Culture
There are many modern as well as ancient sights in Carinthia. Many castles are just a quick drive away from our house. Interesting museums of all kind are also worth a visit. But the most beautifulest thing about Carinthia is its beautiful natural attractions. It does not matter if young are young or old - you will always be surprised about the many things to visit.
Castles
Castle Hochosterwitz is an extraordinary place to visit. It is completely restored and makes you feel like royalty in ancient times. You can walk through different gates up to the castle. The knights hall can not only be visited - you can have dinner as well. The guides are dressed in historical clothing fashionable 200 years ago and explain a lot of interesting facts about the castle.
Close to our house you can see the ruins of the castle Finkenstein from the 12th century. These ruins are used as a music stage in the summer. Have you ever experienced a concert in such stunning surroundings? The view over the Faaker Lake in the evening while listening to Rock, Pop, or Classic concert is an unforgettable experience.
Last but not least - and just one of many more castles- is the interesting castle Landskron. It is a15 Minutes drive away from our house. The big ruins of this castles house an eagle park where wild eagles are fed. Next to it is the monkey mountain - a huge area teaming with makkaken monkeys. You can walk through their cage - but be careful: the monkeys are very smart and are always happy to find new things to play with: like your hat or sunglasses for example.
Natural wonders
Faaker lake: The nearest one is the Faaker lake itself. Shining in a bright turquoise colour, is seems to be extremely photoshopped. The chalk in the water reflects the water so well that the Lake seems to have the colour of a swimming pool. To swim in the 29 degrees warm water with the stunning panorama of the Mittagskogel and the Karawanken in the back ground is a highlight of every holiday. If you want to be active you can hire a stand up paddle board and cruise over the Lake.
Tscheppaschlucht: If you want to go for a walk in a very nice gorge take a tour through the Tscheppa Schlucht. You can walk all the way up to the waterfall at the very beginning of the gorge. There is a big stone gate at the end of the gorge, from where you can see the water falls. Iron stairs and a small path next to the river lead you there. A bus takes you back to the parking area. The ticket price is included in the entrance fee to the gorge. A nice high wire park is located at the parking area . Thus, you can spend your whole day at the Tscheppa Schlucht. Dogs are allowed in the gorge, but it can be very hard for them to walk on the iron stairs. Therefore, we do not recommend to take your dogs with you to this gorge.
Maltatal: Valley of the thunderous water - this is how the Malta Tal is also known. Innumerable waterfalls decorate the way up to the top of the Kölnbreinsperre. It is one of the highest hydro dams in austria and is located in the middle of the beautiful landscapes of the Hohe Tauern. They can be visited until the beginning of october. Down in the valley is the theme park Fellbach Tal - a nice place for kids to play with water coming down the Fellbach falls.
Maibacherl: Another nature spectacle is the Maibacherl - unfortunately you can not see it every day. The thermal water spring can only be seen or used when the snow is melting or after a lot of rain has fallen. Then the water in the swing spring overflows its one subterranean pool and flows into a natural pool outside. A special community on Facebook informs you when it is possible to take a bath in the healing warm thermal waters.
Festivals and events
More than 10.000 liters of a famous soup are served during the Villacher Kirchtage. This fair takes place directly in the old city center of Villach. It is a fascinating mixture of fun and culture. Many small stages with local musicians surround the church where folk music is played. There are all kinds of fun rides, shops and bars at the shore of the Drau. The highlight of the Villacher Kirchtag is a parade with 3500 participants. It takes place on the last saturday of the festival.
The most famous event of the region takes place directly here in Faak at the end of September - the European Bike Week . It is the largest harley party in Europe. More than 80.000 bikes take part in this event. The road along the Lake is a one way road, and a lot of fantastic bikes can be seen during this event. The Harley village with its bars and stages as well as the Arneitz village are interesting places to visit. Arneitz village is the place where the party starts one week earlier, and it is certainly worth a visit. Many unique bikes can be seen in our village during the Harley week. Some are worth up to 100.000 Euro. A 5 Minutes walk from our house takes you to the stop of the bus that takes you around the lake.
But not only the big events are very nice here - the small ones are worth seeing too! Especially worth while is the farmers market that takes place every thursday. It is at the market area of Faak and offers different types of food and drinks, homemade cakes and liqueurs. All people from Faak are meeting here in the evening when it is nice and warm - to have a drink and to enjoy a mediterranean way of life.
Adventures for kids
Museums don't have to be boring - at least this is true for the many museums in Carinthia. The bunker museum at the Wurzenpass is especially interesting for the kids because they can hop on for a ride on a real tank, or explore the tunnels at the museum. For adults the story about the bunker is very interesting - Andreas, the owner, will tell you everything about this special place that was hidden until the late 90s because of the unstable political situation on the Balkan.
Also worth a visit on a rainy days is the mountaineering museum of Bad Bleiberg. Using a 60 Meters long slide, the kids can explore a real mine. All the necessary machines are still there, and the guides show you how the work was done underneath the earth. One of the mine-lifts takes you up to the surface after one hour. The whole world can be visited in one day here from Carinthia - Minimundus invites you to take a tour from the Sydney opera to the tower of pisa within a short walk. The Minimundus area is situated at the Wörthersee just a 30 Minutes drive away from our house.
Reitschule Goritschach offers a day nursery for the kids. Children can be dropped off by 9 am and can spend the whole day on the horse farm. Lunch is cooked together and a horseback riding lessons is offered in the afternoon. The kids can stay until 7.pm. and thus spend a fascinating day in nature surrounded by horses - a wonderful experience for the small ones while the parents can enjoy a "day off".
