Carinthia: round trip

To fully enjoy the silence within the mountains, crystal-clear lakes, in short: nature you should arrive as early as possible in the day at Villach-Warmbad, in the center of Carinthia. Even the Romans and Paracelsus appreciated the relaxation and recreation within these thermal springs.

If you booked bikes we will provide them in your hotel.

The first stop of your tour after leaving Villach will be the castle ruin of Landskron. On a clear day, the castle ruins can be seen over Villach and far beyond. The old knights knew exactly where to settle. No wonder, as the picturesque backdrop has hardly changed over time: the green of the Gerlitzen in the foreground, the blue of the Ossiacher See in the background. Time for a stop- the old monastery and the marvellous church "Maria Himmelfahrt" Is definitely worth being explored. Your next destination will be the charming spa resort Steindorf on the eastern side of the Ossiacher Lake. Make a short stop in Bodensdorf at the feet of the Gerlitzen before completing the circuit back to Villach-Warmbad.

Today you will have to say goodbye to the nearly 1,000 year old town of Villach. At first, you cycle several kilometres along the Drauradweg, then into the Keutschacher Lake Valley. The Hafner Lake, the Keutschacher Lake, the Bassgeiger Lake and the Rauschele Lake form a group around the health resort Keutschach. As an alternative route, you can go along the Wörthersee and visit the famous villages Velden and Pörtschach. Both routes will bring you to the capital of Carinthia – Klagenfurt.

Today you will get to know Carinthia"s charming capital [90,000 inhabitants]. An Italian architect gave the historical centre a mediterranean appearance. Heart and symbol of Klagenfurt, the "rose on Wörthersee", is the lindworm on the New Square. Sculptor Ulrich Vogelsang chiselled the favourite lap-dog of the Carinthians from one block - according to tradition. Passing Ebenthal with Castle Grafenstein you'll come to the artificial lake in Völkermarkt. Onto Carinthia's warmest lake, the Klopeiner See, where you"ll spend the night. There's enough time to have a refreshing bath in the lake.

You cross the Drau for the last time and cycle through a slightly hilly landscape. Marvel at the two mighty towers of Carinthia's most imposing fortified church in Maria Saal. The cycle path leads you past the Carinthian Herzogsstuhl. It has stood there for more than a thousand years and is, so to speak, the center of the Carinthian world. As far as the eye can see, the historic Carinthian Zollfeld spreads out in front of you. Hochosterwitz Castle: It's amazing what nature first and what people later put on there. In the middle of the field is a 150-meter-high limestone rock, which slopes steeply on all sides and has been converted into an impregnable fortress. Numerous castles and palaces in the area remind of the former importance of the former state capital St. Veit. Enjoy your free time here. Discover the city wall, the medieval main square, the magnificent Renaissance houses and beautiful arcade courtyards, the ducal castle and many monuments that still bear witness to the time when St. Vitus was the capital of the country and seat of the Carinthian bishop.

Go for a short walk around St. Veit and take a look at the numerous courtyards. Then your route takes you westwards along the Glan towards Glanegg. From far away, you can see the castle ruins of Glanegg standing in solitary splendour. Feldkirchen is surrounded by hills, romantic castles and many old ruins. A cycle path along the Glan brings you directly to the Ossiacher Lake and back to Villach.

Leaving the town of Warmbad Villach behind, you will cycle along the feet of the Karawanken eastwards to arrive at the last lake of your tour: The Lake Faaker with it's Mittagskogel peak towering majestically above the scene. Extensive, undeveloped meadows and green strips of forest surround the lake, in the middle of which there is a graceful island. After a leisurely break at the lake, start your return journey. Over a small ridge you get to the gray-green, shiny Drau. The Drau cycle path takes you back to Villach at a leisurely pace.

On request, we will be glad to book additional nights for you in Carinthia.