Sankt Martin offers several reasons to plan a trip: hiking along the Lainsitz, seasonal winter sports, swimming at the natural bathing pond and historic church architecture. When choosing accommodation, it helps to decide first which of these themes you want to shape your stay.

Hiking along the Lainsitz

The “Lainsitz near Sankt Martin” Natura Trail is a hiking experience in a Natura 2000 protected area on the Green Belt. Along the Lainsitz, the trail passes through floodplain meadows and a small-scale, extensively farmed cultural landscape. Fields, rocky knolls, terraced banks, hedgerows and near-natural mixed forests are part of this landscape.

Natura Trail routes start at the village square in Harmanschlag or at Steinbach - Bad Großpertholz railway station. Depending on the route, they take two to five hours, so you can tailor the length of your hike to the time available. Another route option is the “Nebelstein Route,” which leaves Sankt Martin and initially follows the Lainsitz and the narrow-gauge railway before climbing to Nebelstein.

The Waldviertel narrow-gauge railway runs into the municipality of Sankt Martin as far as Steinbach - Bad Großpertholz railway station; this station is also one of the starting points for the Natura Trail routes. For planning your day, check the railway timetable separately.

Winter activities and more

At the Arra lifts, 25 kilometres of groomed cross-country ski trails wind through snow-covered forests. The Arra lifts family ski area in Harmanschlag has three drag lifts, floodlighting and snow cannons. As snow and winter operations are seasonal, check conditions before making plans.

Another activity is the archery course run by the ARRA Bogensportclub Harmanschlag. It starts right in Harmanschlag, next to the Arra lifts, covers 10.5 hectares and runs mostly through forest. This adds a course with its own largely wooded route to the range of experiences on offer.

Swimming and spending time at the natural bathing pond

The St. Martin natural bathing pond offers opportunities for swimming and bathing; seasonal use may vary. There are two beach volleyball courts and a barbecue area by the pond. The kiosk is open on fine-weather days in summer. If you would like to combine your visit with a snack there, take the weather and seasonal conditions into account.

Romanesque and Gothic church architecture

Sankt Martin Parish Church was originally built in the Romanesque style and is probably a foundation of Hadmar II of Kuenring, who died in 1217. The church retains a Romanesque twin window, a Gothic single-light tracery window and a Romanesque sacristy built onto the north side of the tower.

The building features make different architectural styles easy to identify: alongside the Romanesque sacristy and twin window, there is a Gothic tracery window. The church therefore offers a cultural highlight of its own, alongside the nature and sports activities.

Farm shop and snack station

The farm shop at Erlebnis Stein&Garten – Anderl am Berg offers Angus beef specialities as well as products from the kitchen, farm and garden. If you plan to visit the farm shop, check its availability beforehand. After a guided tour, Erlebnis Stein&Garten – Anderl am Berg serves Angus beef delicacies and homemade fruit juices at its snack station.

Discover more destinations: Kirchberg Am Walde, Bad Großpertholz, Sankt Wolfgang, Eggern, Hoheneich, Litschau, Weitra, Moorbad Harbach.

Return to the overview of the wider region: Gmünd.