Klagenfurt Villach area: Sharing is caring

The facility is divided into the fun zone for the whole family and swimmers, with flumes and wide, wavy slides, crazy river, children’s pool, aquatic play area, indoor and outdoor thermal pools, grotto, and a 25-metre sports pool. The spa zone measures 2,000 square metres and includes a hammam, treatment rooms, outdoor Finnish sauna, biosauna, steam bath and panoramic whirlpool. There is also a state-of-the-art gym with around 120 Technogym machines and courses. This relaxation paradise is founded on ten million litres of thermal water, which bubbles up from the depths of the Dobratsch mountains.

The woodland and mountain scenery is nothing short of breathtaking. And the water is crystal clear and brilliant blue – perfect for water sports. Why not give stand-up paddleboarding a go or hop into a canoe? There are plenty of local businesses hiring out all the equipment you need with the option of lessons. Lake Faak is also the perfect place for a fishing trip. If fishing is your thing, you might be wondering what types of fish are home to these waters. We promise you won’t be disappointed by the answer! You can expect almost all the freshwater fish you’d find in Central Europe. In other words, what are you waiting for?

Eateries, offices and businesses are located around the centre, which was converted into a pedestrianised area in the 1980s. At the west of Hauptplatz, two buildings stand out in particular: the building in which doctor and philosopher Paracelsus lived from 1502 to 1516, and the birthplace of Austrian anatomist and bacteriologist Anton Ghon. There is also a modern attraction in the form of the brightly coloured 3D artwork that adorns the district-heating construction site on Hauptplatz.

But it isn’t just the view to the horizon that will put a smile on your face; the view of the cosy inn will, too: 115-year-old ‘Stoffl-Stadl’ timbers, for example, have been worked into the Stoffl counter. Alongside the counter, there is a panoramic winter garden, a sitting room, a heated, covered terrace and a sun terrace. There is also a children’s play area. Fresh, seasonal products are used for the (traditional) Carinthian food, which is why the menu follows the culinary calendar – from lamb at Easter to chanterelles in July to duck breast in January.

Fruit tea and milk tea are also served alongside the cold drink, known internationally as boba or pearl milk tea. The flavours available for this bubble tea are as exotic as the sensation when you hold these little pearls in your mouth for the first time. You can choose from passion fruit, cherry blossom or Hawaii Trip, for example – and the colour of the drinks is just as vibrant. Bubble tea is originally from Taiwan and is based on sweetened green or black tea with milk or fruit syrup and prepared like a milkshake. The tapioca pearls provide a crunch.

It is suggested that the vineyards were located on the slopes in front of the Gerlitzen massif. The Stöcklweingarten vineyard name is first documented in 1365. The indulgent stöcklWEINgarten shop is located in the town of the same name in the heart of the region of the Feldkirchen/Lake Ossiach winegrowing association. You can sample and purchase Carinthian wines at this gourmet boutique. They also curate a selection of oils of the highest quality, as well as choice specialities including chocolate, pasta and spirits.

The old town house in the city centre offers an in-depth look at the history, art and culture of Villach and the local area over three floors. Explore exciting finds from through the ages in a mixture of permanent and temporary exhibitions. Two rooms are dedicated to the doctor Theophrastus Bombast von Hohenheim, also known as Paracelsus, who moved to Villach with his father in the early 17th century. You can also admire a collection of pieces produced by local artists. The Roman stone collection and a piece of the old city wall can be found in the cosy courtyard.