Discover Gresten: Culture and Trails in the Erlauf Valley

Gresten lies in the valley of the Kleine Erlauf and along the Iron Road. The town combines historic buildings and cultural attractions with routes for walks, hikes and cycling tours. If you are looking for a holiday apartment for your holiday, you can plan your trip according to whether culture, activity or a more peaceful break should be the focus.

Culture Between Castle, Church and Kulturschmiede

One of the historic highlights is Stiebar Castle. Its oldest section is a Late Gothic chapel, first mentioned in 1301. The parish church of St Nicholas also shapes Gresten’s cultural character. It is a Late Gothic stepped church with a west tower at the front and was completed in 1489. Those interested in architectural history and sacred architecture will find two different ways here to explore the town’s past.

Since its opening in October 1996, the Kulturschmiede Gresten has served as a multifunctional event venue with a catering area. Some preserved exhibits from the Gartlmühle are displayed there. This makes it possible to combine a visit to cultural spaces with an insight into preserved traditional craftsmanship. For families with different interests, this can be a varied addition to an active day, without all travellers having to choose the same type of activity.

Cycling, Hiking and Climbing

Gresten is a starting point for various forms of activity. A cycle path section approximately 290 metres long begins at the municipal depot of the market town of Gresten, goes around the substation and leads to the existing footbridge over the Kleine Erlauf. The “Kleine und große Erlauftal” cycling tour branches off from the large Erlauf Valley Cycle Path onto the small Erlauf Valley Cycle Path shortly after Gaming and leads via Brettl to Gresten.

Hikers will also find a variety of options: Gresten lies at the intersection of numerous hiking trails, ranging from walking paths to long-distance hiking routes. You can therefore choose your accommodation according to your preferred holiday pace and distinguish between short excursions and longer hiking days, without restricting the thematic focus of your trip to just one activity.

For climbing enthusiasts, the climbing garden on Schwarzenberg is located above Gresten at an altitude of 950 metres. There are 19 climbing routes in two sectors. The climbing garden is 6 kilometres from the centre of Gresten; the approach from the car park takes around 25 minutes. This information helps you incorporate a day of climbing into your plans, without linking the activity to a particular accommodation.

Choose a Holiday Apartment to Suit Your Travel Plans

If culture and local history are the focus, Stiebar Castle, the parish church and the Kulturschmiede offer suitable points of interest. For active days, you can choose from the cycle path section, the Erlauf Valley cycling tour, the hiking trails and the climbing garden. In addition, the public Gresten sauna oasis has a Finnish sauna for 20 people, a combined bio or infrared sauna, a steam bath, a heated mosaic-tile bench, a seating alcove and a spacious outdoor area. When choosing a holiday apartment in Gresten, culture, active days and relaxation can each provide a different focus.

Compare Other Places

If you would like to compare other town pages alongside Gresten, here is a compact selection: Sankt Anton An Der Jessnitz, Puchenstuben, Lunz Am See, Lassing, Kienberg Bei Gaming, Purgstall An Der Erlauf, Schliefau and Sankt Georgen An Der Leys.

For the higher-level travel overview: Scheibbs.