Admont is a beautiful albeit small town in Austria’s mountainous state Styria. Admont is notable for the Admont Abbey library, which is the largest monastic library in the world. And while the library alone is enough of a reason to visit Admont, there isn’t much more to do in town outside of that. Luckily, Admont lies on the edge of Nationalpark Gesäuse, a stunning natural destination that includes parts of the Gesäuse mountain range and rugged valleys along the Enns River. If you’re in the area, a combination of both the park and Admont makes for a lovely relaxed day trip among the mountains.
Visiting Nationalpark Gesäuse
Nationalpark Gesäuse lies to the east of Admont and can easily be accessed by car or by train. In fact, it’s the only national park in Austria that has a railway running through it. Even if you didn’t arrive by train, you’ll likely pass the train tracks while you hike around the park. If you’re arriving by car, the park is just a few minutes away. The furthest park entrance in Hieflau is only a 23 km drive through the national park to Admont.
Along the route that runs next to the Enns River, there several parking lots that are conveniently located at the starting point of some of the park’s best hiking spots. Parking is €6 per day but covers all the lots in the park and some in the surrounding area. However, the most popular lots in the park, particularly around the Johnsbach footbridge and on the hike to the Hochtor mountain peak, get very crowded, which is why I recommend arriving to the park as early as possible.
Things to do in Nationalpark Gesäuse
There are two visitor centers at Weidendom (Willow Dome) and Gstatterboden where you can get information about the most suitable trails for you. At Weidendom, you’ll also find the Willow Dome Adventure Centre which has a labyrinth and a small garden, where families can come for a rest or to learn about the local flora and fauna. The National Park Pavillion at Gstatterboden also has a small exhibit about the history of the national park, which is the newest one in Austria, established in 2002.
The park has hikes for all activity levels, whether you’re an experienced hiker heading up the jagged 14 km hike to Hochtor via the Waterfall Trail, or you’re taking a short stroll from the parking lot to the waterfall that flows down from Hartelsgraben. If you so choose, this can be the starting point of a one and a half hour hike up along the cascading waterfalls. Though many of these hikes are out and back using the same route to the starting point at the parking lot, there are some loop routes like the Johannesbach Gorge Loop, which takes approximately 3-4 hours through the gorge and the valley.
You can certainly spend a whole or even multiple days exploring all the stunning trails of Nationalpark Gesäuse. But if you also want to spend some time in Admont, you can make one or two stops in the park and do a little bit of hiking before you set off into the city.
Admont Abbey and Library
Admont Abbey is undoubtedly the most important historical site in Admont. Not only is it the oldest working monastery in the state of Styria, it is also home to the largest monastic library in the world. If you’re a fan of religious history or religious history, this is a must-see, not only in Admont but across Europe as a whole.
The church at the abbey is free to visit, but you’ll have to pay to see the majestic library. The entrance fee also gives you access to other small rotating exhibits in the building including an exhibit about the history of the abbey and a modern art museum. Even if you’re only going for the library, some of the other exhibits are interesting to see.
While some of that may be interesting, the Abbey library will be the most jawdropping part of your visit. The library showcases Late Baroque architecture and art that includes ornate gilded columns marking its seven cupolas and detailed frescoes on the ceiling. Since its founding in 1776, it’s held over 200,000 priceless volumes that include theological and scientific works.
There are some guided tours of the library, but those are mostly in German. With a guide, you’ll be able to see more of the library including the hidden staircase that you have to pull a fake book to access. If you are not taking a tour, I recommend visiting before or after the tour is over so it’s not so crowded. You can also get an audio guide which is available in English to get more information about the spectacular library.
On your way out of the museum, you’ll want to stop at the gift shop where you can do a self-service wine tasting of Admont Abbey’s monastic wine. The Abbey vineyards are not located in Admont, however, but in wine regions of Slovenia like Maribor. In lieu of visiting the actual vineyard, you can try their range of white, sparking, and red wines at the monastery so you can take home a drinkable souvenir.
Eating and staying in Admont
Admont is fairly small and most of the restaurants are located along the same main road that runs through the town, Hauptstraße. This also means that some of the better rated places to eat like Der Kamper, Stiftskeller Admont, and Café Konditorei Stockhammer can get busy during peak dining hours. It’s not a bad idea to make a reservation. You’ll be rewarded with some delightful local fare and friendly service.
If you decide to make an overnight stop in Admont, I recommend Hotel Spirodom, which is conveniently walking distance to the abbey and the rest of town, but more importantly, has a phenomenal view of the mountains and the abbey. Since there aren’t a ton of things to do in Admont, Hotel Spirodom’s spa can provide a perfect nightcap for a day of hiking and sightseeing. Their breakfast is also one of the best buffet breakfasts I’ve ever had.
Admont is not only a relaxed town with one of the most beautiful libraries in the world, it’s also a perfect destination for an active vacation including biking, hiking, and mountaineering.
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