During a holiday on Lake Wörthersee, the Mediterranean lifestyle ensures pure joie de vivre. Water fun is guaranteed here as well as relaxing hours by the lake or sporty yoga units. There are also great hiking routes, wonderful bike paths and exciting excursion destinations.

Gloriously glittering and turquoise blue, it lies in the sun: the Wörthersee. In the southernmost federal state of Austria, the largest lake in Carinthia provides a wonderful holiday feeling. In summer, due to its location south of the Alps, near Italy and Slovenia, the Wörthersee is up to 28 degrees warm. There are no limits to bathing fun and water sports on holiday at Lake Wörthersee. And on the shore, the Mediterranean lifestyle ensures pure relaxation.

By bicycle

“The best way to get around here is on foot or by bike,” says Martina from the Flair Hotel Am Wörthersee in Velden-Auen. “There are many different routes for cyclists to explore the Wörthersee region,” she explains. The trails have different degrees of difficulty so that everyone can choose the right one – whether with a normal bike or an e-bike. “If you don’t want to take your bike with you on holiday at Lake Wörthersee, you can rent the latest Bärenbike e-bikes from us in the hotel, as well as normal trekking and city bikes and children’s bikes,” says Martina.

The most famous Wörthersee circuit is the ideal starting point for cycling: From Velden, it is easy to walk along the north bank to Klagenfurt. There are numerous free lake accesses where you can jump into the water to cool off. With the Wörthersee Pluscard, hotel guests also receive free entry to eleven lidos around the lake. From Klagenfurt you can either return with the Wörthersee Schifffahrt. Or: “If you want to enjoy a small incline and a view of the interesting-looking Karawanken, you can go back over the quiet Keutschacher Seental,” recommends Martina.

It is also possible to explore parts of long-distance cycle paths around Lake Wörthersee. For example the Drau Cycle Path, which leads from Toblach in Italy to Varaždin in Croatia and runs along the Drava through Carinthia. It was recently voted one of the most popular river cycle routes in Europe by Bike & Travel Magazine. The Alpe-Adria-Radweg towards Italy and the Gailradweg are also recommended. On this, cyclists are accompanied by the magnificent view of the Dobratsch – Villach’s local mountain – and the impressive Carnic Alps. “Thanks to the good S-Bahn connection with the possibility of taking bicycles with you, nothing stands in the way of a longer tour in just one direction,” says hotel manager Martina. “The way home is safe.”
New trend at the Wörthersee: Gravel bike

The new trend of gravel bikes also opens up new possibilities. At the Wörthersee, gravel biking was combined with lost places, which offers an exciting alternative to regular cycling. To the northwest of the Wörthersee, the Ossiacher Tauern extend to the Ossiacher See and to the northeast the Moosburg hill country. Both elevations are veritable treasure troves when it comes to high-altitude gravel routes. South of the Wörthersee, the Sattnitz awaits as a hilly intermediate stage before you reach the ultimate gravel speed route, the Drauradweg.

Hiking on the Wörthersee

The Wörthersee region is just as interesting for hikers. The Wörthersee circular hiking trail leads around the lake for 55 kilometers. It goes over gentle hills, through green forests and over wide forest paths. Thereby 1400 meters of altitude have to be mastered. The wonderful view of the Wörthersee is a constant companion on the sun-kissed and light-flooded circular route. “You should hike the circular route in stages,” recommends the hotel manager.

The slow trails, of which there are nine in Carinthia, are also popular with hikers. They guarantee relaxed hiking, as they are a maximum of ten kilometers long and no more than 300 meters in altitude to be overcome. In the immediate vicinity of Lake Wörthersee, the “Römerschlucht” slow trail invites you to discover the beautiful surroundings. “From Velden it goes through the Römerschlucht to the natural forest lake and back again,” explains Martina. Long-distance hikers pass the Wörthersee on the Alpe-Adria-Trail, as it leads through Velden. The Flair Hotel Am Wörthersee is the ideal place to relax for a while and recharge your batteries.

Enjoy the Mediterranean way of life on holiday at Lake Wörthersee

“It is also worthwhile to just stroll along the banks of the Wörthersee or to let your gaze wander over the water from a lake terrace,” says the hotel manager. For example in one of the beautiful cities. In the state capital Klagenfurt, life pulsates in summer. Numerous events take place on the lake and beach. And Villach, with its unique flair and almost Mediterranean climate, makes the southern lifestyle perfect. Velden invites you to stroll in the evening in the west bay of the Wörthersee. With a walk on the promenade, where entertaining entertainment is offered, you can end the evening entertainingly. Velden became famous in the 1990s with the television series “Ein Schloss am Wörthersee”. Because here is the famous television hotel. You should also pay a visit to the picturesque Maria Wörth, which gave the lake its name. The small town with the famous pilgrimage church of the same name is located on a rocky peninsula on the southern shore of Lake Wörthersee.

The Pyramidenkogel offers an excellent view of the Wörthersee

“A must-see destination is the Pyramidenkogel, the tallest wooden tower in Europe, in Keutschach am See,” says Martina. From its viewing platform at a height of 70 meters you have a fantastic all-round view of the mountains and lakes of Carinthia. It goes up in the glass elevator, down – if you dare – via a spiral slide.

Excursion destinations around the Wörthersee

“In addition to the Wörthersee, the region has a lot more to offer,” enthuses the hotel manager. How about, for example, a ride on one of the numerous mountain railways? If you love nature, we recommend the Nockberge Biosphere Park. The Kölnbreinsperre, Austria’s highest dam, is also worth seeing. The trip to the dam wall via the Malta Hochalmstraße in the Maltatal is an adventure in itself. “With its sharp bends and rock tunnels, driving pleasure for car and motorcycle riders”, Martina arouses curiosity. Hochosterwitz Castle in Launsdorf is considered the most beautiful castle in Austria. It is enthroned on a 150 meter high limestone cliff and can be visited. There is something extraordinary to see in Friesach: a castle has been built on a mountain hill there since 2009 – exclusively using old craft methods, without modern aids, without motors or electricity, only with human and animal power and natural building materials.

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