Experience the positive effects of Osttirol's herbs

The people of Osttirol have always drawn value from the abundance of nature. The southern location and the climate south of the Alps provide ideal conditions for growing herbs, which play an important role in our culinary, medicinal and cultural traditions. Herbs are used here for smoking, for example - one of the oldest customs of mankind has been rediscovered in recent years. Depending on the occasion, different herbs and resins are burned. Incense is not only burned during the incense nights around Christmas and New Year. There are herbal mixtures and customs for every situation in life, as herbal smoke is said to heighten our perception to peak performance. On Assumption Day, also known as "High Women's Day", a bouquet of herbs is consecrated in some places in Osttirol, consisting of different herbs. At Osttiroler Kräuterwerk, you can watch Christine Wallensteiner putting together local herbs and flowers, buy herbal mixtures and attend incense courses.

The knowledge about the health-promoting effects of the plants was passed on from many farmers to their children. The fresh herbs from the gardens and the mountains are processed into fragrant teas and spice blends, which can be bought in all farm stores in Osttirol. Depending on the season and region, the herbs also end up in the cooking pot. In spring, wild garlic or "Röhrlsalat" - young dandelion - is collected in Osttirol. Wild thyme, also known as quendel, is picked by many an innkeeper and is added to roast pork. It also strengthens the nervous system, helps you fall asleep and treats colds. Gentian roots are traditionally used to distil schnapps in Osttirol. Juniper is also increasingly being turned into alcohol instead of sauerkraut spice in Osttirol: there are seven different types of gin in Osttirol!

Anyone interested in growing herbs should visit the Vitalpinum. The sensual herb garden of the Unterweger brothers, who produce essential oils and cosmetics, shows the full splendor of herbs in Osttirol. Enjoy the herbs of Osttirol by the wayside on your hike, in a glass or with a cup of tea. Let yourself be enchanted by their smell when you smoke them or by their taste when you eat them - the beneficial effect is certain!