Schlossenstrasse

Having left Graz, intending to continue towards the Schlossenstrasse, the Castle Road, we head in the evening to Bad Gleichenberg, a spa town that is a little subdued though. In the local venues, the most popular drink is apple juice, served even mixed with mineral water (I tried it...meh!) We stayed in a small pension, run by Mrs Elizabeth, on the hill above Bad Gleichenberg, a beautiful attic room, homemade and generous breakfast, all for just 50 €. The first stop is at Kapfstein, but it is a castle converted into a hotel. We head towards the Riegersburg fortress, driving along roads immersed in greenery, among field after field of pumpkins. We park below the fortress, the road is all uphill, it climbs up to the drawbridge and the fortress, perched on the cone of an ancient volcano. We then continue to Voitsberg, it is Ferragosto, it is Sunday, almost everything is closed.

We find an outdoor Gasthaus, it seems a nice little place, we order a mixed grill for two, and a landslide of excellent meat arrives.... Nearby, in Piber, we find a stud farm and show of Lipizzan horses, the setting is very beautiful, the hills we crossed too, but 12 € for entry to the stables seemed too much to us.