Discover Bad Traunstein: Nature, Culture and Activity

Bad Traunstein combines the Waldviertel landscape with unusual nature experiences, regional culture and routes for different travel plans. A church nave without supporting pillars, a rocking stone in the forest, a herb garden with around 250 labelled medicinal herbs and a viewpoint at 958 metres give the town a diverse character. Anyone looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home can therefore choose Bad Traunstein according to their own interests: hiking, observing nature, culture, water-based activities or cross-country skiing in winter.

Hiking and the landscape around Bad Traunstein

The Kremstal Trail is a uniformly signposted regional circular trail with a starting point in Bad Traunstein. The markings apply in both directions, allowing you to adapt your hiking plans to your preferred direction. Another distinctive landmark is the Wachtstein. It is located at 958 metres and offers hikers an impressive view as far as the Ötscher and Schneeberg on clear days. In the past, the Wachtstein was part of a medieval chalk-fire chain between Jauerling, Anschau Castle and Arbesbach Castle. The warning fires of that time were used to signal dangers at an early stage.

The Wiegenstein and Opferstein also add their own distinctive features. The Wiegenstein is a rocking stone in the middle of the forest in the direction of Weidenegg. The Opferstein, on the other hand, is a relic from the Stone Age: a single large granite block with a large basin in which water is always present. Those who like to combine natural formations, historical traces and specific walking destinations when planning their trip will find various reasons for excursions here.

Culture, herbs and special local features

The parish church of Bad Traunstein stands out for its nave without supporting pillars, its wooden folded-ceiling construction, its main altar made from a block of granite and its unusually symbolic windows. It combines a traditional building with a modern structure built from granite stones from the surrounding area. The Josef Elter Exhibition Centre displays stone and wood sculptures by the former artist-priest Josef Elter. From mid-April to October, it is open from Friday to Sunday and on public holidays from 10–12 am and from 1:30–4:30 pm.

The Kräutertanten Garden presents around 250 labelled medicinal herbs. On request, trained herbal experts guide visitors through the medicinal herb display and teaching garden and provide information about the power and use of the herbs during a tour lasting around one and a half hours. The annual Bad Traunstein Herb Week complements this focus. During Herb Week, herb walks take place daily in the surrounding area of Bad Traunstein; they last between two and four hours. The Tau Circular Trail No. 50 also includes ten “breathing space” stations, where original locations invite visitors to take spiritual breaks.

Water, cycling and winter experiences

For families who would like to include water activities in their stay, the leisure facility with its bathing pond offers a deep-water zone for experienced swimmers and a shallow-water area for children. Swimming and use of the sunbathing lawn are free of charge. In winter, up to four groomed cross-country ski trails for all levels of difficulty are available in Bad Traunstein. The Bad Traunstein Planet Trail, by contrast, provides a thematic focus: it is a static model of the solar system at a scale of 1:1 billion, or 1:1,000,000,000.

Cyclists can also choose their own focus. The Ottenschlag-Sallingberg-Bad Traunstein cycle route is around 30 km long and runs along paved farm roads and minor roads through the untouched Waldviertel landscape. Depending on the desired travel theme, the search for accommodation can therefore focus on activity, nature, culture or a combination of these experiences, without having to determine any individual day of the holiday in advance.

Other places for your search

If you would also like to check other listings when planning your trip, you can switch to Bärnkopf, Friedersbach, Schönbach, Arbesbach, Griesbach, Gutenbrunn, Groß Gerungs Municipality or Rappottenstein.

For the higher-level travel overview: Zwettl.