Oct. Sat., Sun., holidays 11 a.m., noon, 2, 3, 4 p.m.
  Phone: 0043/2828/82 50
  
• Zwettl: Zwettl Abbey May–Oct. daily. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
  Phone: 0043/2822/550; fountain downtown
  
• Rosenau: Rosenau Castle with Freemasons’ Museum: April-Oct. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone: 0043/2822/582 21-15
  
• Hardegg: Thayatal National Park, circular hiking routes, guided hikes. Phone: 0043/2949/70 05
  
• Geras: Geras Abbey, May–Oct. Mon.–Sat. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sun., holidays noon to 6 p.m., Phone: 0043/2912/345-289; Nature park, Palm Sunday to All Saints’ Day.
  Phone: 0043/2912/240
  
• Rosenburg: Rosenburg May–Sept. daily 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Apr./Oct., Tues.–Sun. 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. July/Aug. Sat., Sun. 9:30 a.m.–6 p.m. (birds of prey daily 11 a.m., 3 p.m.). Phone: 0043/2982/29 11
  
• Langenlois: Loisium, Feb.–early Jan., daily 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Phone: 0043/2734/322 40-0
  
• Altenburg: Altenburg Abbey, Palm Sun.–All Saints’ Day, daily 10 a.m.–5 p.m., 0043/2982/34 51-14
  
• St. Leonhard/Hornerwald: Ghost Workshop, Palm Sun.–Sept., daily 10 a.m.–6 p.m. From Oct. Wed.–Sun., holidays 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Phone: 0043/2987/28 93 or
  0043/800/208 777
  
• Grafenegg: Grafenegg Castle, concerts mid–April to late Oct. daily except Mon. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  Phone: 0043/2735/22 05-22
  
• Kamp Valley Wine Road: Through Kamp Valley wine region to wine villages like Langenlois, Schönberg and Strass. For info call: 0043/2734/20 00-0
  

Waldviertel Tourismus
Sparkassenplatz 4
3910 Zwettl
Phone: 0043/2822/541 09 0
Fax: 0043/2822/541 09 36
e-mail: info@waldviertel.or.at