Bregenz (Austria)
According to Cheeroutdoor, Bregenz is the administrative center of the westernmost land of Austria – Vorarlberg. The city is located on the shores of Lake Constance at the foot of Mount Pfender (1064 m). According to historical sources, back in the 5th century BC. Celtic tribes lived here, and in 15 BC, the Romans founded the fortified port city of Bregantion on the shore of the lake.
In the historical center of the city, the so-called Upper Town, rises the symbol of Bregenz and its oldest building, the Baroque St. Martin’s Tower. The tower was built in 1602, now it houses a military museum with an extensive collection of weapons. Also of interest are the ruins of the medieval castle Hohebregenz and the church of St. Gall of the 18th century. In Bregenz in the 20th century, a lot of modern buildings were built, of which the House of Arts in the form of a cube, where the works of Austrian artists are collected, and the House of Congresses and Festivals, where the famous Bregenz Festival is held annually in July-August, stand out. For the festival, the Lake Stage was also built in the city, accommodating 6300 spectators. During the festival, theatrical performances and operas are shown on it, and concerts are held. The best place for walking in Bregenz is the embankment of Lake Constance. Boats depart from here, offering unforgettable trips on Lake Constance. Also, a funicular runs from the embankment to the slopes of Mount Pfander. Tourists go to the mountain in order to admire the wonderful panoramic view of Bregenz, the surrounding forests and Lake Constance. In addition, there is a small “safari zoo” on Mount Pfander. For active tourists, hiking up the mountain along specially laid trails is offered. Traveling from Bregenz _through the Bregenz forest, which extends south of the capital, to go to the Alpine mountain region, where the Volsertal biosphere reserve is located, where, following ancient traditions, delicious chocolate and cheeses are produced, and where ski resorts are located. Skiing can be practiced in the Arlberg Valley. It is located on the border of Vorarlberg and Tyrol. The Arlberg has ski resorts such as Lech, Oberlech and Zürs on the Vorarlberg side and San Anton, St. Christoph and Stüben on the Tyrol side.
Graz (Austria)
Graz is the second largest city in Austria and the administrative center of Styria. Its name is mentioned in historical sources under the 12th century. In the 14th century, Graz became the seat of the rulers of Inner Austria, formed as a result of the division of the Habsburg dominions. The city is also known for the fact that the astronomer Johannes Kepler lived here and the physicist Nikola Tesla studied here.
In the central part of Graz rises Mount Schlossberg (473 m), on which from the 11th century until 1805 there was a fortress that gave the city its name. To this day, only the clock tower has survived from the fortress. You can climb the mountain along the equipped hiking trails or by funicular. In the western part of Graz in a picturesque park is the Schloss-Egenberg castle from 1625. The castle houses the Alte Galeri Gallery, which displays paintings and sculptures from the Romanesque period to the late Baroque. Also in Graz, it is worth visiting the Cathedral, the mausoleum where Emperor Ferdinand II is buried, the Graz land arsenal with a collection of ancient weapons (32 thousand items in total), the Styrian Museum and the Art Gallery in Herbstein Palace. Traveling from Graz _in Styria, the southern part of which is occupied by vineyards, the eastern part by numerous castles and springs, and the northern and western parts by mountains.
South of Graz is the famous “Wine Road”, along which vineyards, orchards, fields and chestnut forests stretch. This area has the status of a natural park.
50 km east of Graz, on a high rock, stands the largest Austrian Baroque fortress Riegersburg. The fortress was built in the 13th century to protect against the attacks of Hungary and Turkey. The fortress is surrounded by a fortress wall with 11 bastions and ditches. There are more than 100 halls and rooms here. Now the fortress houses the museum of the Liechtenstein family., which owns the fortress, and the museum of witches.
Not far from here in the town of Bad Blumau is the thermal spa Rogner Bad Blumau. It operates on the basis of three local healing hot springs with water temperatures from +47 to +110 degrees. The local waters are alkaline hydrocarbonate sodium-magnesium-calcium. With their help, metabolic disorders, diseases of the intestines, liver and biliary tract are treated. Rogner Bad Blumau has a thermal complex consisting of several pools, a jacuzzi, a solarium and a fitness center. It is worth noting that all the resort buildings were designed by the famous Austrian architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser, who was famous for his love of nature. Here you can see picturesque artificial landscapes and roofs covered with grass.
Be sure to go to the north of Styria to the city of Mariazell with its pilgrimage church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (12th century), where the national shrine is kept – a wooden figurine of the Virgin, and to Gesuse National Park, which is located in the mountains in the valley of the Enns River on an area of 110 square meters. km. Mountain landscapes (the park has 6 peaks with a height of more than 2000 m), dense forests and a rich natural world are the main attractions of the park. Also on the territory of the park is the 11th century Benidictine monastery of Admond, where one of the world’s largest monastic book depositories is located.
