Murau

Murau sits on the upper Mur in northwestern Styria, in the Murau Valley, which opens between rounded, forested mountains. The town is small, with about 3,500 residents, and it is the administrative centre of the Murau District, among the most thinly populated in the state. Altitude and distance from the main motorways mean that it has a more rural character than many Styrian towns, and winters here are cold, with reliable snow.

The old town is built on a spur in a bend of the river. The long main street, Schillerplatz and its neighbours, runs under a wooded hill carrying the castle, Schloss Murau, the seat of the Schwarzenberg princes from 1628 and still privately owned. Burgher houses with painted façades, arcades and oriel windows line the lanes, and the effect is of a compact, well-kept market town. A short riverside promenade and a footbridge offer views of the roofs and the church.

The main church, the Parish Church of St. Matthew, is Gothic with later additions, and it stands on a rise above the town; another church, St. Egid, is also worth a short visit. The Gothic buildings contain well-preserved wall paintings and altars, and the crossing tower is a landmark. Local guides also mention a Parish Church of St. Martin, whose bells and frescoes are praised, so ask at the tourist office which of the churches is open when you visit.

Mining and woodworking shaped the district's economy. Iron and silver were worked in the surrounding mountains from the Middle Ages, though Murau itself was more a trading and forestry town, and local pamphlets present a Mining Museum and a Wood Museum, devoted to traditional crafts and forestry. Details change, so check opening hours. The wider Murtal region has a number of mining and industrial heritage sites, and the Benedictine Abbey of St. Lambrecht, which lies about 20 kilometres away, is an important historical site with an extensive library and a well-known art collection. Older local texts sometimes refer to a Benedictine Abbey in Murau itself, but the community is St. Lambrecht.

Beer is a clear part of the town's identity. The Murau brewery, one of the best-known in Styria, has been brewing for several centuries, and its Brauerei Murau visitor centre, marketed as the "Brewery of the Senses", offers tours and tastings. The beer is served throughout the district, and the brewery is the town's biggest employer.

For outdoor activities, the Kreischberg, east of Murau, is a ski area with modern lifts, and it hosted international snowboard events. In summer, its lifts carry walkers and mountain bikers to trails with long views. A network of marked paths links the valley with alpine pastures, and the Mur cycle route follows the river. The Murtalbahn, a narrow-gauge railway between Murau and Unzmarkt, runs with a historic steam locomotive on selected days in summer. The Murau GuestCard, given to guests staying overnight, offers free or discounted access to lifts, swimming pools and attractions, so ask your host for it.

Cultural life includes brass-band concerts, church festivals and a local Folklore tradition, with a Festival of folk music and costume in summer and a popular Advent market. Food is Styrian: pumpkin seed oil, hearty meat dishes, dumplings, sausages and Wood-fired bread are typical, and trout comes from local streams.

The best time to visit is from June to August for warm weather and walking, though May and September are quieter and good for cycling. Winters are snowy, good for skiing at the Kreischberg and for Advent events.

Getting to Murau takes a little time. The town has a railway station on the Murtalbahn, with connections from the main line at Unzmarkt, and trains run from Graz in about two hours. By car, the S35 expressway runs from Graz to Bruck and then the Murtal expressway leads toward Judenburg, after which a main road follows the valley, sometimes listed as the Murautal Straße. Vienna is about three and a half hours away, and Slovenia can be reached in around three hours. Local buses link Murau with nearby villages and Graz.