Austria, Carinthia – Spending Vacation at Neighbor's

Nature was very generous to Carinthia. There is a sea of clean lakes in the middle of the Alps. You will also find mountains here, from gentle hills to majestic 3,000-meter peaks. Carinthia has the greatest water wealth in Austria, with more than 200 lakes, 8,000 kilometers of rivers, 60 healing springs and 43 glaciers. In the following lines, we will give you a few excursion, experience or leisure tips.

Ten Lakes at Once?

The "Great Carinthian Lake District" cycling route will allow you to do so. This horizontal figure eight with a total length of 340 km was created as a joint project of five Carinthian destinations: Millstätter See, Villach - Faaker See - Ossiacher See, Wörthersee, Klopeiner See - Südkärnten and the region Nassfeld - Pressegger See - Lesachtal - Weißensee. The shape of the horizontal figure eight allows any combination of individual sections of the route.

Across 3 Countries – Austria, Slovenia, Italy

It is not necessary to go through all 43 stages of the Alpe Adria Trail - from the Großglockner glacier to the northern Adriatic (750 km). The 21 Carinthian stages leading from the foot of the Großglokner along glaciers, rivers and warm lakes will provide you with an unforgettable experience on the sunny side of the Alps.

Every Turn Is Something – Carinthian Roads

The various Carinthian mountains can also be easily explored by car. Nature lovers and tourists are always worth a visit around the Großglockner Hochalpenstrasse, Nockalmstraße, Villacher Alpenstrasse and Goldeck Panoramastraße alpine paths.

The Großglockner Hochalpenstrasse is one of the most beautiful panoramic routes in Europe, and is even one of the most visited sights in Austria. At the southern beginning is the famous climbing village Heiligenblut and 16 kilometers away is a part of the road called Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe. You can go hiking here, for example to the Pasterzengletscher glacier or via the "Panoramic Klarstein Trail" to the Swarovski observation deck.

Visit 100 Intersting Places for Free

Museums, cable cars, water parks, boating, panoramic paths and leisure activities can be experienced free of charge. The Kärnten Card allows it. Valid from April to October and costs from 43 euros (adults) per week. You can find an exact overview of excursion destinations here. In addition, a number of regional bonus cards are valid in Carinthia.

Mountain Biking

Try the longest mountain biking route in Europe in Bad Kleinkirchheim, opened in 2019. The descent leads from the Kaiserburg hill at an altitude of 1,800 meters, about 15 km, to the valley station of the cable car near the thermal baths in the center.

Handmade Bread

In Carinthia, the first ever Slow Food travel destination in the world, regional, seasonal and traditional cuisine are of particular importance. That's why locals and guests are invited to look over the shoulder of the culinary masters, or you can even put your hand to work. The range includes bread and milk baking courses, beer brewing and herb tasting.

Welcome Summer by Skiing on the Mölltaler Gletscher Glacier

The Mölltaler Glertscher opens the summer season from June. And not only tourists come here, but also skiers who get the desire to indulge in the right summer skiing.

A Year-Round Open Tourist Trail

The Nockberge Trail is the first year-round route in Austria that you can book online. In summer you have the opportunity to enjoy it step by step as a hiking trail, in winter it becomes a multi-day alpine trail. It takes you on a beautiful alpine hike along the ridges and peaks of the Nockberge Mountains - divided into five stages in summer and four in winter.

Drávská Biking Route (R1) Connects Four Countries – Italy, Austria, Slovenia, and Croatia

The route with a total length of 510 kilometers (of which 222 are in Carinthia) winds from the Toblas Field in South Tyrol to the Croatian-Slovenian border near Varaždin. It is consistently marked, perfectly adapted (asphalt, fine gravel layer) and a large part leads along the most important Carinthian river Drava in the middle of a beautiful landscape between mountains and lakes suitable for swimming.

You would be able to drive through the southernmost Austrian federal republic in four days, but then you would not have time to visit attractions near the route. Not only do you have an immense opportunity to get to know Carinthia and its inhabitants, but you will also find more than 50 certified inns here. In addition to refreshments, they also offer the possibility of overnight accommodation, even if only for one night. They are also equipped with charging stations for e-bikes, secure parking for bicycles and clothes dryers.

GPS: 46°48'46.6"N 13°46'45.0"E (Bad Kleinkirchheim)

Source: PR, visitcarinthia.at, korutany.com

Photos: Franz GERDL, Kaernten Werbung - title; (C) by photos