Stage 05 Mariazell Route Söding – Graz/Eggenberg

Accessible by public transport

Train (within 15 minutes walking distance from starting point)
Public bus (within 15 minutes walking distance from starting point)

Characteristics

Skill

Fitness

The tour in numbers

Level of difficulty challenging

Route 25,9 km

Time 6:30 h

Uphill 636 hm

Downhill 597 hm

Highest point 662 m

From countryside to city: The route is accompanied by the first views of Graz, with Schloss Eggenberg and the historic old town as cultural highlights. Along this approximately 21 km stage, the ascent to the Buchkogel with the Kronprinz Rudolf observation tower provides an additional highlight.

Schloss Eggenberg in Graz is the largest and most significant Baroque palace complex in Steiermark and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010. Construction began in 1526 and was completed in 1635.

With its extensive landscaped gardens and the collections of the Universalmuseum Joanneum housed within the palace, it is considered one of Austria’s most valuable cultural treasures.

Best season

January

February

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More information

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

The stage begins along the Södingberg road towards Södingberg. The trail then passes orchards and continues through shaded woodland. The village of Attendorf lies along the route, followed by an ascent to the Pfalzberg with the small Jandl chapel.

The next destination is the Buchkogel with the Rudolfswarte, offering beautiful views over Graz. From here, the route descends, partly via wooden steps, to the Steinbergstraße, where it turns left. At the Dorrer inn, the trail turns right into Thalerseestraße, which is soon left again as the path climbs towards the wayside shrine “Hergott auf der Wies” at the Gaisberg saddle.

A few hundred metres beyond the saddle, a drivable forest road branches off to the north. The route follows this road for about two kilometres downhill to Eggenberg and its impressive palace. The route from Söding to the stop of tram line 1 at Schloss Eggenberg is about 20 km. The stretch through the city to the Hilmteich, our next stage starting point, is just under 8 km.

Those with time to spare should explore Schloss Eggenberg and the old town of Graz. A visit to Graz’s historic centre is highly recommended: narrow streets, historic courtyards and the iconic clock tower define the UNESCO-listed cityscape.

Informationsabout Stage 6: Route, Duration & Directions Graz/Hilmteich-Schöckl

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

Parking is available in front of the municipal office and the community hall.

TVB Erlebnisregion Graz, Tel. +43 316 8075
www.regiongraz.at

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