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Burgenland: Where the celebrities relax

Otto Retzer with Shirley relaxing at Larimar.(Bild: Bernhard Bergmann)

Whether tricky soccer icons, legendary ski aces, admired luminaries of the film industry - the wildly romantic Burgenland welcomes many well-known personalities.

The love of a befriended bridal couple led Benni and Marlies Raich to southern Burgenland. Instead of racing down white pistes, the successful ski racers "wagged" through the night amidst a cheerful wedding party on the green Hannersberg.

From Uhudler to the sausage stand
"The two were really likeable, without airs and graces, just like you know them from sport," enthused the hosts, Anna Malinovic and Beatrix Ziegler. Deliciously hearty dishes were served on the tables, with an Uhudler sorbet to delight the palate in between. The appetite returned after hours of partying. To everyone's delight, the sausage stand in the courtyard opened at two o'clock - including Käsekrainer, Debreziner and Mangalitza delicacies. The party went on until dawn. The hosts' summary: "Everyone was perfectly happy."

Schöttel, Jara, Koller and Hochhauser (from left) chatting in Rust.(Bild: Geronimo)

At Hannersberg: Beatrix Ziegler (top), flanked by Marlies and Benni Raich.(Bild: Hannersberg)

The book "My dream hotels" by Otto Retzer.(Bild: Hotel Spa Larimar)

Charity in Donnerskirchen
Soccer greats showed a sense of humor as they swung their golf clubs at the charity tournament in Donnerskirchen. U-21 team boss Werner Gregoritsch, ex-Rapid goalie Andreas Koch and ex-Mattersburg goal scorer Toni Köszegi were right in the middle of it all. Away from the green, ÖFB sports director Peter Schöttel, national team legend Kurt Jara, coach Heinz Hochhauser and former goalkeeper Herbert "Funki" Feurer found time to pay a visit to caricaturist Gerald "Geronimo" Koller in the gallery in Rust. The motto: "Let's have a good laugh!"

Where singer Peter Kraus, former ski star Nicole Schmidhofer and other celebrities like to relax, director Otto Retzer recharged his batteries with "his" Shirley: at the Larimar wellness oasis in Stegersbach, which incidentally features in Retzer's new book "Meine Traumhotels".