At the end of May, over the Whitsun weekend, we treat ourselves to a short break in Burgenland. This time it's Mörbisch am Neusiedler See, where Archie, Murphy, my favourite person and I end up. We spend 3 nights in the sweet little gem we found on AirBnB.
The Apartment in Mörbisch
Right in Mörbisch, between the village centre and the cycle path, we rent one of two neighbouring holiday apartments with a garden area. The landlords live next door, on the larger property.
The little apartment has everything you need. The kitchen is wonderfully equipped for self-catering. A pretty four-poster bed invites you to snuggle up, and the pull-out sofa offers extra space to relax. The bathroom is clean and fully functional — only our extractor fan squeaks at first. It settles into its groove after a while, though ;)
The small garden has a terrace with seating, is well fenced in, and the lush green lawn looks wonderfully inviting. Balou, the landlords' young dog, is very curious and keeps coming over to visit us.
Murphy has to have a little grumble about that every now and then. Archie is fine with it. The landlords are very dog-friendly and have absolutely no problem with barking. They also make sure Balou doesn't stay at our fence all the time so Murphy can relax too. Top marks!
Restaurants, Heurige & Cafés in Mörbisch
As one of Burgenland's biggest tourist municipalities, Mörbisch — with its roughly 2,200 inhabitants — has quite a few restaurants and Heurige to offer.
We treat ourselves well this weekend too. On the first day we enjoy breakfast at Caffeur. The lovely café, which also has a hairdresser attached, offers several tasty breakfast options as well as ice cream.
We have dinner at Gasthaus Csarda, Gasthaus Sommer and Philips Genussheurigen. For the last one we make a reservation after noticing how busy it gets.
On these occasions we decide to leave Murphy and Archie in the apartment. There they can process the day, sleep, and recharge. That said, dogs are welcome in all the venues mentioned, and I watch as water is brought to the pups with a friendly smile.
And afterwards there's always a lovely evening walk at sunset — but see for yourselves:
Wine Trail Oggau
A 10-minute drive and we're already in the market town of Oggau am Neusiedler See. There my favourite person discovered the approximately 1.9 km wine trail. The circular route with its many stops is wonderfully entertaining and never dull.
We learn all sorts of things about viticulture, discover meadows blooming in every colour, come across little benches for resting at every turn, let our eyes wander towards the Neusiedler See from a viewing platform, and finish the tour in the shade of the Oggau vine-leaf dome.
This route is also great with a pushchair, by the way, as the entire path is paved and there's even a playground along the way.
Route Details
- Pace: leisurely
- Stated walking time: 40 minutes
- Our duration: one hour
- Route length: 2.4 km
- Ascent: 46 m
- Descent: 45 m
- Highest point: 198 m
- Lowest point: 152 m
Dog facts
- We park at the cemetery car park.
- The entire walk is on a paved road.
- An easy hike and very straightforward route.
- We didn't find any swimming spot for the dogs here. Bring water!
- On that day we didn't meet a single other walker, hiker or dog owner.
- Burgenland is famously popular with cyclists. The ones we encountered were all very relaxed and considerate.
On the way back, we two-leggers treat ourselves to a gelato at the ice cream window in Rust and decide to explore this charming town further the following day. In the afternoon we relax in our holiday apartment in Mörbisch and enjoy the front garden.
The Free City of Rust – Town of the Storks
We start our Sunday with a delicious breakfast at the Café-Seehof Rust before doing a little sightseeing. Rust is famous for its many storks, and it doesn't disappoint. Almost every chimney has an occupied nest.
We hear the impressive migratory birds clattering their beaks and watch as they spread their enormous wings and take to the skies. Their wingspan can reach over 2 metres.
As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the old town of Rust casts its spell on us too. The picturesque facades, distinctive rounded archway portals, beautiful window frames and charming inner courtyards are all listed monuments, yet they still serve as homes and business premises for the town's residents.
Rust is definitely worth a visit and comes highly recommended.
Breitenbrunn and Donnerskirchen
We make a detour to Breitenbrunn because I really want to see the lighthouse. Since it's behind the campsite where dogs aren't allowed, my favourite person waits with Archie and Murphy in the shade by the barrier.
I dash quickly to the Neusiedler See and the lighthouse, then head back to my three treasures.
On the way back we stop at a fruit and vegetable stall in Donnerskirchen and stock up on delicious cherries, strawberries and more.
