Dear friends & gourmet travellers: Have you heard of the “largest bar in the world”? Did you know that Lower Austrians hailing from the wine regions like to “mountain shoot” on certain occasions?! And what on Earth are Rotgipfler & Zierfandler wines? Well, let me tell you this: Wishes do come true around here, and one example are the so-called Geniesserzimmer typical local accommodation of Lower Austria. “You have three wishes!”, is what the message in my “Geniesserzimmer” room at the Winzerhof Achau in Vienna Forest reads. What kind of wishes, I wonder? I tear open the envelope with growing curiosity, pulling out my very own wish list. “So ein Genuss!”, is what the letter reads in German. I smile. This is what I like: Wishes & wonderful surprises!
After I have walked almost the entire Gourmet Mile together with Monika & Petar Fuchs (TravelWorldOnline) and Andreas Susana (Travelwriticus) from the wine town of Gumpoldskirchen to Baden, I really do have a wish. Peace. And some energy for the evening. Of course, a glass of wine, too. Just saying: Be careful what you wish for, because you might get it all – here in Lower Austria!
All about (the pleasures of) life: The City of Baden, Thallern Free Estate & our mission of exploring the Vienna Forest district …
… and its so-called Gourmet Mile. It is the largest gourmet mile of Lower Austria, and indeed the whole world (!) right in the middle of sunkissed vineyards in the Thermenregion wine region. You have to be able to enjoy life here, even the old Romans knew how to do that some 2.000 years ago building thermal baths, whereas the monks later on „had to“ grow wine. Really and truly! People always seemed to have had a sense of pleasure. Only 20 kilometres away from Vienna. If you want to experience the capital city yet stay in its green belt, this is where you should go. And come to realise it, you actually do not need Vienna anymore faced with such a multitude of things to do. Right? 😉 Check this out.
Walking through the old Roman city of Baden: After our historic city tour, we take to “Dinner & Casino” at one of the oldest casinos in Central Europe here in Baden.
The Romans already knew about the healing sulphur thermal waters here in Baden.
On our second day, we are visiting the Thallern Free Estate including a wine cellar, rural deluxe accommodation, tasting events, weddings, an awarded restaurant and a lot more.
The Freigut Thallern estate in the late summer light: Welcome to the Austrian Tuscany, is what I think here …
We check out the wine cellars during a guided tour …
… listening to Johannes talking about native grape varities that are endemic to the Vienna Forest wine growing district, such as “Rotgipfler” and “Zierfandler”.
Enjoy your meal!
Happy to be travelling with my culture & gourmet travel writers Andreas, Monika & Petar Fuchs: We are all one and the same when it comes to the really good things in life: A love for culture, and good food!
Gourmet Mile 2013: “The largest bar in the world” in the Thermenregion Vienna Forest district
Hiking * Pleasure * Experience, that is the motto of the third annual gourmet mile taking place south of Vienna, in Lower Austria. Flooded by emotions as well as by the beautiful golden light of the 25°C late summer sun, my travel writer friends Andreas, Monika, Petar & I take a stroll from one experience to the next: The heartfelt welcome by the managing director of the Vienna Forest tourism destination, Stefan Gabritsch and his wife Ursula for instance. Dressed in Lederhosen, white shirt & matching shoes, he treats us to more than an hour of his time explaining the history of the gourmet mile in the Vienna Forest. Part of it all is that we are offered “official gourmet vouchers” that we can trade in with the local farmers and wine growers exhibiting their food & drinks. Great! Enthralled, I take well over 200 photographs during one afternoon alone … the vineyards, the Indian summer atmosphere, the local festivities and the open, generous behaviour of all those attending makes our stay here at wine city Gumpoldskirchen an experience we can truly recommend. Let me take you on a journey, dear gourmet travellers!
Let’s go then: On Saturday, 7 September 2013, the gourmet mile is officially opened taking place each year in the beginning of September.
Visitors from near & far enjoy the magical ambiance at the wine trail leading up to the “gourmet mile” near the city of Gumpoldskirchen.
Playing up, it is easy to shoot great photos on a day like today
The Gourmet Mile leads past the 1st Viennese aquaeduct, thus following historic roots.
Let us toast to good health: A glass of “Sir Oliver” wine from the Thermenregion wine growing district …
Thank you all for such a great afternoon together: Andreas Susana, Monika Fuchs, Stefan Gabritsch, Petar Fuchs & myself.
Where else could you possibly find a spot like this, sitting inside a vineyard while overlooking the city of Vienna?
The gourmet mile invites everybody to relax and try what the area has to offer …
… and could not have been realised if it were not for the strong support of everybody involved, almost 80 members including wine growers and restaurants from around the area this year.
Food & Drinks from the Gourmet Mile, staying overnight in a typical “Geniesserzimmer” room. Easy, right!?
If staying at a Geniesserzimmer means meeting more of the likes of Ilona at Landhaus Moserhof estate, or the Klein family at the Winzerhof Achau wine estate, then this is the only way I would like to “spend the night”. In style, with a beautiful local touch of ambiance, luxurious yet authentic and down-to-earth. Rooted in history and a love for their area is what all the “Geniesserzimmer” rural accommodation stand for. Ilona laughs out loud and makes friends with us immediately: I can tell she is from Carinthia while she shares the photo I post about her on Facebook: Together, we enjoy the happiness of being & sharing a good time here in Lower Austria. “Usually, it is my husband who does the Internet …”, she continues with a smile while showing us the carefully renovated Moserhof estate in Gumpoldskirchen. “But he is off playing golf today!” Maybe that is why I get to spend the night in the golf “Geniesserzimmer”? And man, the three wishes at the Winzerhof Achau Geniesserzimmer estate are a really clever idea, too – easy to fulfil and guaranteed to make you smile, like I previously experienced at Schlosshotel Mailberg in Weinviertel earlier this year.
The country estate hotel Moserhof has been reopened in the spring of 2012 after careful renovation work.
The breakfast room leads onto a lawn complete with swimming pool and deck chairs: A beautiful place, really!
Watching from my room: Here is where I would like to spend all day, if it were not for the gourmet mile event I “have to go to”!
Later on, I tear open my envelope detailing my three wishes at the Geniesserzimmer of Lower Austria …
… and now of course, you would be curious what the very wishes are I chose from are? Well, they have to do with local herbs, wine of course as well as an introduction to energy therapy, very interesting!
Good night: We are relaxing in the cosy & comfy Geniesserzimmer in Lower Austria.
Disclaimer: We have been invited by Wienerwald Tourismus & the Geniesserzimmer Lower Austria accommodation association in order to travel to the Vienna Forest district for the Gourmet Mile 2013. All opinions are my own.