The #Vulkanland story
(the center of the region - Castle Riegersburg)
Perfect weather, summer, sun, hot days means out of grey cities and jump into the intense green of Austria's countryside. I've got a nearly unknown piece of land for you here to describe. 2 hours south of vienna there is the styrian vulcano region (Vulkanland) located. 10 years ago nothing happend in this region. Economic scientists called it a worthless land, because it lies off the roads and to the hungarian and slovenian borders in the south east of austria. External migration was order of the day. The youth could not find any future perspective in this slow region. Too small structured, not fit for modern economy, so the experts said. But it changed, and it changed dramaticly in a very positive way. The heart of the people started to beat for their land again. But what happend? People started to think about what in this region is on top, what they can show others and to motivate people to go there. The 3 main topics which are so typical here were develped. First: the culinary. You cannot imagine how many small producers here make such great and healthy foods including wine and liqueur. No mass production, off the mainstream food industry and going back to unique traditions which are passed from old to young producers. The reason for this diversity is the warm and mild climate and enough rain - nearly everything grows here. Weeks ago a journalist from New York described the Vulkanland as a garden of Eden. If you come over here, you will stay!
Mass tourism is not that what this region will offer to visitors. For this the region by itself, the living of the people, the food, the lifestyle is too "slow". You will not find any noise or city dust here. If you are searching for idyll, slow living, slow food, silence, this is the right place for you. All this we call here vital force, the second main topic here in the region. Another big tradition are all handcrafted things linke carpenter or stone cutters do. A lot of small family owned companies provide a big amount of different products and all are handmade. High quality instead of mass production again.
Just visit www.vulkanland.at for more information and details about the region!
The region on google maps:
