← Neusiedler See Marathon·Day trip

Seewinkel National Park: A Slow Day on the Flat

The National Park centre opens on the Monday after the race, and the steppe lakes around Illmitz lie on level lanes that suit stiff legs.

DurationDay trip
TransitBicycle or short local bus from Illmitz village
DepartsIllmitz

After the Neusiedler See Marathon: Seewinkel National Park

The Route: Illmitz → Nationalparkzentrum → Zicklacke and Lange Lacke observation areas → Illmitz Logistics: Flat lanes throughout. Bicycle or a short local bus. No overnight stay needed. Marathon Month: September Duration: Day trip

Illmitz village ──(bicycle or bus)──> Nationalparkzentrum, Hauswiese
        │                                         │
        └──(flat lane)──> Zicklacke / Lange Lacke observation areas ──(back)──┘

The race finishes on a Sunday, and the Nationalparkzentrum is shut on Sundays. That is the first thing to know. On the Monday it opens from 08:00 to 17:00 from July to October. The second thing to know is that the country around Illmitz is as flat as a billiard table, which is the reason the race is flat and also the reason a day outdoors is possible on legs that have just covered 42.195 km.

September in the Seewinkel: the park's own September guide describes autumn bird migration, large starling flocks and the end of the harvest. Water levels in the shallow soda lakes change from year to year, so what you see will vary. Mean daily highs at the nearest weather station, Neusiedl am See, are 21.4°C in September (1981 to 2010), with evenings around 12°C. Bring a jacket for the early start and a hat for the middle of the day.

Getting there

Stay in Illmitz village and do the whole day from there. The centre at Hauswiese is within the village area, and the observation points lie on lanes around it. A local bus serves the village, and Hotel Nationalpark describes a stop about 300 m from its door. Hire a bicycle if you can; the pace is slow and the lanes are level. Check the bus and bicycle-hire options with your hotel on the Sunday evening, since the Monday after a race weekend is a quiet day for village services.

The day

Start at the Nationalparkzentrum at Hauswiese when it opens. The exhibitions explain how the soda lakes form and why they dry in summer, and the staff can tell you which observation points are worth a visit that week. Opening hours shift in heat warnings, and the centre is closed on Sundays, so confirm on the National Park website before you go.

From the centre, take the lanes to the Zicklacke and Lange Lacke observation areas. Both are on the park's list of autumn hotspots. Keep to the designated paths: the park asks visitors to avoid disturbing wildlife and to take litter home. A pair of binoculars matters more than a camera here. Expect waders on the mud margins and geese overhead, with long gaps in which nothing happens.

The Sandeck observation area is a further landscape and birdwatching point. Access to the upper tower is limited to guided visits, so ask at the centre about the day's programme and do not count on climbing it unaccompanied.

Keep the distances short. Two or three kilometres of cycling between stops is enough, and a bench with a view will feel better than a longer loop.

Where to eat

Johannes-Zeche on Florianigasse serves regional food in a restaurant attached to its hotel. Rosenhof, also on Florianigasse, is a restaurant with rooms. Opening days and kitchen hours change with the season, and the restaurant's German and English pages do not agree on every day, so telephone before you set off.

Getting home

If you are flying out afterwards, the usual public route from Illmitz is the bus to Neusiedl am See, then a train towards Wien Hauptbahnhof. Allow about two hours to Vienna, and add the 15-minute Railjet to the airport. Check ÖBB and the regional bus timetable the evening before, because Monday timetables can differ from weekend ones.