Sankt Gallen: Church Art and Gesäuse Nature

Sankt Gallen combines impressive landscapes with a remarkable cultural history. Between ravine forests, rivers and alpine meadows, you can enjoy equally varied holiday days, whether visiting the late Gothic parish church, the Gallenstein castle ruins or the Sankt Gallen Festival. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Sankt Gallen, you can plan your stay according to whether you mainly want to experience nature, discover culture or combine different activities.

Discover Church Art and History

The parish church in Sankt Gallen reflects several phases of construction. The late Gothic church was rebuilt between 1515 and 1523 by master builder Bernhard Polhaymer. From 1736 to 1740, it was expanded in the Baroque style according to plans by master builder Jakob Prandtauer. At the centre of the late Baroque high altar is Martin Johann Schmidt’s painting of the Assumption of Mary, dating from 1782. This makes the church a specific destination for anyone who wants to combine architecture, sacred art and historical details while travelling.

The Gallenstein castle ruins also offer a glimpse into the region’s history. The Benedictines of Admont Abbey used them as a fortress of protection and refuge when the abbey was no longer safe in times of war. Today, the castle ruins offer views of the Gesäuse mountains. The Sankt Gallen Festival adds to the area’s cultural character with piano evenings, world music and readings. In August, it presents a two-week programme – a special highlight for a trip where culture is not meant to consist solely of museum visits.

Forests, Water and Trails around Sankt Gallen

For active days, the Auszeitsteig trail leads through a ravine forest along the Großer Billbach stream. The Auszeitsteig includes the three running and walking routes Milchstraßenrunde, Zinkgrabenrunde and Tankstellenrunde. This selection allows you to focus on exercise in the forest and by the water without planning your trip exclusively around a long tour.

Orchards, forests, rivers and idyllic alpine meadows shape the landscape between Sankt Gallen and Wildalpen. The Gesäuse National Park is also located near Sankt Gallen. Those who want to focus their holiday more on cycling will find a much more extensive undertaking in the Buchsteinrunde: The mountain bike tour is 144 kilometres long, starts and ends at the Hensle inn in Sankt Gallen, and takes three days through the nature park and the national park around the Buchstein.

Combine Active and Relaxing Holiday Days

Gesäuse Adventure Golf has 18 large-format XXL holes. The facility is wheelchair- and pushchair-friendly and easy to walk around throughout. The Sankt Gallen Water Adventure Park is located directly next to Gesäuse Adventure Golf. This gives families a specific opportunity to plan a playful outing. On a quieter day, the swimming pool in Sankt Gallen is an option. It has a large sunbathing lawn, a terrace and a food and beverage area.

A visit is also possible in winter: The small Buchsteinlift ski area is open daily when there is sufficient snow. You should take this condition into account when planning your trip. This allows you to choose your accommodation based on your preferred mix of culture, nature, activity and relaxation without limiting your stay to a single season.

More Destinations for Your Travel Planning

If you would like to select more places in addition to Sankt Gallen, you can also include the municipality of Lassing near Selzthal, Weng Im Gesäuse, Geiergraben, Grundlsee, Furrach, Zlem, Niederöblarn and Bad Aussee in your search.

To the higher-level travel overview: Liezen.