Hiking
Experience our dreamy region on foot. Whether you want to climb mountains, hike with the family or follow the pilgrimage route. Our surroundings offer you a real hiking paradise. If you don’t just want to relax during your holiday but also want to explore the fabulous landscape, you’ve come to the right place.
Hiking fun for beginners
If you want to take it a little slower at first or explore the surrounding area with your children, you can go on short hikes.
The region around the lake offers various possibilities for this. You have the option of hiking through the nearby fitness parkour to the Aichwaldsee or directly at the hotel on our small local mountain, the Tabor. These small tours through our beautiful forests offer a perfect change on hot summer days.
Hiking paradise for mountain enthusiasts
In the midst of mountains, even experienced hikers will get their money’s worth. With the help of well-marked hiking trails you can reach the peaks of the nearby mountains – Gerlitzen, Dobratsch, Dreiländereck, Mittagskogel and many more.
The Gerlitzen, which lies between the two towns of Annenheim and Arriach is part of the Nockberge Mountains and is one of the most popular destinations for hikers.
Do you dare to climb the valley or do you decide to take the Kanzelbahn cable car with a view of Lake Ossiach? At an altitude of 1,909 meters you will find a true paradise for hikers, cyclists or Nordic walkers with well-secured routes. Once at the top, you may also be able to watch some paragliders take off and enjoy the beautiful view of our lakes.
The Dobratsch or the Villach Alpine Road (Villacher Alpenstraße) is the foothills of the Gailtal Alps to the west of the town of Villach. You can reach the summit at an altitude of 2,167 meters on foot via the well-marked hiking trails. However, you also have the option of getting to the summit via the 16 km long toll road (Villacher Alpenstraße). A unique view is guaranteed in any case!
The border triangle (Dreiländereck), surrounded by the municipalities of Arnoldstein, Kranjska Gora and Tarvisio, is the connection between Austria, Italy and Slovenia. Reach the summit (1,508 meters) comfortably with the chairlift before exploring all three countries in a 3-hour hike.
The view from your balcony falls on one of the most well-known features of our area – the Karawanken with the Mittagskogel. At a height of 2,145 meters, it looms right in front of your eyes and connects Carinthia with Slovenia. It owes its characteristic appearance to the steep rock face to the north.
You can reach the summit from the Bertahütte via the north-east, east side and finally via the south-east ridge. It is also possible to climb the north-west ridge, but this is only recommended for experienced mountaineers.
Alpe-Adria-Trail
The Alpe-Adria-Trail is a long-distance hiking trail that leads through Austria, Italy and Slovenia. The approx. 750 km long hiking trail includes 43 stages and begins at the foot of Austria’s largest mountain – the Großglockner. The trail leads past Carinthia’s lake and mountain region through Slovenia and Italy to the Adriatic Sea in the Italian municipality of Muggia/Trieste.
Of course, you don’t have to walk the entire route. You also have the opportunity to complete individual sections.
Pilgrimage routes
However, the state of Carinthia offers so much more than just “normal” hiking trails. Pilgrim routes also lead directly through our wonderful country. One of them, for example, is the Way of St. James, which leads right past our hotel. Do you intend to complete the entire pilgrimage route? Then make a stopover in our hotel and relax a bit before continuing again. But there are so many more pilgrimage routes to discover.
The most well-known pilgrimage route is the Way of St. James, which runs 216 kilometers directly through our region.
Three stages of the Marian pilgrimage route, which connects different churches, lead through Carinthia. A visit to the Maria Gail pilgrimage church is particularly recommended.
The “Path of the Book” – in the footsteps of the Bible smugglers and secret Protestants – was opened in 2008 by the evangelical church. With 29 daily stages, it leads through various Carinthian regions and ends at the border with Italy, in Arnoldstein.
The Hemma pilgrimage route, with a total of eight routes, leads directly to the grave of Saint Emma in Gurk Cathedral. For example, in three days you can make a pilgrimage on one of the routes from Ossiach Abbey to Gurk.