Styria (also known as Steirmark) is a beautiful mountainous, forested state in southern Austria, known for its spas, lakes, castles and wine. Graz, the riverside state capital, is a stunning town blending Renaissance and baroque architecture with modern design. For a camping holiday it is possible to take the family on a mix of adventure and history.
The region is known for its thermal springs – there are 9 in the region, alongside a huge number of stunning lakes and the amazing Riesach waterfall (tumbling from a height of 140m). There are loads of opportunities for hiking, cycling, climbing and exploring in the many mountains and forests of the region and make sure to sample Styria’s trilogy of wine, pumpkins and apples.
If your kids are water babies, then Styria will be a dream come true for them! The region is full of swimming lakes – many with water slides, sunbathing areas and a host of other activities sure to keep the whole family happy. You’re sure to find one to your liking but a few to start you off with are Zechner Pond, Natural Gem Erlaufsee, Gamsbad and Leopoldsteinersee. Styria also makes a real virtue out of family friendly spas – the Therme Loipersdorf is enormous, with extensive pool landscapes and a huge water slide.
Animal lovers should make sure to take a day trip to the Lipizzaner Stud of Piber, which supplies the Spanish Riding School with their horses. Here you can take a tour to learn more about the breed and meet some of the young horses.
Although there are many museums in Styria, families will probably enjoy the one in Hallstatt the most – it’s dedicated to the long closed salt mines. Or the Zeughaus (Armoury) in Graz with its many medieval weapons and armour will also keep young ones happy.
For something completely different, take a trip to Styrassic Park – situated South-East of Graz in Bad Gleichenberg. Here you can admire 70 life-sized models of all sorts of dinosaurs along with ice-age animals such as a mammoth, a sabre-toothed tiger or a giant sloth.
The cheapest flights from the UK go to Vienna, which is around 80 miles from the Styria region. You can fly from all over the UK with a variety of airlines including EasyJet, Flybe, Austrian Airlines, British Airways and Eurowings. You can also fly to the region’s capital of Graz with airlines such as Swiss, KLM, Air France and Lufthansa.
Family friendly campsites
St Peter am Kammersberg, Bella Austria
Bella Austria is located in the heart of the Austrian countryside and is surrounded by beautiful scenery. Guided bike tours are available on site to further explore your surroundings. The site has a lovely heated lagoon-style swimming pool, indoor sauna and relaxation area to keep the whole family happy, and the entertainment team hosts a great selection of entertainment, games and sports tournaments throughout the high season. Relax at the end of the day with a drink from the bar, or head to the restaurant to sample some fantastic local cuisine.
