Castle experiences - Culture - Castle Road - Steiermark, Burgenland, Austria

Castle experiences - Culture

Culture on the Castle Road

The Castle Road connects 37 historic castles, palaces and abbeys in Austria and Slovenia. Our mission is to make history come alive, preserve our common historic cultural heritage and make it accessible for visitors. On this page you will find 74 inspiring cultural experiences in six different tourist regions which may all be individually combined with one another. The thematic structure and recommended experiences serve as an optional guideline that can help you to compile your own memorable cultural journeys along the Castle Road.

The unlimited possibilities enable customised travel planning which, in turn, ensures satisfied customers. We are happy to assist you in your research and availability enquiries, as well as with regional tour guides.

An overview of the cultural offerings of the Castle Road can be found here.

Grand - The Event Castles

For centuries, life has been celebrated in castles and palaces with music and entertainment. When military threats subsided, people celebrated their new freedom in grand style. A lively atmosphere and strong emotions accompany you on your emotional musical journey. Listen to the song of angels in dramatic settings!

Here you can experience...

Schielleiten Castle

• Baroque setting and balloon ride

• Picnic outing with a castle coachman / Summer

Pöllau Castle

• Organ music walk & Styrian Summer Art

• Day of Early Music / August

Vorau Abbey

• Guided tour of the Augustinian monastery

• Academy of Early Music / September

Güssing Castle

• Guided tour of Austria’s biggest private crypt

• Musical Güssing / July + August

Tabor Castle

• Uhudler wine tasting in the castle courtyard

• Opera festival JOPERA / August

Bad Radkersburg

• Historic tour of the old town

• Soul & Blues Groove Summit / July

Slovenska Bistrica Castle

• Historic guided castle tour with wine tasting

• Early Music Days / August

Castle of Ptuj

• Castle tour with Slovenia’s largest collection of musical instruments

• Arsana Festival: Classic music concerts in Ptuj Castle ballroom / July

The experiences can be booked here.

Notable - The Personal

Carefully curated museums and art collections testify to the passion of past and current castle owners. With curiosity and a thirst for knowledge, they have enriched entire generations. Get to know innovative, tolerant and often eccentric figures who were far ahead of their time. Cross boundaries and explore the discoveries of some of Europe’s most notable explorers and visionary thinkers.

Here you can experience...

Stainz Castle

• Archduke John of Austria guided tour of the Agricultural Museum

• Educational forest tour

Deutschlandsberg Castle

• Archeo Norico Museum guided tour

• Schilcherberg in flames / Jakobi weekend

Aichberg Castle

• Arts breakfast with the castle's owner

• The castle & its inhabitants – guided tour

Bernstein Castle

• Explorer tour arount the castle with the owner

• Exclusive castle concerts / monthly

Kornberg Castle

• Guided castle tour with Count Bardeau

• Exhibit tour: The small world of large castles

Murska Sobota Castle

• The language of Prekmurje with coffee and prekmurski gibanica

• The history of the Jews in Murska Sobota – exhibition

Lendava Castle

• György Zala – famous works by the sculptor from Lendava

• The arts colony’s bronze sculptures – exhibition

The experiences can be booked here.

Enchanting - The Garden Castles

Nature and architecture can be seen in all their glory along the Castle Road. With a keen sensitivity for aesthetic harmony, landscape planners and interior designers have created enchanting testimonies to their times. A garden tour brings these precious natural highlights of the residences back to life. On personally guided tours, you will be taken back to a bygone era of promenading, flflirtations in the green and noble emotions, with these cultural gems as a background!

Here you can experience...

Piber Castle

• Lipizzaner horse stud tour

• Mother’s Day gala in the Lipizzaner stud

Garten Castle Herberstein

• Of knights and roses - tour

• Herberstein for connoisseurs - tour

Kapfenstein Castle

• Volcanism & wine tour

• Picnic in the vineyard

Bad Gleichenberg

• Tour of the historic spa park

• Biedermeier festival / June

Grad Castle

• Nature park – castle tour

• Craftmanship Day / October

Negova Castle

• Historic guided tour (Negauer Helme) and herb park

• Festival of Love / July

Ormož Castle

• Guided tour of castle gardens with picnic

• Castle tour and wine tasting

The experiences can be booked here.

Magical - The Romantics

Beautiful pavilions, hidden corners, butterflies in the stomach and moments full of passion – it’s the stuff that castle dreams are made of! For centuries, the castle gates, towers and chapels have provided the setting for many emotional events and magical tales. Head over heels in love, oriental influences and religious works of art will touch the heart.

Here you can experience...

Romantic Castle Ottersbach

• Tour with castle owners

• Picnic in the castle garden

Seggau Castle

• Castle tour with wine tasting

• Castle matinee

Hartberg Castle

• Night watchman tour

• Knights, commoners, farmers - exhibition, Summer/Autumn

Obermayerhofen Castle

• Castle and garden tour

• Art history seminar with dinner & overnight stay

Rotenturm Castle

• Castle tour

• Picnic in the castle garden

Welsdorf Castle

• Exclusive party in the castle garden

• Sleep like a lord!

Rakičan Mansion

• Carriage ride through the romantic castle park

• Chocolate festival / February

The experiences can be booked here.

Heroic - The Medieval Castles

Formerly fortified sites where brave knights offered protection, the carefully restored castle rooms today present the region’s eventful history. War and crusades went hand in hand with religion and superstition. Today, cultural associations recreate past heroism with journeys back in time to the Middle Ages. From high atop the defensive walls, look out over the valley below and form a personal impression of the importance of these hallowed halls for people in the past.

Here you can experience...

Neuhaus Castle

• Guided tour on the Day of Heritage Sites

• Stay with the castle owners

Festenburg Castle

• Art history tour of churches and chapels

• Church service in the monastery castle

Schlaining Castle

• Burgenland – history exhibition with all the senses

• Medieval Christkindl market / December

Lockenhaus Castle

• The story of the Blood Countess - tour

• Castle festival – journey to the MiddleAges / June