Stage 02 Styrian Wine Country Cycling Route Deutschlandsberg - Lieboch/Söding

Culture and cuisine go hand in hand on this stage of the Styrian Wine Country Cycling Route, which also follows part of the Schilcher Wine Trail. From Deutschlandsberg – the capital of the Schilcher wine region – the route leads through Stainz with its magnificent castle and on to Lieboch near Graz. Graz itself has made a name for itself among Europe’s cities as the European Capital of Culture 2003 and as Austria’s official Capital of Culinary Delights.

The route leads straight through the heart of the Schilcherland region, with its charming, peaceful villages and traditional pumpkin seed oil mills, heading in the direction of Graz. A must-see stop along the way is Stainz, with its impressive castle surrounded by vineyards and orchards. The castle has been owned by the family of Count Meran since it was acquired by Archduke Johann in 1840. Before that, the splendid complex served as an Augustinian monastery and has architectural roots dating back to the Baroque and Renaissance periods. Today, the west wing of the castle houses the Styrian Hunting Museum – the largest of its kind in the world. And it’s not just hunters who are impressed: historic weapons and tools, artworks, and decorative objects illustrate the rich cultural significance and many facets of hunting throughout the ages.

Characteristics

Skill

Fitness

Best season

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

The tour in numbers

medium

Level of difficulty

41,3 km

Route

3:30 h

Time

343 hm

Uphill

359 hm

Downhill

428 m

Highest point

Map & downloads

Download GPX data

Download KML data

More information

Detailed information on how to reach the parking lot behind the town hall in Deutschlandsberg can be found here.

From Deutschlandsberg, the route follows the Schilcher Cycle Path R4, offering stunning panoramic views of the Schilcher wine country. You’ll ride past vineyards and farmsteads on your way to the village of Bad Gams, where the popular Gamsbad outdoor pool invites you to cool off. As the name suggests, Bad Gams is also home to a natural healing spring. The mineral water here is used for both Kneipp hydrotherapy and drinking cures.

About five kilometers after Bad Gams, we reach Stainz – the northern hub of the Schilcher region, where culture and culinary delights come together beautifully. On one side, there's the magnificent Stainz Castle with its Hunting Museum; on the other, a variety of inviting culinary stops such as Weinhaus Stainz and the wine bar Schilcherstöckl. A real curiosity of the town is the Stainz "Flascherlzug”, a nostalgic narrow-gauge train named after the local “miracle doctor” Höllerhansl (1866–1935). He was said to diagnose illnesses by examining urine samples. In his time, people would travel to him by train, carrying a small bottle (“Flascherl”) in their luggage – hence the name.

From Stainz, the journey continues on the Archduke Johann Cycle Path R9 through the village of Stainztal. Here, we head north through quiet, picturesque villages to Muttendorf near Dobl close to Graz. At this point, we switch routes once again and follow the Kainachtal Cycle Path R14 through Lannach. After just a few kilometers, near the motorway underpass, we change to the Liebochtal Cycle Path R56, which leads us to our stage destination Lieboch/Söding. From here, the Styrian Wine Country Tour continues the next day towards Graz.

In the Thermen- und Vulkanland region of Styria, Eastern Styia, and South and WestStyria, the GenussCard opens the door to over 200 excursion destinations when staying at one of the 160 or so GenussCard partner establishments. Many of these GenussCard destinations, ranging from culinary manufactories to bathing lakes and museums, are located directly on the Styrian Wine Country CycleTrail!

Getting there by public transport
ÖBB: www.oebb.at or Verbundlinie Styria: www.busbahnbim.at

You can easily reach the starting point via the S5 rapid transit line, which runs from Graz through Leibnitz to Spielfeld-Straß. From Leibnitz train station, it’s just a short ride by bike via Bahnhofstraße, Hauptplatz, and Rudolf-Hans-Bartsch-Gasse to the entry point of the Styrian Wine Country Cycling Tour, located at the public outdoor pool & campsite in Leibnitz.

For your return trip, the S6/S61 rapid transit lines connect Bad Schwanberg and Deutschlandsberg with Graz. If you're planning a shorter cycling holiday, the earlier stage from Bad Radkersburg to Leibnitz is ideal. Thanks to the excellent rail connections along the S51 line (Bad Radkersburg – Spielfeld) and the Southern Railway (Spielfeld – Leibnitz – Graz), you can easily break the Styrian Wine Country Cycling Route into several shorter trips and explore the region bit by bit.

With the BusBahnBim app from Verbundlinie, planning your journey has never been easier. Simply enter a place name, address, stop, or point of interest to get real-time connections for buses, trains, and trams across Austria. The app is free and available for smartphones (Android and iOS) – on Google Play and the App Store.

Parking is available on Obere Schmiedgasse, behind the town hall.

If you would like to hire a tour operator, simply book your trip with Steiermark Touristik, the official travel agency of Styria Tourism:
Tel. +43 316 4003450 | www.steiermark-touristik.com

More information available at: Styria Tourism – Tel. +43 316 4003 | www.steiermark.com
Tourism Office South Styria – Tel. +43 5 7730 | www.suedsteiermark.com

Helpful brochures and maps:
Pocket Card “Cycling Routes in Styria” – Tel. +43 316 4003 | www.steiermark.com
Folder “Wine Country Styria Cycle Tour” – Styria Tourism, Tel. +43 316 4003 | www.steiermark.com
Wine Country Styria Cycle Tour 1:50,000 Map – Esterbauer Publishers – bikeline Tel. +43 2983 28982 | www.esterbauer.com