Insider tip Gurktal – a true paradise for nature lovers and connoisseurs! Whether with the bike or on foot – the unspoiled natural landscape invites you to discover it.
Six herbal hiking trailsfrom leisurely to sporty, offer hikers the perfect opportunity to explore the scenic high valley with its surrounding mountain backdrop. Herb gardens, such as the large garden behind Gurk Cathedral, the lovingly planted garden in Glödnitz or the many farm gardens of the Urlaub am Bauernhof farms have a long tradition in the valley and are waiting to show off their blooming splendor.
Our tip: Pleasure tour in the herb paradise
Our guided pleasure tour with herbalist Gerda Offner-Kaller starts in front of the imposing Gurk Cathedral on the cathedral square with a Gurktaler herbal aperitif. We take a leisurely stroll along the asphalt footpath along the shady chestnut avenue towards the Gurk river. At the Wass-er-Leben rest area on the Gurk, benches invite you to take a break. On sunny days, wild herbs bloom, flit and creep on the specially created wild herb embankment. Here you can sniff, taste and feel. There are many stories about the wild herbs and shrubs you get to know here. You can roast a herb-rich sandwich over the campfire and taste the Gurktaler Alpenkräuter or a Stifts-Kräutertee before setting off on the short hike back to the cathedral. Enjoy the colorful aromas of the herbal paradise in the Gurktal!
Numerous other herbal hotspots invite you to linger: Whether you enjoy the view from Strasbourg Castle, visit resting places along the Gurk, get interesting information at herb farms, get inspired at the poet’s grove or browse in the herb book corner – the choice is entirely up to you!
Not enough – the herbalists in the valley will spoil you with regional and very special herbal cuisine. Have you already tasted the Gurktal herb pasta, fortified yourself with a Gurktal herb snack or tried the stimulating herb digestive?
Specially equipped accommodation establishments, such as the JUFA Hotel Stift Gurk, which opened in 2018 with its individually designed herbal rooms. The herbal theme can also be found in the numerous Urlaub am Bauernhof establishments: you can fall asleep relaxed on herbal pillows with the scent of local wild herbs and dream of paradise.
“Alles Kräuter” in the Gurktal – come, experience, taste and enjoy!
The implementation of the “Gurktaler Kräuterparadies” project was funded as part of the Austrian Rural Development Program – project type 19.2.1. The funding amount of € 126,000.00 is made up of federal, state and European Union funds.
