Most tourists who choose winter holidays in Austria, go either to Vienna or to ski resorts.

In Austria, there are many other interesting places, of which few know the existence. For example, in the land of Lower Austria there is a town with a sonorous name Laa an der Taya. For those who are looking for a relaxing holiday, dreams of getting enough sleep and forgetting all the worries of the outgoing year, this is an ideal place.

Vienna is not so far away - about an hour drive or an hour and a half by train. The federal land, although it bears the name Lower, but it is located just in the north of the country, and Laa lies right on the border with the Czech Republic.

There are only about 6000 people in the town, and it is very likely that you will walk in the evening, that you will not meet a single person on the way.

In the same town, one of the youngest thermal spas in Austria is located.

Hot thermal water feeds all the pools. It is especially pleasant in winter to lie in an open hot pool with a water temperature of +36 ° C, with music and lighting, breathe fresh air, and just do not think about anything.

The whole day you can swim from one thermal pool to another, bask in the saunas, gently doze in the recreation room for relaxing music, read a book in the winter garden or pamper yourself with SPA procedures.

Here come and families, for children in the thermal complex created a separate Children's World with a slide, children's pools and animation.

The resort is sent to the wellness procedures for the musculoskeletal system.

This place is not for those who are looking for a lot of entertainment and noisy parties, but for those who need peace, who wants to sleep (at night, there is perfect silence in the street). The only thing that can wake you up, is the desire to have time for a delicious breakfast.

Walks in Laa are very reassuring. Small doll houses, an old medieval fortress, remains of the city wall, a smart town hall in the main square, parks along the canal of the river Taia. Sometimes it seems that time has stopped here. This atmosphere is most suitable for those who live in a furious rhythm of life, because sometimes we need to slow down.

If in the middle of the vacation the desire to dilute it with a cultural program wakes up, then in the town itself there is a museum of carriages with a worthy collection, the Hubertus brewery, one of the oldest in Austria, where you can make an excursion with a tasting of .And in 3 km from the town there is an unusual sight - the Hanftal valley .The name is translated as "hemp valley" .Here for a long time grown non-narcotic hemp .For many years, the plant was banned, and a few years ago, local farmers began to cultivate this ancient culture .Of course, it is best to arrange excursions there in the summer, when you can take pictures in a hemp field, but in winter the tour will be fascinating, because you can see the cannabis museum and see what only it does not produce - and clothes and insulation materials, and in a wine cellar to taste wine with hemp and various products, for example, fried hemp seeds, buy a T-shirt from hemp fiber or a cream on hemp oil that will perfectly take care of the skin in frosty days..

By the way, Laa belongs to the Weinviertel region, that is, the Wine region. For this region, the wine streets of the Kellergassen are characteristic. Entire streets consist of houses-presses, in which produce and store wine. The nearest one is in Untershtinkenbrunn, where there is an entire village of wine cellars. And in 30 minutes drive in the city of Retz you will find the largest cellar in Austria, it is more than the city itself! At the end of the tour you will be offered to taste local wines.

If you want more traffic - rent a Nordic walking stick. Winter in this region is very mild, snow even on the New Year does not always fall. So Nordic walking is a great alternative to cross-country skiing. For lovers of walking and running, several routes from Laa are laid.

Take care of yourself and start the new year with new strength!