Between lakes and nature trails: the surprising south of Austria

Borderland (between Italia and Slovenia) but also a place that, like few in Europe, combines alpine landscapes, mild temperatures and bathing lakes already at the beginning of the warm season. In spring, when trails and outdoor activities are reactivated, Carinthia lends itself to dynamic tourism between nature and urban centres, with its lake system acting as the main attraction: the Wörthersee, with its clear waters and lakeside resorts, is the main attraction (in places such as Velden and Pörtschach, one can relax between historic bathing establishments, promenades and water sports), while other basins such as the Millstätter See and the Weissensee offer more intimate settings in less man-made natural environments. Moving northwards, the landscape changes rapidly as one approaches the area of the Hohe Tauern National Park, which occupies a significant part of the region. This is home to some of Austria's most spectacular scenery, including glaciers, spectacular waterfalls and peaks exceeding three thousand metres, including the Großglockner. The famous 'Großglockner Hochalpenstraße' is one of Europe's most fascinating panorama roads and driving along it takes you through a high-altitude landscape with viewpoints and visitor centres dedicated to alpine fauna. For trekking and hiking enthusiasts, Carinthia is a kind of paradise with its 10,000 km of marked trails, the best known and most challenging of which is the Alpe-Adria-Trail panorama trail, which starts at the Grossglockner glacier and descends to the Adriatic Sea. Other nature trails can be found at the Millstätter See, including the 'Via Paradiso', and in the Nockberge mountains, while the so-called 'Slow Trail' routes offer relatively short hikes overlooking the lakes for those who want to slow down and find harmony at a leisurely pace away from the cities;

https://www.carinthia.at/