In his Insider Guide to Carinthia, Andy Mossack travels the less trodden paths of Southern Austria to uncover a beautiful region blessed with lakes, mountains and castles.
Ask for traditional Austrian tourist hotspots and you’ll probably hear Vienna, Salzburg and Graz mentioned together with the winter skiing resorts of Innsbruck and Ischgl. However, suggest Carinthia and you’ll no doubt get many puzzled looks from people of all nationalities. But for Austrians, this was where the well-heeled bourgeoisie flocked to build their grand lakeside mansions during the belle epoque years. Just stroll around the shores of Lake Wörthersee, Carinthia’s largest lake and you’ll begin to see just what a special place this is.
Bordered by Slovenia and north-east Italy, it’s little wonder that Carinthia, Austria’s southernmost province, has such a laid back almost continental way of life and is nicknamed the Austrian riviera. Sheltered on the southern side of the Alps, the sun has its hat on for most of the year, and in summer, something magical happens. Carinthia’s lakes (of which there are many) are warmed up to 28 degrees Celsius and become natural giant swimming pools. The water so clean and clear you can drink it. And let’s not forget how Carinthia’s proximity to Slovenia and Italy heavily influences its slow food, wine and culture.
But there’s more. The sheer number of castles and fortifications dotted around its hilltops and valleys are the lasting sentinels of a rich land strategically sought after for centuries.
I first came to Carinthia just before Christmas last year to enjoy the openings of her numerous traditional Christmas markets and was immediately seduced. “Well if you like it so much you must come back in summer. It’s even better” I was frequently told by locals.
So in this Insider Guide to Carinthia, I’ll reveal just what Carinthia has in store for you if you’re tired of the coaches and crowds of Como and Garda and yearn for a more serene experience.
Klagenfurt
Klagenfurt is Carinthia’s compact capital. Sitting on the eastern shore of Lake Wörthersee and framed by forests and the foothills of the Glockner, Austria’s highest mountain, it is the gateway to the province. For a more detailed look at the town head over to my article about Carinthia at Christmas, but Klagenfurt is a perfect example of the historical wealth and importance this region enjoyed.
Check out the lavish opera house built to celebrate emperor Franz Joseph’s 60th Jubilee, the grandeur of the buildings around Neuer Platz and the lashings of Carinthian marble wherever you look including the road kerbs!
Lake Wörthersee
The huge Lake Wörthersee is simply magnificent, and when the sun shines on it, its transparent waters turn to a tropical turquoise. Shaped like a large sausage it’s over 16 km long and 1.5 km wide and capped at each end by Klagenfurt on the east shore and the glamourous spa resort town of Velden on the west dominated by the 5-star Schloss Velden hotel perched on the waterfront. And just to complete Nature’s perfect canvas let’s not forget the majestic backdrop of snow-capped peaks waiting in the wings.
The lake is ringed by beautiful belle epoque-era mansions, a throwback to its heyday years before cheap foreign package tour holidays diluted its popularity. But now wellness is a thing again, the draw of warm water lake swimming and bathing in summer is simply irresistible
.
For water enthusiasts there’s plenty to do from stand-up boarding to water skiing and fishing. And for the not so enthusiastic there are daily cruises around the lake aboard a classic steamboat between May and October which stops off a various villages and places of interest. One of which is the Pyramidenkogel, a 100-metre-high Observation Tower which is said to be the highest wooden tower in the world. I climbed up the stairs (there is a lift available) and view from the top of the lakes, valley and mountains is staggering. Those of you brave enough to try should slide back down the 66-metre spiral slide, the longest slide in Europe!
There also some excellent golf courses in the region including Kärntner Golf Club Dellach, which I had the pleasure of playing.
Castles, Culture and Wine
A day away from Lake Wörthersee may be a wrench, but it will be well worth it. It’s an opportunity to take in some beautiful Carinthian countryside and see some of those ancient castles up close.
Impossibly perched atop a huge Dolomite rock over 700 metres high, the 11th century Burg Hochosterwitz is one of the most impressive medieval castles in Austria. Astonishingly it is still owned by the Khevenhüller family since Baron George Khevenhüller bought it from the Carinthian governor in 1541. This imposing fortress is a must visit because literally everything in here is authentic, from the suits of armour and weaponry to the ancient family portraits.
There is a funicular to take you to the top or a winding 620-metre-long path that goes through fourteen ancient gateways. Each gate was so well armed with all kinds of deadly weaponry the castle was never taken, in fact the story goes, attackers only ever got as far as the gate four.
Why not copy what I did and take the funicular up and walk back down. A lot less strenuous.
Taggenbrunn is another castle but vastly different in every aspect. This is a passion project led by Alfred Riedl the founder of the Jacques Lemans luxury watch brand who as boy played amongst the ruins of a 12th century castle on a hill above his family home. Fast forward to 2019 and Alfred Riedl and his family have given that ancient hill a new lease if life.
The ruined castle has been fully restored as a remarkable permanent historical exhibition and art gallery; they’ve built a boutique luxury hotel, a fine dining restaurant and cafe, created a winery and vineyard on the slopes and built a trampoline park, slide and playground for kids.
I found it an extraordinary place, particularly the art gallery which was showing “Periods of Time” a multimedia extravaganza curated by artist André Heller.
The love and care that has gone into everything here shows what a passion project this is and not simply a brand gimmick. I can also recommend the restaurant too, top notch food and the wine on offer is obviously right on the doorstep.
Burgbau Friesach however, is something entirely different. In 2009 on a hill just outside Freisach, Carinthia’s oldest town, a remarkable 40-year experimental construction project began to build a genuine medieval castle using only materials that were available in the middle ages. Now, castles are no strangers to Freisach, they are numerous because this was a very prosperous town sitting on the main trade route through Austria. It even had its own currency – the Freisach Pfennig.
Make no mistake, this is a serious project employing skilled craftsmen from carpenters and blacksmiths to stonemasons, powerful Noriker horses and absolutely no electricity or modern tools of any kind. There’s even a lime kiln to create mortar for the handmade bricks.
It is a wonderful opportunity to see skilled craftsmen at work and even try your hand at a few tasks. 16 years in and the castle keep is taking shape. Great for kids to see and a real eye-opener to medieval construction.
Carinthia offers an all-year-round attraction depending on your preferences, whether you prefer winter snow or summer heat. Either way, this less trodden path of southern Austria is a hidden gem that has its arms wide open in welcome.
Images (C) C.Stadler/Bwag Burg Friesach Errichtungs-GmbH © Jürgen Müller ,Visit Carinthia and Andy Mossack.
Tell me more about visiting Carinthia
For more information on the places mentioned in this Insider Guide to Carinthia and more on the region please go to Visit Carinthia.
Karnten Card
Visit Carinthia offers the very useful Karnten Card for visitors. Many of the hotels off this card free for guests. Otherwise there is a fee from €60 per week.It offers free entry to over 100 attractions and destinations and discounted fees on another 60 attractions and activities..
Getting to Carinthia
Klagenfurt airport has regular flights with RyanAir and Austrian. Carinthia is also just an hour’s drive from Ljubljana airport.
Airport Parking
Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) offers a wide range of parking and overnight hotel stays at all major UK airports. One week of Meet & Greet airport parking at London Heathrow costs from just £69.99. For the latest prices and to book, call 01342 859442
If you enjoyed this review, why not check out these similar posts:
Hiking in the Jungfrau region. A unique mix of lakes waterfalls and soaring mountains.
Carinthia . The Land of the Lakes and soaring peaks
Insider Guide To The Boyne Valley, Ireland’s dazzling home to landscapes, monuments and historic castles.
Guide to Skiing in Carinthia. Carve out a memorable winter break with FlexiSki Ski Weekends
