Furmint Trail

Stage 1: Rust – Deutschkreutz (52 km)

The first stage starts in the free city of Rust on the western shore of Lake Neusiedl. Rust is especially known for its historic old town with well-preserved townhouses from the 16th to 19th centuries. Rust was granted market rights as early as 1470 and was elevated to a free city in 1681 – a privilege Rust secured by paying 60,000 gulden and 500 buckets of wine to the Hungarian king. This historical reference emphasizes the close connection of the town to viticulture. Rust is considered one of Austria's most important wine-growing communities to this day, especially for noble sweet wines such as the Ruster Ausbruch with the main grape variety Furmint. The combination of Pannonian climate, calcareous soils, and centuries-old wine tradition creates ideal conditions for top-quality wines. Numerous wineries, wine taverns, and events invite visitors to experience the town’s wine culture up close. The most important sights of the free city of Rust include the Fishermen's Church with its impressive interior, the 17th-century town hall, and the numerous baroque townhouses along the partly cobbled streets. Rust is also known for its stork population – numerous nests adorn the roofs of the town.

From Rust, the Furmint Trail leads along the edge of the extensive reed belt west of Lake Neusiedl towards the south and brings you to the picturesque festival community of Mörbisch am See. The town is known for its characteristic courtyard alleys. These narrow, elongated alleys with their historic Streckhöfe shape the townscape and witness the traditional Pannonian building style. They once served as living and working spaces for winemakers and craftsmen. Today, they convey an authentic picture of Pannonian village life. Mörbisch is also a significant wine-growing center and the venue of the Seefestspiele, which attract thousands of visitors annually and uniquely combine culture with nature and wine enjoyment.

The path now leaves the immediate surroundings of Lake Neusiedl and rises slightly to lead close to the border through the still very natural Siegendorf Puszta to Klingenbach. In this bilingual town (German and Croatian) directly on the border, the town center is traffic-calmed and invites you to linger.

From the Lake Neusiedl region, the route continues towards the Rosalia-Kogelberg Nature Park, the youngest nature park in Burgenland, whose landscape is characterized by gentle hills, numerous orchards, vineyards, and fields. Visit the Pauline Monastery in Baumgarten, colloquially known as the "Desolate Monastery," in front of which a magnificent winter lime tree has been watching for more than 250 years, even listed as a natural monument.

In the neighboring community of Schattendorf, a visit to the Schuhmühle is recommended, one of the last historic mills in Burgenland. In addition to a small museum, the Schuhmühle houses a permanent exhibition titled "The shots of Schattendorf" and is also the starting point for excursions, hikes, or trips into the nature park. The mill shop offers souvenirs and small delicacies from the region.

From Schattendorf, the route leads further into Hungary, past Àgfalva (Agendorf) and via Sopron (Ödenburg) to Harka (Harkau), where you enter the Blaufränkischland in Mittelburgenland in the middle of the Neckenmarkt wine mountain at the green border.

From here, a "detour" into the center of Neckenmarkt is recommended. In the small flag swinging and wine-growing museum, you can learn interesting facts about the history of the community. Incidentally, the Neckenmarkt flag swinging was declared intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO.

After a few kilometers, you reach Deutschkreutz, one of the best-known wine towns in Burgenland and the largest wine-growing community in the Blaufränkischland. In addition to gastronomy and wine businesses, Deutschkreutz also offers cultural attractions such as the Carl Goldmark Museum, the impressive Lehmden Church, and the picturesque Deutschkreutz Castle located on the town’s outskirts.

Stage 2: Deutschkreutz – Klostermarienberg/Kőszeg (50 km)

Passing some of Deutschkreutz’s best-known vineyards – Goldberg, Ried Fabian, and Hochberg – the path continues via Kleinwarasdorf and Kroatisch Minihof to the spa and wine-growing community of Lutzmannsburg. Lutzmannsburg is one of the oldest wine-growing communities in Burgenland and has also been home to the Sonnentherme Lutzmannsburg for more than 30 years, Austria’s largest and most famous children and family spa. With many attractions, including numerous slides, a 5D underwater cinema, and a large outdoor area. Fun and action are guaranteed here.

Along the Rabnitz, you ride past Strebersdorf and Frankenau to Klostermarienberg, a small village directly on the border with Hungary, whose townscape is dominated by the mighty Marienberg Cistercian Monastery. Around the monastery area, the big chestnut festival takes place every year on October 26, where everything really revolves around chestnuts.

After Klostermarienberg, you cross the border once again and continue your journey via Ölmod (Bleigraben) to Kőszeg (Güns).

Stage 3: Klostermarienberg/Kőszeg – Heiligenkreuz im Lafnitztal (79 km)

From Kőszeg, you cycle on little trafficked country roads through quiet Hungarian villages and finally through Bozsok. You remain in Hungary and reach the charming village of Narda with its noteworthy village church from the 13th century. At the outskirts, a rest area by a small pond invites you to take a break. Afterward, you continue following the route and cross the Austrian border.

In Schandorf, you will find some historically significant features: as early as 750 BC, iron deposits, smelting, and iron trade made the "iron barons" of this region wealthy. This is evidenced by the largest burial mound field in Central Europe with an impressive 285 giant burial mounds.

*Tip: From 2026, the "Burial Mound Multimedia Room" can be visited directly on the railway trail cycle path in Schandorf (free entry).

Further south, past the Burg bathing lake, you cross the Pinka and finally reach the Eisenberg, a rise in the eponymous town. The "Wine View" lookout platform also offers a fantastic panorama. Not far from the route, you will find the vinotheque, where you can taste red wine specialties from the region. Along the route, you ride to the town of Höll and further on to Bildein with the Burgenland history house, the border experience path, and the Wine Culture House.

Cycling through the communities of Eberau and Kulm, a short detour to the water castle Eberau is recommended. Although it can only be viewed from the outside, it is still worth a look. Following the Pinkatal Wine Route, you reach the small pilgrimage church Maria Weinberg. To the east lies the village of Gaas with its listed parish church. Those seeking cooling off will find the water adventure world Moschendorf perfect. In Moschendorf, you will find the wine museum as well as a vinotheque.

Afterward, the route continues to Strem. A highly recommended detour is to the community of Heiligenbrunn. This rustic place with its romantic cellar quarter, mostly still with straw-covered wine cellars, is considered the stronghold of the legendary Uhudler with its fine forest berry aroma. On the Uhudler educational trail and in the show vineyard, you can learn more about this special wine and its history.

Over the Hammerlberg with its well-maintained vineyards and through the districts of Glasing and St. Nikolaus, you reach the small town of Güssing. Be sure to take your time for a visit to the impressive Güssing Castle, which sits atop a mighty basalt rock. It is the oldest fortification in Burgenland and impresses with its view as well as the noteworthy castle museum, which houses about 5,000 exhibits.

From Kleinmürbisch, enjoy magnificent views over the gentle hilly landscape before reaching Inzenhof. A detour to the St. Emmerich Church is worthwhile – it lies on Hungarian soil and was located in the so-called “no man’s land” during the Iron Curtain times.

After crossing the forested Steinerberg, you arrive at Heiligenkreuz im Lafnitztal.

Stage 4: Heiligenkreuz im Lafnitztal – Bad Radkersburg (55 km)

The route takes you further through the industrial center to St. Gotthard in Hungary. At the confluence of the Lafnitz and Raab rivers, you cross both rivers and follow the route through the town to the historically significant market community of Mogersdorf. Here, in 1664, an Ottoman force was defeated in the Battle of Schlösslberg.

After passing through Weichselbaum, make sure to visit the artist village Neumarkt an der Raab. The thatched farmhouses, village gallery, historic oil mill, and the oldest cinema in Burgenland create a very special atmosphere.

Soon after, you reach St. Martin an der Raab, whose late Baroque parish church is visible from afar. History enthusiasts should visit the Roman Museum, which offers fascinating insights into the ancient Roman past of the region. Along the Doiberbach, you reach Windisch-Minihof, where the lovingly preserved Jost Mill invites you to visit. Another tip from the Tauka district is a detour to the tripoint Austria-Hungary-Slovenia.

The Furmint Trail leaves Burgenland and thus Austria shortly after Minihof-Liebau and passes through the hilly landscape of the Goričko region in the far northeast of Slovenia. This area was densely forested for a long time and was therefore never densely settled. Moreover, the region experienced very strong emigration towards the end of the 19th century, as the phylloxera nearly destroyed all vineyards and thereby the livelihood of many people. Today, the idyllic area belongs to the cross-border nature park Raab-Őrség-Goričko.

The route passes through the scattered villages Kuzma, Gornji Slaveči, Dolnji Slaveči, and Ropoča to reach Styrian and thus Austrian territory again near Zelting. Shortly after, you arrive in the historic small town of Bad Radkersburg with its very well-preserved old town center. The lovingly restored townhouses, narrow alleys, and the main square invite you to explore. Particularly noteworthy is the Palais Herberstorff with its three-story Renaissance arcaded courtyard.

Stage 5: Bad Radkersburg – Ljutomer – Jeruzalem (43 km)

From Bad Radkersburg, the Furmint Trail initially leads into the so-called Radkersburg corner to Sicheldorf and onwards across the border into Slovenian Murski Petrovci. The town of Radenci, soon reached after, is especially known for its mineral water (Radenska) and the traditional spa with thermal spring.

The route continues through the gentle hills of the Pomurska region to Ljutomer, an important center of Slovenian horse breeding and culture. Worth seeing are the Baroque main square, local museums, and wine cellars where regional specialties can be tasted.

The scenic and tourist highlight is the last section to Jeruzalem – a picturesque wine town situated on a hilltop with breathtaking panoramic views over the surrounding vineyards. The town with the striking name was founded in the 13th century by crusaders returning from the Holy Land to Europe. The region around Jeruzalem is famous for its high-quality white wines, especially noble sweet Auslesen and Prädikatsweine, which mature on mineral-rich soils and under ideal climatic conditions. Numerous wine taverns, vinotheques, and viewpoints invite you to enjoyable stops. Here, of course, the local Šipon and thus the Slovenian variation of Furmint can primarily be tasted.