St Benedict's Way in Austria (Benediktweg)

In short: St Benedict's Way in Austria (Benediktweg): from Spital am Pyhrn to Gornji Grad (Slovenia). Length: 256 to 315 km depending on the source, duration: 11 to 15 days. Best time: May to October.

Overview

St Benedict's Way links places and monasteries of the Benedictine tradition. The core route begins in Spital am Pyhrn in Upper Austria and crosses Styria and Carinthia to Gornji Grad in Slovenia.

The figures vary: some sources give 256 kilometres in eleven daily stages, others 315 kilometres in 15 stages. Below we calculate with a middle value of 280 kilometres.

There is also the Benedikt-Pilgerweg in Upper Austria, which leads from Passau via Kremsmünster, Lambach and Schlierbach towards the Pyhrn and measures around 350 kilometres. Before you set off, check the current stages with the association BENEDIKT be-WEG-t and the regions.

Planning your stages

How long you need depends on your daily distance. The table works this out for 280 kilometres, with one rest day a week.

Who is this route for?

This route is a poor choice for a first attempt. You should be sure-footed and have stamina, and several weeks of training will pay off here.

What does the route cost?

With an albergue or simple guesthouse and one hot meal, 60 to 80 euros a day is usually enough. Over about 16 days that comes to roughly 950 to 1,300 euros, plus travel and gear. This is a guide figure.

You can find more routes under Pilgrimage routes in Europe, Pilgrimage in Austria, sorted by religion under Christian pilgrimage routes.