The seaside promenade, the narrow streets of the old town and a beautiful climate give Klagenfurt – Austria’s southernmost state capital – almost a Mediterranean feel to it.
We, therefore, start in a slightly reverse order than usual and begin with the seafront. It’s located on the outskirts of town rather than downtown. Klagenfurt extends to the eastern end of Wörthersee, one of Austria’s hottest and most famous lakes.
The seaside promenade
Klagenfurt offers a lovely seaside promenade if you want to enjoy the lake view and a stroll by the waterfront. Lake Wörthersee, with its beautiful passage adorned with palm trees, contrast strongly with the alpine landscape surrounding Klagenfurt. This is also where you find the pier for the liner and cruise boats. If you have time, we recommend a trip to Wörthersee with the historic steamship “Thalia”. You find several good outdoor restaurants at the seafront’s northern end. At the other end of the seafront, you will discover Strandbad Klagenfurt, one of Europe’s largest bathing parks on a lake.
Summer resort
On hot summer days, up to 30,000 people romp at the water’s edge. Hence, Klagenfurt may remind you more of Magaluf (a party town in Mallorca) than the picturesque villages you often find by the lakes in Austria. Turquoise blue water and temperatures of up to 27-28 °C create a Mediterranean atmosphere – amid the Alps. Moreover, the Strandbad is linked to the 22-hectare European park, which is very popular, not only among the locals but also among tourists.
< Click on the images to enlarge >
Europapark
This park is more than just a large landscaped garden. Children and youth have fun at the large playground, in the skate park or playing ball on the lawns. And of course, you can play sand volleyball. Klagenfurt, after all, arranges a world cup round in sand volleyball every summer. The vast park is also an excellent chill-out zone for those not interested in any activities. Even on weekends with nice and warm weather, you’ll always find a quiet nook somewhere in this vast park when everyone is going out. Between the city centre and the Europapark, you stroll among famous sights of the world at the miniature world Minimundus.
ANNONSE
Minimondus
Travel around the world in 80 minutes! In Europapark, you will find the family attraction Minimundus, an open-air exhibition of different models in size 1:25 showing buildings and places worldwide. A good deal of the models, of course, is from Austria, but many other countries around the globe are represented. The details on many of the models are impressive, and many of the models are well-made. Thus, well worth a visit. You will also find a restaurant on site.
Historical sights in Klagenfurt
The historic city centre (Innere Stadt) in Klagenfurt is characterized by Baroque and Art Nouveau facades. Small and large squares, narrow alleys and crooked streets make up much of the old town of Klagenfurt. Moreover, it is easy to navigate the sights, as the centre is a well-defined square of roughly 800 m x 800 m, surrounded by a ring road. Most of the historic city centre is reserved for pedestrians. You can therefore stress down and take time when you stroll around.
Furthermore, there are plenty of shopping opportunities in small shops and the major shopping mall. The narrow alleyways, streets, and many squares provide space for various drinking and eating places. Even though Klagenfurt’s streets are lively during the summer, it’s still far less hectic than other major cities like Graz, Linz and Vienna.
Check out these links:
Visit Klagenfurt
Kärntens offisielle turistkontor
Wörthersee Schifffahrt (Cruises on the lake)
Pyramidenkogel
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