Camping by the lake in Carinthia

When camping by the lake in Carinthia, holiday guests can enjoy a wide variety of leisure activities on one of the more than 1,200 bodies of water in Austria's southernmost province. Water sports enthusiasts as well as families with children are drawn to the idyllic shores. Some campsites even have designated dog bathing beaches. Fantastic hiking trails through the rolling hills of the Nockberge mountains or cycling tours for ambitious recreational athletes along idyllic mountain lakes attract many guests to a holiday in Carinthia.

Top tips

• With a campsite by the lake in Carinthia, sailors and surfers are in their Eldorado. Beginners and advanced surfers can take advantage of the many sailing and surfing schools, e.g. on Lake Ossiach. The situation is similar in the villages on Lake Millstatt with their water ski schools and boat hire centres. But whether it's sailing, canoeing, banana boating, paragliding, surfing or diving: Every camper will find their favourite leisure activity here.
• One of the most famous lakes is Lake Wörthersee. Nature lovers, water sports enthusiasts and party guests meet on its lively shores. With its lakeside promenade, picturesque villas and a 19th-century bathhouse, the trendy and climatic health resort of Pörtschach invites you to enjoy a multi-faceted holiday.
• Lake Weissensee is considered one of the purest bathing lakes in the Alps. Situated at an altitude of 920m in the middle of a nature park, holiday guests can expect authentic country life on unspoilt shores - and water temperatures of up to 28°C. One of the highlights is a romantic trip across the water on a pleasure raft.

Activities and excursions

Camping by the lake in Carinthia offers a wide range of activities - from exciting excursions to miniature worlds and adventurous mountain hikes to a visit to a wedding island.

Family excursion to Lake Wörthersee

The Minimundus miniature world on Lake Wörthersee is one of the most popular excursion destinations. Guests can travel around the world in just a few hours. There are 159 models of the most famous buildings on the globe to marvel at. Sights such as the Sydney Opera House, the Eiffel Tower and the Vienna Ferris wheel are located in a magnificent park with 15,000 flowers and 40 exotic bonsais. The monkey park in Landskron is a fun place to visit: Over 150 Japanese macaques enchant visitors in a 4-hectare open-air enclosure.

From the campsite to the mountain

Regardless of which of the Carinthian lakes active holidaymakers choose to spend their holiday at, many campsites are ideal starting points for long hikes. The 200 km long Millstätter See Höhensteig is a tour with great views. If you take advantage of the excellent hiking bus service, you can return to the campsite in comfort after each stage. The trail leads true summiteers to Austria's highest mountain, the Grossglockner. The views are breathtaking as you drive along the famous high Alpine road from the picturesque village of Heiligenblut in Mölltal to the Fuschertörl pass. From the Franz-Josefs-Höhe, paths such as the Pasterzen circular trail lead through the fascinating glacier landscape.

Wedding paradise Maria Wörth

Situated on the southern shore of Lake Wörthersee, the Maria Wörth peninsula is one of the most beautiful sights in the region. The parish church, which enchants visitors with its golden high altar and precious stained glass windows from the Middle Ages, can be seen from afar. The harmonious interplay between the idyllic landscape and the picturesque building is one of the reasons why Maria Wörth attracts so many wedding couples - including celebrities. However, the peninsula has become particularly well known as the setting for many TV series and local films.

Events

Cultural and sporting events attract visitors to Carinthia, especially during the warmer months of the year.

May - June

• Wörthersee meeting - GTI meeting: Motorsport enthusiasts from all over the world have been coming together at Lake Wörthersee in spring for more than three decades. Volkswagen and Audi present their latest GTI and tuning studies there. Highlights include a motorcade and a club challenge with fun games.

July

• Ironman Klagenfurt: Every summer, Lake Wörthersee and the surrounding region belong entirely to athletes for a weekend. Up to 3,000 athletes take part in the competition, which begins with a swim in Lake Wörthersee. They then cycle over 180 kilometres through Carinthia's mountains before the marathon culminates at the finish line on Metnitzstrand.

June - August

• Carinthian Summer: A colourful programme of events awaits those interested in culture during this music festival. Guests can enjoy classical concerts, theatre and jazz performances at various venues such as Ossiach, Villach and Klagenfurt.