Camping with children in Carinthia

On the sunny southern side of the Alps, Carinthia is Austria's number one camping destination. Over 100 campsites can be found there, whether at the foot of a spectacular mountain, by a picturesque bathing lake or idyllically on the banks of a river. For children and their parents, a true natural paradise opens up right outside the caravan door, where they can play carefree, splash around in the warm water and, of course, enjoy tobogganing and skiing in winter.

Destinations for camping with children in Carinthia

Carinthia is known as a lake district with a pleasantly mild climate and plenty of southern flair. The crystal-clear Lake Wörthersee in the Klagenfurt basin is often described as the most beautiful bathtub in the Alps. Surrounded by the green peaks of the Nockberge mountains, Lake Millstatt also appears to be a real landscape jewel. On its eastern shore, the Burgstaller Comfort Camping Park in Döbriach is one of the many child-friendly campsites in Carinthia and boasts its own lido, a variety of water sports facilities and an Indian village. Faaker See and Ossiacher See in the Villach region, named after the second largest city in Carinthia, are also ideal for active holidaymakers of all ages. You can also get in touch with nature while camping in Mölltal, which is part of the Hohe Tauern National Park in Upper Carinthia and is home to such charming places as Heiligenblut at the foot of the Grossglockner and the year-round Mölltal Glacier ski area. Away from the pistes, you can cover shorter or longer stages on the Alpe-Adria-Trail long-distance hiking trail, go on a rafting tour or explore nature with the family in a canoe. Cyclists will find their paradise along the Drau. The dark green shimmering river gives its name to the varied Drau cycle path, which leads from Toblach in South Tyrol through Carinthia to Varaždin in northern Croatia. The perfect starting point for unforgettable excursions on two wheels is the family-friendly Drau-Camping site in the historic market town of Sachsenburg, which offers guided cycling and hiking tours as well as a spacious children's playground and its own boat landing bay. Family-orientated leisure activities are also very popular in the Rennweg-Katschberg region.

Top tips

• Up the Pyramidenkogel: It is said that anyone who has never been up the wooden observation tower in Keutschach am See, which spirals 100 metres into the air, has never seen Carinthia. The way back down is by lift, adrenaline-fuelled panoramic rope ride or through all kinds of bends on the highest enclosed slide in Europe.
• Klopeiner See forest adventure world: The two-hectare nature playground in Sankt Kanzian has around 80 attractions for romping, playing and marvelling. Here you can test your sense of direction in the giant labyrinth, take to the air on an oversized bouncy cushion, get going on the slide mountain, visit an underground foxhole and much more.
• Off into the water: camping with children in Carinthia is all about pure swimming fun. Whether in the ultra-modern Drautalperle adventure pool in Spittal an der Drau, in the Kärntentherme Warmbad-Villach with a white water river and an 86 metre long slide or at one of the more than 200 bathing lakes in the province.

Activities and excursions

From the child-friendly campsites in Carinthia, there are numerous excursion destinations that make nature seem like one big adventure.

Animal adventure worlds

Northeast of Villach lies the medieval Landskron Castle, which has two attractions for animal lovers: the Adler Arena with a captivating bird of prey flight show and the Monkey Mountain, where around 160 Japanese macaques live in the wild and can be observed climbing, swimming and grooming. Swamp crocodiles, vulture tortoises and green iguanas are just some of the undisputed stars of the species-rich Happ Reptile Zoo in Klagenfurt. A visit to the game enclosure at Rosegg Zoo is also worthwhile. Guided llama trekking tours for children are offered in Hermagor on Lake Pressegg.

On hiking trails suitable for pushchairs

The children's adventure park on the Heidi-Alm near Turrach is ideal for a hike with the youngest children, with 26 stations dedicated to Johanna Spyri's world-famous children's book character, a giant slide, ponies, goats and a pond for fishing. The H2O high-altitude trail above Lake Millstätter See, a 4.7 km long water adventure trail, takes you from one panoramic hut to the next, past nature playgrounds and dragon figures. A trout station and a raccoon enclosure await you after a tour to the rustic Falkerthaus, which lies at an altitude of 1,557 metres in the Nockberge National Park and can also be easily reached with the Brunnach biosphere park cable car.

To imposing waterfalls and enchanting gorges

The waterfalls and gorges of Carinthia seem like enchanted places where the elemental force of water has carved its path, and not just through the eyes of children. Rugged rocks, roaring waters and impressive fauna can be marvelled at from lofty heights in the Tscheppaschlucht forest rope park. Eight courses and Austria's longest flying fox course at 300 metres provide unforgettable moments for the whole family. In addition to the geological nature trail at the spectacular Raggaschlucht gorge near Flattach, the Maltatal water adventure park at the foot of the Fallbach waterfall, which plunges 200 metres into the depths, offers ultimate leisure fun for young and old.

Events

There are events for families with children all year round in Carinthia.

February

• Villach Carnival: In Austria's carnival mecca, big and small fools are on the loose. Here it's not Helau and Alaaf, but Lei Lei. In addition to children's carnival sessions, the big parade and the colourful children's programme on Carnival Saturday are real highlights.

July - August

• Carinthian Summer: Carinthia's most diverse music festival takes place every year on the shimmering emerald green waters of Lake Ossiach. Top-class conductors, ensembles and soloists provide weeks full of captivating soundscapes. Of course, there is also a children's programme.

September - October

• St. Veiter Wiesenmarkt: The ten-day folk festival has been celebrated since 1362. Visitors can expect more than just a market. Music, dancing and a variety of shows are organised in tents and huts. Fast-paced fairground rides and all sorts of treats are sure to get the kids cheering.