Клагенфурт-ам-Вёртерзе

June to September is the main season, with warm water in the lake for swimming. May and October are mild and quiet. Winters are cold, with fog in the valley, but the nearby mountains have snow. Summer storms are common.

• Minimundus is a park with scale models of famous buildings from around the world.
• Strandbad Klagenfurt is the city beach on the lake, with a large swimming area.
• Domkirche is the cathedral in the old town.
• Stadtpfarrkirche St. Egid is the parish church of the city.
• Stiftskirche Viktring is a former Cistercian abbey church just outside the city.
• Schloss Maria Loretto is a small lakeside palace.
• Botanischer Garten has alpine plants from around the world.
• The Lindwurm fountain on the Neuer Platz is the symbol of the city, a dragon statue from the 16th century.

• Swim and relax at the lake.
• Cycle along the Wörthersee shore.
• Take a lake boat to Velden or Pörtschach.
• Visit Minimundus.
• Hike in the Karawanken mountains.

• Pörtschach is an elegant lake resort, about 15 minutes by train or bus.
• St. Kanzian sits on a warm lake, about 30 minutes by car.
• Graz is about 2 hours by train.
• Heiligenblut is a village below the Grossglockner, about 2 hours by car.
• Ljubljana in Slovenia is about 1 hour 15 minutes by car.
• Lake Bled in Slovenia is about 1 hour by car.

• Pörtschach and St. Kanzian are the closest lake resorts.

• By air: Klagenfurt Airport is about 3 km from the centre. Bus and taxi take about 15 minutes. Ljubljana and Graz are alternatives.
• By train: Klagenfurt is on the line from Vienna via Graz and Villach. Vienna takes about 4 hours, Graz about 2 hours. Check times on ÖBB.
• By car: The A2 motorway passes the city.

The old town is small and walkable. City buses cover the rest. Summer buses and boats run to the lake. Cycling is a good way to reach the beach.

A car is helpful for the lake region and Carinthia. The city centre has pedestrian zones, with parking garages nearby. Motorways in Austria need a vignette. The Slovenian border is close and also needs a vignette.

Carinthian food mixes Austrian, Slovenian and Italian influences. Try Kärntner Kasnudeln, filled dumplings, and Reindling, a sweet yeast cake. Lake fish are common. Local inns serve regional beer and wine.

Klagenfurt is very safe. Take care in the water near boat traffic. Tap water is clean and safe to drink. The emergency number is 112.

Klagenfurt was founded in the Middle Ages and rebuilt as a Renaissance city in the 16th century after a fire. It became the capital of Carinthia and later grew around the lake. It hosted matches of Euro 2008.

Quick practical facts for Austria at a glance: