A Weekend Trip To The Countryside Near Vienna
A long weekend road trip out of Vienna, from free wine tastings in the Wachau Valley to a gorge hike and farm-to-table dinner near Mariazell.
The best part? It was all free, other than us willingly buying a bottle or two at the end.
Our Wachau Valley wine tastingA Weekend Out of the City, Wineries to Waterfalls
Day one starts with a car rental and a short drive to Langenlois in the Wachau Valley, where wineries scattered across the hillside (search Google Maps for 'Weingut') offer full pours for free — the only cost is a bottle or two bought on the way out, starting around 8 euros. Rabl, Jurtschitsch, and Weszeli were the stops, with Weszeli the clear favorite. Dinner follows at a local heuriger in Stein an der Donau, where a cheese plate, meat plate, bread, and two glasses of wine came to under 25 euros.
Day two moves to Mariazell for a roughly 3-to-3.5-hour gorge hike from Wienerbruck to Erlaufklause, passing the Lassingfall waterfall and a small food cabin along the way — a nature park combo ticket (€5) covers both entry and the train ride back. Dinner at Lurgbauer, a remote family-run farm restaurant serving beef raised on-site, caps the day; it's pricey and has no English menu, so come prepared. Friday nights in summer add an alternative option: the Mariazeller Bergwelle, a mountaintop concert with gondola rides, a blanket, and a laser water show for €55 a reserved seat.
Day three is left open for the drive back to Vienna, roughly 2 to 2.5 hours depending on the route and any detours along the way.
Why We Love It
- Free wine tastings across multiple wineries in the Wachau Valley
- Budget-friendly heuriger dinner (under €25 for two, with wine)
- A scenic 3-hour gorge hike past waterfalls, streams, and greenery
- A unique mountaintop concert option with gondola rides and a laser water show
Considerations
- Lurgbauer's restaurant has no English menu, so bring a translation app or dictionary
- The Mariazeller Bergwelle concert costs extra (€55 for a reserved seat) and should be booked ahead
- Portapotties along the gorge hike are limited and ask for change to use
Our Weekend, Day by Day
We rented through Drivy rather than a standard agency like Sixt, picking up a car and driving to an Airbnb in Krems an der Donau. From there, Langenlois and its wineries were a 10-minute drive, and despite most wineries looking closed, any employee we found was happy to pour generous tastings — often 3 to 4 full glasses.
In Mariazell, the Ötscher Tormäuer Nature Park combo ticket covered both park entry and the return train after the gorge hike to Erlaufklause. The trail runs mostly flat or downhill until a steep final hour, passing the Lassingfall waterfall and a small food cabin roughly halfway through.
Skip the Highways
Turning on the 'Avoid highways' option in Waze added time to the roughly 2-hour drive to Mariazell but traded it for more scenic, winding routes.
We Recommend This To Readers Who:
-
Want a countryside escape from Vienna
A rental car opens up the Wachau Valley and Mariazell in a single long weekend.
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Enjoy wine tasting without the tasting fees
Wachau Valley wineries poured generous free tastings throughout the trip.
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Like hiking with a scenic payoff
The gorge hike to Erlaufklause passes waterfalls, streams, and a dam-side lake.
A Closer Look
What the Weekend Costs
Most stops on this route came with small, predictable price tags.
| Option | Price |
|---|---|
| Heuriger Dinner for TwoPopular | Under €25 |
| Wine Bottle | From €8 |
| Nature Park Parking (4 hrs) | €2 |
| Park + Train Combo Ticket | €5 |
| Bergwelle Concert (Reserved Seat) | €55 |
The Bottom Line
A well-paced long weekend that trades city sightseeing for free wine tastings, a standout gorge hike, and a genuinely memorable farm dinner.
