Пёрчах-ам-Вёртер-Зе

June to early September is best for swimming, as the Wörthersee warms to over 25°C in summer. May and September are quieter and good for walking and cycling. Winter is calm, and many lakeside businesses close.

• The Wörthersee promenade is the heart of the village, with views over the lake.
• Schloss Leonstain is a castle on a peninsula, now a hotel.
• Burgruine Leonstein is a ruin on a hill above the village.
• Schloss Reifnitz is a castle on the south shore of the lake.
• Werzer's Badehaus is a historic bathing house from 1895.
• Primus und Felician is a church in the old village of Pörtschach, on a hill.
• Pfarrkirche Johannes der Täufer is a church near the lake.
• Parkhotel Freibad, Freibad Edelweiss and Promenadenbad are lakeside bathing areas.
• Sommerrodelbahn Moosburg is a summer toboggan run in Moosburg.
• Napoleonlinde is an old lime tree on a hill walk.
• Galerie is a small art gallery.

• Swim in the lake.
• Walk the promenade.
• Cycle around the Wörthersee.
• Take a lake boat.
• Climb to the castle ruin.

• Klagenfurt is about 20 minutes away by car or train.
• Velden am Wörthersee is about 15 minutes away by car.
• Maria Wörth, with its church on a peninsula, is about 15 minutes away by car.
• The Pyramidenkogel viewing tower is about 20 minutes away by car.
• St. Kanzian is about 35 minutes away by car.
• Seeboden is about 1 hour away by car.

• Klagenfurt and St. Kanzian are the nearest preferred destinations.

• By air: Klagenfurt Airport is about 20 minutes away by car.
• By train: Pörtschach has a station on the Klagenfurt–Villach line, with trains from Klagenfurt in about 15 minutes. Check times on ÖBB.
• By car: The A2 motorway and the Wörthersee road reach the village.

The village is walkable, and a path follows the shore. Lake boats and local buses link the Wörthersee villages. Cycling is easy along the lake.

A car helps for the hills and other lakes. Parking is busy in summer. Winter tyres or chains are required in snow. Motorways in Austria need a vignette.

Carinthian food includes Kärntner Kasnudeln, filled pasta, and Reindling, a raisin yeast cake. The lake offers fresh fish such as whitefish. Lakeside cafes serve cakes and coffee.

Pörtschach is very safe. Watch the weather when swimming or sailing. Tap water is clean and safe to drink. The emergency number is 112. The mountain rescue number is 140.

Pörtschach grew in the 19th century after the Southern Railway opened in 1864 and brought summer guests from Vienna. Villas and bathing houses lined the shore, and Brahms stayed here in 1877 and worked on his Second Symphony. The village stayed a refined lake resort.

Quick practical facts for Austria at a glance: