Villach is the second largest city in Carinthia and is located on the Drau, the state's main river. Many well-signposted cycle paths lead through Villach, along the Drau and into the surrounding region with Lake Ossiach in the north-east and Lake Faak in the south-east.
The Alps-Adriatic town has a lot to offer: a romantic old town, cafés, restaurants, interesting museums and galleries. In Warmbad-Villach, a modern thermal spa offers action and relaxation for the whole family.
Cycle-friendly accommodation
Centrally located in Villach is the Hotel City Villach, which is one of the official Drau bike hosts (www.hotelcity.at). On the northern shore of Lake Faak, the Karnerhof is a hot tip. Cyclists stay here exclusively with a sensational view over the turquoise lake to the Karawanken mountains (www.karnerhof.com). The Naturgasthof Schlosswirt in Ossiach on Lake Ossiach has cosy rooms and excellent natural cuisine (www.schlosswirt-ossiach.at).
Bike service
If you want to leave your bike safely for a shopping or sightseeing tour in Villach, you can park your bike free of charge at the "Radbutler" at the Draubrücke bridge. Regular cycle buses depart from Lake Ossiach and Lake Faak to Spittal an der Drau, the Rosental Valley and Tarvisio in Italy. This makes it easy to cycle a section of the Alpe-Adria or Drau cycle paths. The buses are free of charge for holders of the Villach Region Adventure Card. The card is available free of charge from many accommodation providers.
general info
Region Villach Tourismus GmbH, Peraustraße 32, A-9500 Villach, phone 0043/(0)4242/42000, www.visitvillach.at
Tour 5: Around Lake Ossiach
A varied tour with great views of the lake and the surrounding mountains. It also has a lot to offer in terms of culture and cuisine.
GPS data
You can find the GPX track for this tour in the MYBIKE Collection on komoot
From the large car park in Annenheim in the north-west of Lake Ossiach, an anti-clockwise loop is recommended. The cycle path is perfectly signposted and leads via Ossiach to the Bleistätter Moor and then back again via the villages of Steindorf, Bodensdorf and Sattendorf.
Worth seeing
It is worth making a detour to Landskron Castle, which sits 135 metres above the lake on a rocky cone, as well as the eleventh-century Ossiach Abbey with its baroque collegiate church. After the tour, you should not miss out on a cable car trip from Annenheim to the Gerlitzen-Alpe, which is almost 2,000 metres high. Here there are paths to rustic huts and a fantastic panoramic view of the Carinthian mountains and lakes.
Refreshment tip
The Stiftsschmiede on the shores of the lake in Ossiach is a fish restaurant par excellence. Top chef Gerhard Satran prepares the finest fish from Carinthian waters over an open fire (www.stiftsschmiede.at).
Tour 6: From Lake Faak to the castle ruins
At the foot of the Karawanken mountains on the border with Slovenia, you cycle around the marvellously turquoise Faaker See lake to the dream backdrop of the Finkenstein castle arena.
GPS data
The tour starts in Faak am See on a country road heading north to Drobollach with wonderful views across the lake to the Karawanken with the striking pyramid-shaped rock cone of the Mittagskogel. The route then leads from the east side of the lake via Untergreuth up around 350 metres in altitude to the castle ruins and on via Finkenstein back to the starting point.
Worth seeing
The panoramic view from the castle ruins, which date back to the twelfth century, is not to be missed. Concerts and cabaret evenings are held here in summer in an open arena (www.burgarena.at).
Refreshment tip
The Berg-Gasthof Baumgartnerhof is located just above the castle ruins. It serves good Carinthian cuisine and traditional home cooking (www.baumgartnerhof.at).
MYBIKE video: Cycling in the Villach region
You can find even more pleasure tours in Carinthia in the Travel Special "The most beautiful cycle routes in Carinthia"
