Stage 01 Mariazell Route Soboth – Eibiswald

Accessible by public transport

Characteristics

Skill

Fitness

The tour in numbers

Level of difficulty medium

Route 18,2 km

Time 6:00 h

Uphill 544 hm

Downhill 1221 hm

Highest point 1172 m

A gentle start to the Mariazeller Way: This roughly 20 km stage leads mostly downhill through forests and the rolling hills of Southern Styria – ideal for settling into the rhythm of pilgrimage. Eibiswald, the destination for the day, impresses with its peaceful setting among vineyards and offers authentic Styrian cuisine away from mass tourism.

A quiet yet deeply rewarding pilgrimage experience awaits. Following the footsteps of the Virgin Mary along this historic route, the first stage reveals traces of the past and cultural highlights along the way.

The journey begins in Soboth, a charming scattered settlement on the border with Carinthia. At its centre stands the Jakobihaus, first mentioned in 1545. The high altar dates from 1692 and is believed to originate from the Eibiswald woodcarving workshop of Bartholome Bluemberger.

The destination, Eibiswald, is a historically grown market town characterised by its townhouses from the 18th and 19th centuries. The oldest and largest of these is the Lerchhaus, home to a traditional Schilcher wine cellar.

Best season

January

February

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More information

Detailed information on how to get there can be found here.

From Soboth, the trail leads across meadows and through forests, passing farmsteads before reaching the Krumbach gorge. After crossing the stream, paths and narrow trails continue towards the settlement of Rothwein with its small St Clement’s chapel.

From here, the route follows the Hadernigg trail (No. 593) as well as a variant of the Südalpenweg Trail 03A. The Styrian Landesrundwanderweg trail and the Südsteirische Höhenweg trail branch off towards the Radlpass.

The path then climbs steadily past the Laßnig farm, offering beautiful views of the Soboth region and the Koralm mountains, before reaching the Haderniggkogel (1,184 m). Via Aibl, the route continues to Eibiswald, reached after around six hours. In Eibiswald the trail also intersects with the Hiking Trail From Glacier to Wine, which connects the Dachstein Glacier with the wine region.

Informationsabout Stage 2: Route, Duration & Directions Eibiswald–Deutschlandsberg

Accessible by train and bus: detailed information about arriving by ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways) can be found at www.oebb.at or on the Verbundlinie Steiermark website www.busbahnbim.at

With Verbundlinie’s BusBahnBim route planner app, planning your journey has never been easier: simply enter towns and/or addresses, stop names or points of interest to check all bus, train and tram connections in Austria. The app is available free of charge for smartphones – on Google Play and in the App Store

Numerous parking spaces are available at the central hiking starting point in Soboth-Ort.

TVB Südsteiermark, Tel. +43 05 7730
www.suedsteiermark.com

Steiermark Tourismus, Tel. +43 316 4003
www.steiermark.com
www.steiermark.com/mariazell-pilgrimage-route