Vienna, Austria has more than 1730 acres of vineyards, all within in the city limits. Something like 190 winegrowers tend Vienna’s vineyards clustered around the Kahlenberg, Nussberg and Bisamberg hills.

Every autumn the Wiener Weinwandertag (Vienna Wine Hiking Weekend) takes place. In 2018, on September 29 and 30, three routes covering just over 15 miles will open to visitors. Wine and outdoor enthusiasts are invited to hike among the vineyards; learn about the city’s wine growing culture and terrain (the Danube River and the nearby Vienna Woods, tourism experts say, provide the ideal climate for vines to thrive); and sample the local wine and regional culinary delicacies at wineries and wine taverns.

Other highlights along the trail include stops at palaces, estates and a children’s farm; expansive landscapes; and views of the city.

The three routes range in length from about two and a half miles to just under seven miles. Walkers who prefer smaller adventures don’t have to commit to the entire length of each route; they can explore shorter sections. The wine trail is suitable for nearly all travelers, from families with young children and senior citizens to people with mobility issues. (There are special signposted paths for wheelchairs.)

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A hike in the park could turn into a scuba trip if you walk slow enough in Grüner See, a mountainous Austrian park that turns into a lake every year.

Grüner See, which means “Green Lake” in English, sits at the base of the Hochschwab mountains near the town of Tragoess in Austria, and everything in the park – the benches, grassy knolls, creeks and bridges – become a popular diving spot come spring, when winter’s snow and ice flood the area with beautiful aquamarine water.

By summer, the lake reaches its maximum depth of about 40 feet. The lake’s green color (hence its name) is a result from the grass and foliage that line the bottom of the basin.

We’re getting into prime hiking time, just make sure you don’t take a long nap on one of those benches – you might wake up underwater.

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That’s just one of the many hiking options in Austria. There are waymarked routes that cover everything from gentle lakeside strolls to breath-taking high-mountain challenges. You can wander along a pine-scented valley, walk across pastures to the sound of cowbells and birdsong, or take a zig-zag path down through mountainside wildflowers.

Carinthia’s Alpe-Adria-Trail is a superb choice. This 43-stage, long-distance trail connects existing paths, leading from the foot of Austria’s highest mountain, Grossglockner, through the most picturesque alpine and lake regions in Carinthia.

It takes in the point where Austria, Italy and Slovenia intersect at the Dreiländereck (‘three country corner’), then continues on towards the Adriatic. Each stage is about 13 miles long – six hours of leisurely walking – and few stages are regarded as difficult.

The Tirol region is world renowned for alpine hiking and the Adlerweg is a comprehensive network of hiking paths where the routes are designed to resemble the wings of an eagle.

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