The cultural life around lake Neusiedlersee is manifold like nowhere else.
Mörbisch is known as an important centre for operas. Every year, more than 200.000 guests visit the famous Seefestspiele (operetta festival) to listen to the magic melodies.
Director Harald Serafin stage-manages the productions, which attract both public and media attention. Every year, millions of people look forward to the televising of the festival. However, only those who have personally seen the unbelievable beauty of Pannonia in the background will understand, why so many people go to this festival every year.
The Römersteinbruch in St Margarethen is the biggest natural stage in Europe and an absolute highlight of the region. The natural setting is unique and the setting of superior operas.
Operas like “The Magic Flute”, “Otello“, “Turandot“ and “Aida“, Bizet’s “Carmen” and Verdi’s “Nabucco” have had great success there and people where overly thrilled.
Within only a few years, the Seefestspiele have turned into a world-wide festival and an absolute must-see for every fan of cultural life.
The capital of the province (Eisenstadt) is another worth seeing place. Don’t miss to visit castle Esterházy if you walk through the pedestrian area in the beautiful Old Town. Do this during the Joseph Haydn Festival if you like classical music. The main focus is then, of course, on Joseph Haydn.
Those who like history and old castles should not only visit castle Esterházy but also castle Halbturn and castle Kittsee. The big halls of the baroque castles are often used for lovely exhibitions on different topics. An absolute insider tip are the advent markets in the castles Halbturn and Kittsee.
If you go to Mönchhof, you shouldn’t miss to visit the Dorfmuseum (village museum). You will learn about the former way of life of farmers, craftsmen and workmen, their work, daily life, their celebrations, etc.
You’ll find Burgenland’s best wines in Neusiedl’s so-called haus im puls (retail wine cellar). Enjoy the impressive ambiance of contemporary architecture which merges with the remaining renaissance cellars.
The Vinothek (retail wine cellar) Weinwerk-Burgenland presents over 400 wines of 140 different winemakers. Many of these wines can be tasted in the Vinothek directly or in the central wine garden. You can also join commentated wine tastings or wine seminars if you are interested.
Around 1725/26, Prinz Eugen bought the so-called Marchfeldschlösser Hof und Niederweiden and extended them to baroque constructions. Today you immerse in the fascinating world of baroque and celebrate festivals like a prince there: horse festivals, opera festivals, banquets, advent markets, etc.
The closeness to the Hungarian border makes it very tempting to visit the neighbouring country. The little town of Sopron with its beautiful Old Town is an absolute insider tip. Not far from there, in Fertöd, is the beautiful castle Esterházy, a glorious baroque building, which is very similar to castle Schönbrunn in Vienna.