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Styria Travel Guide
In Styria, the "green heart of
Austria," forests cover about half the country, and grasslands and
vineyards blanket another quarter. This is one of Austria's bargain
provinces -- even its top hotels charge only moderate prices. Trout
fishing, mountain climbing, and hiking are popular summer
activities, and in the past decade Styria has been emerging as a ski
area. (It has a long way to go before it will rival Land Salzburg or
Tyrol, however.) Schladming/Rohrmoos is a skiing center of
Dachstein-Tauern, in the upper valley of the Enns River.
Interesting areas to visit in Styria include Bad Gleichenberg, the
most important summer spa in South Styria, set among parks and
mineral waters; and Bad Aussee, an old market town and spa in the
heart of the lush Salzkammergut. Also worth a visit are Murau, a
winter ski region and a good center for driving tours of the
surrounding countryside, and Mariazell, Austria's pilgrimage center.
If you're driving around this area, you should know that parking is
rarely a problem, and you park free unless otherwise noted.
Styria (Steiermark in German) is the second-largest province in the
country. It borders Slovenia and Hungary, as well as the Austrian
provinces of Burgenland, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Land
Salzburg, and Carinthia. Northwestern Styria includes the alpine
ranges of the Salzkammergut, while its eastern section resembles the
steppes of Hungary. The Dachstein features mammoth glaciers.
Throughout history, this rich land of valleys and rivers, mountain
peaks, and glaciers has been sought after. It was greedily attacked
by Huns, Hungarians, and Turks, among others, and even in Celtic
times people knew that the mountains of Upper Styria were a valuable
source of iron ore, which the tribes used for their weapons and
other important goods. The Romans also exploited the rich deposits,
and the Crusaders used armor made from Styrian iron to fight the
"infidel" in the East. Iron resources shaped Styria's economy, and
today it's Austria's leading mining province.
Styria is a province deeply steeped in tradition, and the costume
that some of the men still occasionally wear demonstrates this
point. Derived from an original peasant costume, it's made of stout
greenish-gray cloth with Styrian green material used for the lapels
and the stripe down the outside of the pant legs.
Graz, the capital of Styria, is the second-largest Austrian city,
and in imperial times it was known as the place to which state
officials retired -- the city even acquired the nickname
Pensionopolis (City of the Retired).
Source:
frommers.com
Things
To Do and See in Styria
Schloss Eggenberg, Graz, Styria
Attraction type: Castle; Park; Art museum
Schlossberg Park,
Graz, Styria
Attraction type: Park
Kunsthaus Graz,
Graz, Styria
Attraction type: Art museum; Architectural building
Cathedral
(Domkirche), Graz, Styria
Attraction type: Religious site; Historic site; Architectural
building
Am eisernen Tor,
Graz, Styria
Attraction type: Town center/square/plaza
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