Purbach am Neusiedler See

Purbach lies on the western shore of Lake Neusiedl, the Neusiedler See, at the foot of the Leithagebirge hills, one of the lowest-lying places in Austria at about 128 metres. The village is just inside the Neusiedler See-Leithagebirge Nature Park, part of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The surrounding landscape is gently rolling, with vineyards in every direction, reedbeds along the lake and the long, flat horizon of the Pannonian plain to the east.

Wine has been the economic base for centuries. The climate here is warm and dry, with long sunny summers, and the soils of clay, loess and limestone give the white wines their character. Welschriesling, Grüner Veltliner and Pinot Blanc are widely grown, and the lake's autumn mists encourage noble rot, which allows the production of sweet dessert wines. Families have worked the same vineyards for generations, and a number of well-known estates, including Weingut Birgit Braunstein and Weingut Kloster am Spitz, are based in or near the village. Visitors can taste at many cellars; opening times vary, so call ahead.

The village's most distinctive feature is the Kellergasse, the Historic Wine Cellar Lane, a narrow lane lined with low cellar houses dug into the slope, some of them centuries old. They once stored wine; today many are tasting rooms or taverns. A walk along the lane, with its whitewashed façades and wooden doors, is a pleasant half-hour. The Heuriger taverns of the village serve their own wine with simple Burgenland food: cold platters of ham, cheese and spreads, bread, and in season grilled dishes and fish from the lake.

Purbach also preserves parts of its fortifications. The Türkentor, the Turkish Gate, is a fortified gate on the old wall, built after the Ottoman siege of 1683 to protect the settlement, and it is a symbol of the place. Another local landmark, known as Der Purbacher Türke, a figure of a Turk that is part of a local legend, stands in the village and is a popular meeting point. A parish church and the small main square complete the old centre, and a small museum of local history presents the story of the lake villages.

Beyond the village, the Neusiedler See is the great natural attraction. The lake is shallow, warm and surrounded by reeds, which house a rich bird life of more than 270 recorded species, among them herons, egrets, spoonbills and, in some years, a few flamingos or pelicans. Observation points and marked trails around the lake help birdwatchers, and the Neusiedler See-Seewinkel National Park, on the east shore near Illmitz and Podersdorf, is one of the main birdwatching areas. Windsurfing, sailing and paddleboarding are practised on the lake, and Purbach itself has no direct bathing beach, though access points lie nearby.

Cycling is outstanding. A flat route circles the lake, passing through Purbach, Mörbisch and Rust, and there are shorter loops through the vineyards. Hiking trails climb into the Leithagebirge. Historic Rust, with its storks and old town, is a short ride south, and the Hungarian border is not far.

Cultural events take place during the summer and autumn, including wine festivals, open-cellar days and concerts. In autumn, new wine and sturm, the cloudy partly fermented grape juice, appear. Local cuisine includes fish from the lake, goulash, roast goose around St. Martin's Day, and dishes with Hungarian influence.

The best time to visit is early June to mid-September for swimming and outdoor activities, with July and August the hottest, and September for the grape harvest. May and October bring milder weather and fewer people. In winter, some businesses close, but the village keeps a quiet, rustic charm.

Getting there is simple. The village lies about 50 kilometres from Vienna and can be reached in about 45 minutes by car on the S1 and A3 roads; buses link Purbach with Eisenstadt and Neusiedl am See, where trains run from Vienna and, with connections, from Budapest. Beyond the village, a bus network and the cycle route connect the lake villages, and a seasonal ferry crosses to Mörbisch.