
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circular route "St. Stefan greets Stainz"
Take the opportunity here to cool your tired legs in the cool water and gather new freshness for your hike. Absolute highlights of the tour are the magnificent distant views and the view of Stainz Castle, resplendent in yellow. The Styrian Archduke Johann said of the castle in his time: "It is hard to think of anything more beautiful, turn your eyes wherever you like; the garden is everywhere." Today the castle is owned by the Counts of Meran.
Just enjoy this circular route between the two wine villages of St. Stefan and Stainz. Schilcher is the defining grape variety of this region. Take your time and taste this special wine of Western Styria, which proudly bears the White Horse as a sign on the bottle.
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From the north: Motorway Munich - Salzburg - Eben - Schladming - Liezen onto the A9 towards Graz. Exit at Lieboch and follow the B76 towards Deutschlandsberg/Stainz. A9 is subject to toll - Gleinalmtunnel. Alternative: At St. Michael take the S6 towards Bruck and in Bruck take the S35 towards Graz. On the B76 in Schlieb turn right to St. Stefan ob Stainz until the next crossroads, turn left here after approx. 1.5km the car park is on the left.
From the west: In Villach take the A2 towards Klagenfurt. Take the Steinberg exit and drive in the direction of Stainz. In the village of St. Stefan ob Stainz turn left at the Stiegler Haus crossroads and after 50m you will find the car park on the right-hand side.
From the east: A2: Vienna - Aspang - Hartberg - Fürstenfeld - Graz. From Graz continue on the A2 in the direction of Klagenfurt and take the Lieboch exit in the direction of Stainz/Deutschlandsberg/Eibiswald. Follow the B76 to Deutschlandsberg/Stainz. On the B76 in Schlieb turn right to St. Stefan ob Stainz until the next crossroads, here turn left after approx. 1.5km the car park is on the left.
From the south: A 1 from Marburg to Leibnitz. Exit in Leibnitz (Gralla) and continue on the B74 in the direction of Deutschlandsberg, take the second exit at the roundabout in Preding, after approx. 2km turn right onto the L617 in the direction of Stainz. In Stainz, drive through the town centre in the direction of Graz, and at the Spar-Markt crossroads turn left into St. Stefan. In the village of St. Stefan in the 30 km zone on the priority road at the church, cross the intersection and after 50 m you will have reached the car park on the right-hand side.
At the fire station, turn off to the south and hike up a hilltop. Here in the district of Lichtenhof, a wonderful view over the hilly landscape of western Styria awaits you. Especially on a sunny autumn day, the Schilcher vineyards shine in bright colours from yellow to dark red. Sit down in the grass and enjoy this magical moment.
After you can tear yourself away from the sight, continue along a quiet road through a settlement. After a few metres, you will catch sight of a farm specialising in cattle farming on your left. Take your time and watch the cows graze, the typical sound they make is extremely soothing.
Now continue along a gravelled forest path. The light of the sun penetrating through the dense leaves draws beautiful patterns on the forest floor. The children can have a battle with the leaves lying on the ground or play a round of hide and seek. An unforgettable holiday experience for the little ones.
After a while you come to a fork in the path where you turn right. Now it is not far to the Franzosenkreuz. On the plaque of the cross you will find the following inscription: "Far from their dear loved ones, 3 Frenchmen died here, beaten by the peasants, and buried here by theirs. The peasants fought with heroism, for the country and for their property." There is a beautiful cross at the side of the path, modernly designed since 2009, to commemorate the French War around 1809.
From there you continue through forest and flowering meadows, past the Lady Chapel in Pichling and slightly downhill to the country road. In the centre of the chapel's altar table is a 75-centimetre statuette of a Lourdes Madonna, with representations of Saints Anthony and Joseph, both with the infant Jesus, on either side.
After you have crossed the country road, you walk energetically in the direction of the Lemsitzbach stream. You have the opportunity to refresh yourself in the cool water. From here you can already see the beautiful, yellow-coloured Stainz Castle. You can reach it after a ten-minute walk. The castle houses a hunting and agricultural museum. You should definitely visit it.
The last two kilometres of this wonderful hike are a real insider tip. The unpaved path follows the meandering Lemsitzbach stream and is truly idyllic with its natural trees and shrubs. You will reach St. Stefan again via a bridge, a little-used asphalt road and a quiet meadow section.
Let this hiking day come to an end in one of the numerous wine taverns in the village. You have truly earned a hearty snack with regional delicacies.
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Hauptplatz 40
A-8530 Deutschlandsberg
Tel +43 3462 7520
The hiking folder and the district-wide hiking map of Deutschlandsberg can be ordered free of charge online at www.schilcherland.at. ONLINE TOURS APPAll hiking tours can be found online at www.schilcherland.at/bewegung or via APP South & West Styria Tours in their app store.