Glaciers, Wine & Lipizzaners

We've been in Austria for three months. Somehow, time has slowly slipped towards the end of summer like a colourful sunset over the mountains...gradually fading to dusk.

Wait...When Did Summer Suddenly Become Autumn?!!

This week we realized just how comfortable we've become in Austria. And how nervous (and excited!) we are at the thought of leaving this comfort behind to live in a country neither of us have ever been to before: Croatia.

Our German has improved significantly (even though we still struggle with finding the words under pressure), but it's good enough to communicate our needs. And sometimes we're even able to have simple (but successful) conversations/jokes with strangers!

However, next week we pack it all up and essentially start from scratch again. But, we're not in Croatia yet!!

Overlooking the amazing city of Graz, Austria

So, until then, we will continue to hike, sip, eat and enjoy the bounty of Styria! (or Steiermark in German)

This clip is a great 'taste' for where we are right now...winter activities aside, it is super accurate! We have even met a few people featured in this video!

Hiking in the Lower Austrian Alps

We've hiked over 200km in the past three weeks - which is a total testament to this under-visited area!! As you know, we hit the Tirolian Alps first on this trip, and you would think that after hiking glaciers at over 3000m above sea level, it would be a challenge to surpass the experience.

...It hasn't!

We have been living in a small - but perfect - apartment the past number of weeks at an elevation of 1000m in the tiny farm community of Trahütten in the Schilcherland. This location has been so great (well, the acute mountain sickness wasn't so great, but it thankfully passed after a week), because we are at the base of a number of outstanding hiking trails and breathtaking panorama vistas of the mountain ranges of Styria, Carinthia, and the Julian Alps in Slovenia!

Can you find Kelly and the Pups?!

Here, we are some of the only non-regional tourists. This is special, because we feel as though this experience has been unique. The trails are never crowded, and those we encounter are oftentimes dressed in Austrian Tracht, accompanied by ponies, horses or this time of year beautiful Styrian Cattle. Hiking we often feel as though the entire mountain is a playground reserved for us and the dogs (um...and the cows...and the wild horses *ha ha*) On a clear day we can even see Mt Triglav - it's truly breathtaking!

The Styrian Wine Roads

The Weinstrasse (wine roads) of southern Styria are a joyous bundle of winding and up-and-down roads crisscrossing a picturesque landscape that is reminiscent of Tuscany. The 8 different routes cross Ehrenhausen, Stainz, Gamlitz and Berghausen in the north, and the town of Leutschach to the west along the Slovenia boarder.

[Note: it's not ALL wine, Leutschach also grows incredible hops, and has a kick-ass micro-brewery too!!]

Unlike the Heuriger's of Vienna, Styria has Buschenschanks.

Buschenschanks, or Taverns are working farms where the farmer (and family) are allowed to serve their products (drinks and cold food). WE LOVE BUSCHENSCHANKS!! I wish we had these at home back in Canada. Heck, maybe I'll just save-up and start my own 😉

There is a very unique type of wine made only here in this part of Austria - Schilcher!

Schilcher wine is unlike anything we've ever had before. It is a distinct rose made from the indigenous Blauer Wildbacher grape that is grown only here. The colour of the wine is captivating, it's no wonder that Schilcher translates to 'radiate with colour'. Smelling like summer strawberries on the nose, the wine also has an very unique taste that can lean bit on the sour side at first (if you're not used to it). But the wine quickly becomes sweeter as your palette adjusts! The wine must also have an the official emblem of the white horse. This refers to the LIpizzans bred in Piber for the world-famous Spanish Riding School (located in Vienna).

Lipizzaner Stud Farm in Piber

Yes, we visited. And it was awesome!!! Imagine, you need only pay 13 Euros for an afternoon of petting and playing with Lipizzaner foals?! We also had the opportunity, while in Vienna, to enjoy the summer program at the Spanish Riding School!

(For the curious, here is the history of the Lipizzaner Stallions in Austria. I could write A LOT about this and I find is super fascinating! But I'll spare you the nerd-fest....🤓)

But, as much as we love Austria, this week will find us in the Istria Region of Croatia.

Sunset on the Adriatic Sea. Photo by: https://misstourist.com/

Being able to smell the ocean again is going to be amazing! But until then, we will be hiking summits (possibly in the fog) and enjoying a delightfully intense, and pink glass of Schilcher at our favourite Buschenschank - Klug-Voltl!

"Prost!"🥂