רוסט

May to September is best for cycling, swimming and sailing. Late summer and early autumn bring the grape harvest and wine festivals. Spring is good for birdwatching. Winters are cold, windy and quiet, and many businesses close.

• The old town is a small area of low houses, courtyards and wine taverns.
• Fischerkirche is a fortified church with medieval frescoes.
• Pulverturm is a small tower from the town's old defences.
• Kirche zur Hl. Dreifaltigkeit is a church in the town.
• Weinakademie Österreich is a wine school and tasting room.
• Vogelbeobachtungsturm is a birdwatching tower on the lake.
• Familypark Neusiedlersee is a family leisure park near the lake.
• Lake Neusiedl is a large steppe lake, with reed beds and many bird species.

• Cycle the lake path.
• Taste sweet wine in a courtyard tavern.
• Watch storks and other birds.
• Swim or sail on the lake.
• Visit Eisenstadt for Haydn.

• Vienna is about 1 hour away by car.
• Eisenstadt, the town of the composer Joseph Haydn, is about 30 minutes away.
• Neusiedl am See, on the north shore, is about 40 minutes away by car.
• Sopron in Hungary is about 30 minutes away by car.
• The Seewinkel national park, east of the lake, is a haven for birds.

• Vienna is the nearest major city.

• By air: Vienna Airport is about 1 hour away by car. Bratislava is also near.
• By train: The nearest main station is Eisenstadt or Neusiedl am See, and buses run to Rust. Vienna takes about 1 hour 30 minutes. Check times on ÖBB.
• By car: The road from Eisenstadt follows the lake.

The old town is best on foot. Bicycle hire is widespread, and cycling around the lake is the main way to explore. Seasonal boats and local buses link lakeside villages.

A car helps for the villages away from the lake. The old town has limited parking. Motorways in Austria need a vignette. Roads are flat and easy.

Rust is known for Ruster Ausbruch, a sweet wine. Lake fish and Heuriger meals are typical, and the region serves Hungarian-influenced dishes such as goulash. Wine taverns open in courtyards in the season.

Rust is very safe. Sun and wind on the lake can be strong, so wear a hat and sunscreen. Mosquitoes can be common near reeds. Tap water is clean and safe to drink. The emergency number is 112.

Rust became a free royal town in 1681, after paying a large sum and 500 barrels of wine to the Hungarian king. It lay in the Kingdom of Hungary and joined Austria in 1921 as part of Burgenland. Its wine trade and baroque centre earned World Heritage status in 2001.

Quick practical facts for Austria at a glance: