Tag: #nöcard

Bad weather? Off to the Heindl chocolate factory in Vienna!

Excursion tip with the Lower Austria Card

When the weather doesn’t cooperate, we love to grab our Lower Austria Card and head to one of our favorite destinations: the Heindl chocolate factory in Vienna. It’s super easy to organize and a highlight every year – not just for the kids!

From where we live, it takes about an hour by train to get to Vienna. We get off at Vienna Meidling, then take the Badner Bahn for about 10 more minutes to the Inzersdorf Lokalbahn stop. From there, it’s a short five-minute walk – and we’re already standing in front of the Heindl chocolate factory.

You can drop by spontaneously, taste some chocolate, explore the small but charming museum, and of course browse the shop. If you want, you can also book a workshop in advance – for example, for children. It’s fun, educational, and, of course, delightfully sweet.

For us, it’s a true all-round excursion: relaxed, delicious – and best of all, independent of the weather. We’re always happy to go back!

We explored the Hermannshöhle – a weatherproof family adventure

When the weather isn’t suitable for outdoor activities, the Hermannshöhle in Kirchberg am Wechsel is a great alternative: It’s about a 25-minute drive from here. From the parking area, it’s just a 5-minute walk to the entrance.

The Hermannshöhle is the largest dripstone cave in Lower Austria. The passages extend for about 4 km over several levels, with a height difference of 73 meters. The cave is one of the most important winter shelters for bats in the region – up to 17 species are known to hibernate there. In spring and autumn, there are also special bat-themed tours.

The guided tours last about one hour, are only offered in German, and usually start at 9:30, 11:00, 13:30, 15:00, and 16:30. Visiting the cave is only possible as part of a guided tour.

On a rainy day, the Hermannshöhle is a lovely option for an outing. For families with small children, it can be a bit of a challenge, as the tour is more geared towards adults and not specifically designed with kids in mind. However, with a little patience and preparation, the visit can still be enjoyable. With the NÖ-Card, the classic tour is free.