Carinthia

Few regions in Europe match the rugged beauty of Carinthia, and you’ll find that travelling here is often a serpentine journey. Carinthia can also, at times, seem larger than life, with its high peaks, gouged valleys and glistening lakes; the flamboyant show of opulence in the capital, Klagenfurt; and the resorts around the more famous of the region's 1270 pristine mountain lakes. The most popular of these lakes, such as the large Wörthersee, have waters warmed to a comfortable swimming temperature by thermal springs.

Carinthia’s deep medieval heritage is another attraction – celebrated in picturesque walled villages such as Friesach and Gmünd, and impressive castles such as the hilltop fortress of Hochosterwitz. Many of the towns and villages nestled in Carinthia’s rolling hills hold an annual summer festival, with roving performers coming from neighbouring Italy and Slovenia to take part alongside the locals.

Explore Carinthia

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Europapark
The green expanse and its Strandbad (beach) on the shores of the Wörthersee are centres for aquatic fun and are especially great for kids. The park's…
A
Alpine Garden
High up in the Villacher Alpen (Dobratsch), this is one of central Europe's most delightful alpine gardens. The views here extend across the mountain tops…
B
Burg Hochosterwitz
This fairy-tale fortress claims to be the inspiration for the castle in Sleeping Beauty and drapes itself around the slopes of a hill, with 14 gate towers…
A
Aussichtsturm Pyramidenkogel
On the hill southwest of Maria Wörth is the Pyramidenkogel, a hill topped by a 71m tower made of steel, with wooden beams spiralling up its exterior. This…
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Pilgrimage Church
Maria Saal, a small town perched on a fortified hill 10km north of Klagenfurt, is worth the 10-minute bus journey to see its early-15th-century pilgrimage…
S
Stadtpfarrkirche St Andrä
The town's main church has an attractive Gothic rib-vaulted ceiling, a startling baroque altar, 14th-century frescoes and a pair of unusual tombstones…
S
Stift Millstatt
Apart from Lake Millstatt itself, the town's main attraction is its Romanesque Benedictine abbey, founded in 1070. This pretty complex consists of a…
A
Aguntum
Excavations are still under way at the Aguntum archaeological site in nearby Dölsach to piece together the jigsaw puzzle of this 2000-year-old municipium,…
M
Minimundus
Down near the Wörthersee in Europapark, Minimundus has around 140 replicas of some of the world’s architectural icons, downsized to a scale of 1:25. By…

E
Europapark
The green expanse and its Strandbad (beach) on the shores of the Wörthersee are centres for aquatic fun and are especially great for kids. The park's…
A
Alpine Garden
High up in the Villacher Alpen (Dobratsch), this is one of central Europe's most delightful alpine gardens. The views here extend across the mountain tops…
B
Burg Hochosterwitz
This fairy-tale fortress claims to be the inspiration for the castle in Sleeping Beauty and drapes itself around the slopes of a hill, with 14 gate towers…
A
Aussichtsturm Pyramidenkogel
On the hill southwest of Maria Wörth is the Pyramidenkogel, a hill topped by a 71m tower made of steel, with wooden beams spiralling up its exterior. This…
P
Pilgrimage Church
Maria Saal, a small town perched on a fortified hill 10km north of Klagenfurt, is worth the 10-minute bus journey to see its early-15th-century pilgrimage…
S
Stadtpfarrkirche St Andrä
The town's main church has an attractive Gothic rib-vaulted ceiling, a startling baroque altar, 14th-century frescoes and a pair of unusual tombstones…
S
Stift Millstatt
Apart from Lake Millstatt itself, the town's main attraction is its Romanesque Benedictine abbey, founded in 1070. This pretty complex consists of a…
A
Aguntum
Excavations are still under way at the Aguntum archaeological site in nearby Dölsach to piece together the jigsaw puzzle of this 2000-year-old municipium,…
M
Minimundus
Down near the Wörthersee in Europapark, Minimundus has around 140 replicas of some of the world’s architectural icons, downsized to a scale of 1:25. By…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Carinthia.

See
Europapark
The green expanse and its Strandbad (beach) on the shores of the Wörthersee are centres for aquatic fun and are especially great for kids. The park's…
See
Alpine Garden
High up in the Villacher Alpen (Dobratsch), this is one of central Europe's most delightful alpine gardens. The views here extend across the mountain tops…
See
Burg Hochosterwitz
This fairy-tale fortress claims to be the inspiration for the castle in Sleeping Beauty and drapes itself around the slopes of a hill, with 14 gate towers…
See
Aussichtsturm Pyramidenkogel
On the hill southwest of Maria Wörth is the Pyramidenkogel, a hill topped by a 71m tower made of steel, with wooden beams spiralling up its exterior. This…
See
Pilgrimage Church
Maria Saal, a small town perched on a fortified hill 10km north of Klagenfurt, is worth the 10-minute bus journey to see its early-15th-century pilgrimage…
See
Stadtpfarrkirche St Andrä
The town's main church has an attractive Gothic rib-vaulted ceiling, a startling baroque altar, 14th-century frescoes and a pair of unusual tombstones…
See
Stift Millstatt
Apart from Lake Millstatt itself, the town's main attraction is its Romanesque Benedictine abbey, founded in 1070. This pretty complex consists of a…
See
Aguntum
Excavations are still under way at the Aguntum archaeological site in nearby Dölsach to piece together the jigsaw puzzle of this 2000-year-old municipium,…
See
Minimundus
Down near the Wörthersee in Europapark, Minimundus has around 140 replicas of some of the world’s architectural icons, downsized to a scale of 1:25. By…

Guidebooks

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