Large eco home in the Vienna woods with natural swimming pond and sauna

Large larch-clad family home in the picturesque village of Purkersdorf, on the edge of the Austrian capital of Vienna, within walking distance of the village centre with all amenities as well as train connections to the capital (journey time: 15-20 minutes).

This is our main and only home. It features a large open-plan kitchen, dining and living area (with TV) and play area under the stairs (we have two boys of 5 and 8 and a girl of 11). On the first/entry floor are two children`s bedrooms (one with single, one with twin beds), a bathroom with bath and shower, and office/guest room with a pull-out double bed. The top floor has another office/guest room with a king-size bed and a master suite with king-size bed, single fold-out guest bed and walk-in shower. There are separate toilets on each floor.

Hot water heating is via solar panels. A wood-burning oven provides additional water and underfloor hearing, although this is rarely necessary in summer and also as our house is so well insulated.

We are south-facing and have external blinds to keep the house cool should temperatures reach over 30C (as they now regularily do in summer). We recommend doing this in the daytime. Thanks to the forest the house cools rapidly at night. Tap water in our region is among the best in the world, piped in from the alps.

Our property also features a recently-built swimming pond, around 15m swimming length. The water is cleaned naturally by regenerative plants. By the pond we have built is a terrace under the willow tree providing shade during the daytime and views over the rolling forested hills. A perfect platform for morning yoga or evening drinks. On the main terrace we have a large dining area and an outdoor Sauna. We also have various vegetables, herbs and fruit trees which you are welcome to pick from.

At the foot of our garden is a small guest house currently being let to two very friendly artists (a painter and guitarist), although they are rarely there in summer.

We are looking to travel to Rep. Ireland this summer, from Jul to end of Aug 2021, ideally west coast) for holidaying and visiting family. Our house would be available for around one month.

About the location

Access to the forest is just a few steps from our home and there are hours` worth of running, hiking and mountain-biking trails in the vicinity. The village itself has several well-stocked grocery stores, a pretty square with several cafes, restaurants and bars, a weekly farmers` market, and nearby, a public outdoor swimming pool with sport and recreational pools. There is also a national park with deer, wild boar, and for the sportier, a steep hiking trail leading to a look-out tower with panoramic views of Vienna and the start of the alps.

We live up a short but fairly steep road so a reasonable level of fitness is desirable, also to be able to enjoy the forest trails. However, use of our electric car, scooters, bikes etc is possible by arrangement.

A car is not a must--public transport services here are excellent. It is helpful for more rural trips. Some nice places that can be reached within an hour or so include the "Wachau" wine region, on the Danube heading north-west, as well as the "Vienna alps" to the south of the capital, where the peak Schneeberg (snow mountain, approx. 2,000m) can be hiked or reached by train and cable car.

Vienna is a fantastic city--clean, safe, efficient--with a wealth of cultural and recreational activities in the summer, including many outdoor music, dance, food festivals which are taking place despite the pandemic. There is a great cycle route to the city (about one hour door-to-centre), train and bus links. Taking the car to the city is not really recommended owing to limited parking.

Getting here: Vienna airport is about a fifty minute taxi journey or also possible via train and/or bus (about 1.5 hours). It requires a few changes (train, underground, train). Bratislava airport, just over the border, is around 1.5 hours drive and there is a bus connecting with Vienna centre.

Assuming the rules stay as they are now (July 1st 2021) masks are required in supermarkets and to enter any cafes etc, for eating or culture indoors, evidence of a test, immunity or vaccination is required.

Conditions of exchange

Facilities

Nearby