One Day Trip To The Stork Town Marchegg, Austria

Located in Marchfeld, on March river, near Slovakia’s border, Marchegg is a beautiful small town with enough things to do and see in one day. The city is home to the most significant white stork colony breeding in trees in Europe, so that’s the main reason why many tourists travel to Marchegg. Besides spotting the white storks, you can explore the Castles in the area and discover the old city walls. Or you can take a pleasant walk through the Au Reservation to witness flora and fauna and enjoy a delicious traditional meal. With so much to offer, a day trip to the stork town Marchegg should be on your itinerary when traveling to Austria.

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The Stork Town Marchegg – Short Info

Marchegg is home to the most prominent white stork colony, which nests in trees from Europe. During the first weeks of March, you can easily recognize many white storks in the sky, searching for a place to settle down.

They fly around 10.000 kilometers in 50 days, from South and East Africa until they reach Austria. When the newborns appear, one parent stays in the nest while the other flies to procure food for the family, which is about 5 kilograms per day.

The best months to see the newborns are Mai and June when the weather is pleasant and ideal for a walk in the Au forest. By August, these beautiful birds travel back to Africa.

Getting to Marchegg

You can get to Marchegg by train quickly. For more info, visit the Austrian Railways website: www.öbb.at

Marchegg can be easily reached from Vienna by car. Thanks to its closeness to the Slovakian border, it’s easily reachable from Bratislava too.

Distances:

Vienna – Marchegg, 53 kilometers, around 1-hour drive
Bratislava – Marchegg, 33 kilometres, around 40 minutes drive

Getting around Marchegg

Rent-a-Bike

Once you arrive in Marchegg, you can eighter walk or bike. Since Hof Castle is only 7 km away, you might want to bike to it as well. Bring your own or rent one from the city center or train station.

If you arrive at Marchegg by train, you can rent a bike from the NextBike stand, near the railway station. If you come by car, park your car near Marchegg Castle and rent a bike from the NextBike stand, on the main street, opposite the police station.

Renting a bike from NextBike: You need to download the NextBike app and make an account. Follow the steps once you do it, and you are good to go. Price: 1€/hour.

Bus

If you choose not to drive or bike to Hof Castle, another option is available at the Marchegg railway station: a shuttle bus. The Blaguss shuttle buses depart at 10.15, 12.15, and 15.15 and return at 11.45, 14.45, and 16.45 only on Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays. Price: 5€/person.

One day trip to the stork town MARCHEGG should be on everyone’s list traveling to this part of the country. Plan well, and you’ll discover everything this little town has to offer.

The White Stork Walk – Storchenweg – 2 KM

Many tourists come for a day trip to the stork town Marchegg only to see the white storks. As you park your car, you will notice some white stork nests on the roof of the Castle.

Cross the Meierhof bridge and head to the viewing platform. From the platform, you’ll see more nests, and during the spring months, you’ll have the chance to spot the youngsters.

Head to the forest, and you’ll spot other white stork nests.

Don’t come with high expectations as many nests are hidden, and you won’t see much.

Instead, the walk is pleasant and relaxing and takes no more than 2 kilometers.

If you want to see the white stork colony better, go on a guided tour. There are two guided tours per day, at 9.30 and 13.30, which take no more than 45 minutes, so book one from the White Stork Office, near the Castle.

The Fire Frog Walk – Unkenweg – 4 KM

The Au forest is home to almost 1.000 creatures.

Among them are many frog species like the fire-bellied toad or the fire frog. Native to mainland Europe, the fire frog has a bright green dorsal crossed by black spots and stripes. You can spot them at the ponds along the path.

The fire frog walk takes no more than 2 hours for four kilometers-walk.

If you bump into the Wild Konik horses anytime during the walk, please stay away from them! Brought from Poland, they tend to be a little bit territorial!

The Beaver Walk – Biberweg – 7 KM

A beautiful 7 kilometers walk takes you through the dense Au forest to spot the famous beaver. While this little creature is more active at nighttime, you might get lucky and see one.

Keep your eyes open since you get to see many other birds and small animals like kingfishers or frogs.

You can notice the yellow waterlilies, a family of swans with babies, or a hunting heron from the ponds along the path.

Bring enough water with you and go on a picnic in designated zones.

Don’t sit on a blanket outside the indicated areas as Au is a reservation forest, and you might disturb flora ad fauna.

Discovering the City of Marchegg

Marchegg is packed with historical places, so a walk through the city will take you through prominent buildings like Saint Margareta Church, Queen Mary Monastery, City Hall, Marchegg Castle, Vienna, and Hungary Gates.

Don’t forget to stop for a coffee or a delicious traditional cake-like “sacher torte” or “apfelstrudel.”

Go for a walk through the city and discover the old city walls!

The Vienna Gate, built in 1268, is a prominent landmark of the city.

The Hungarian Gate was the city entry gate from the east, while the Groissenbrunner Gate was the third entry in the town. Unfortunately, it fell around 1900, so it was removed.

Marchegg Castle – Schloss Marchegg & Surroundings

The Castle, built as a city-fortress, together with three entry gates and the central court, was the largest enclosed building complex, possessing almost 60 hectares. It was an important meeting place for military troops and endured many devastations in time.

In 1621, the Castle came into Paul Pálffy ab Erdöd possession. A small exhibition will reveal the history of the Ottokar and the Pálffry family, and you can find out more about flora and fauna of the area.

Take a walk through the forest first and then learn more about this Castle’s history.

The Castle area has a beautiful huge inner court. Pay a visit to the small museum in the old stables, exposing the interior of a house, wagons, and some farming tools.

There is a tiny cafe house offering some desserts and coffees. But, for something more consistent, go to the nearby restaurant and try the famous asparagus from the Marchfeld area.

March/Morava River

Marchegg is located on the March/Morava River, which is the left tributary of the Danube. The river originates in the Chech Republic and is 355 kilometers long. It flows from the north of the Chech Republic, through the Moravia region (therefore the name) to the south, and then runs into Slovakia until it reaches Austria. The river continues between Slovakia and Austria for another 80 kilometers until it touches the Danube river.

The March/Morava is one of the two lowland rivers in Austria with a wide variety of floodplain landscapes and beautiful loops, which provide the perfect habitat for wildlife. You can spot herons, white storks, beavers, and plenty of Dragonflies.

From the Hungarian Gate, head north for 400m until you reach the March waterfront. You will find a monument dating back to 1955, which commemorates the 125th anniversary of the Austrian customs guard establishment.

Hof Castle – Schloss Hof

Hof Castle – Schloss Hof is a gorgeous palace only 7 kilometers from Marchegg and should be on a day trip to the stork town of Marchegg itinerary.

The Castle was the summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy, who purchased it in 1726. Thirty years later, Maria Theresia bought this place, and between 1773 and 1775, the Castle experienced drastic changes.

Discover the imperial apartments, the chapel, and the exhibitions, and don’t miss the Baroque gardens and the Maierhof Farm with plenty of animals and plants.