Ski holidays Mariazell - A pilgrimage destination for winter sport enthusiasts!

Mariazell

Mariazell (868 m) is best known as one of Austria’s most important places of pilgrimage, for here, in the Basilica of the Nativity of Mary, stands the miraculous statue of Magna Mater Austriae, which attracts countless pilgrims every year. But the journey is also well worth it for snow-loving visitors on one or two boards. No fewer than three ski resorts are available to winter sports enthusiasts: the Mariazeller Bürgeralpe and the Gemeindealpe in Mitterbach, as well as the Annaberg ski area. Tobogganists, cross-country skiers, hikers and ice skaters – they will all find places to stop off in Mariazell.

But the fun in Mariazell doesn’t stop with winter sports. The town has plenty of culinary specialities to offer its guests. Take, for example, the Mariazell stomach liqueur, made from a blend of 33 herbs, which is produced in the historic Arzberger department store, complete with its own liqueur factory. Or the home-brewed beer from the Girrer brewery, or the Mariazell Jagasaft, also a digestive liqueur. And let’s not forget gingerbread. There are up to 50 different varieties of this in the village, which has a population of 4,000. The craft of gingerbread-making has a long-standing tradition in the Mariazell region.

Bruck-Mürzzuschlag

The region Bruck-Mürzzuschlag is located in the mountainous and well-forested Upper Styria. The district spans over the Hochschwab Mountains, the Graz Highlands and the Mürztal Mountains. The district capital Bruck an der Mur is situated about 55 km north of Graz and one of the oldest Austrian cities with a historical town centre, as well as many imposing structures. It is the place where two of the biggest Austrian rivers, Mürz and Mur, flow into each other. Not far from the impressive Hochschwab (2,277 m) lies the town of Bruck, which is the perfect starting point for a trip to the many excursion destinations in the region.

Getting to Mariazell

• By train: Mariazell (in resort)
• By plane: Graz (approx. 125 km), Linz (approx. 145 km), Salzburg (approx. 260 km)
• Open route planner in Google Maps.