Things to Do in Klagenfurt

Carinthia’s biggest lake and Austria’s favourite water resort is only a 3-hour drive from Klagengfurt. In summers, the lake’s warm waters draw tens of thousands of tourists and vacationers from within and without the country. The scenery around the lake is spectacular. Boat tours and water based fun are only the beginning. Incredible panoramic roads and cable car rides; quaint little villages; the world’s highest wooden tower; zoos and waterparks; quirky little museums you’ll never find anywhere else; spas and relaxation therapies… everything that a vacation resort should be is manifested in this incredible getaway.

The fountain at this square is fit to put all other fountains to shame. It’s Klagenfurt’s main landmark – the Lindworm, a giant dragon about to be slain by Hercules. While the dragon fountain was established in the 16th century, the Hercules statue wasn’t added until the 17th. Check out the various coat of arms on the base of the fountain.

When you’re done admiring the fountain, take your gaze to the other end of the square, where an equally impressive statue of Empress Maria Theresa looms large. Then look around at the rest of this lovely square. There are a great many shops, restaurants and cafes around. On Saturday, the Wochenmarkt is set up – by far the best way to see the locals in action. If you can, get one of them to tell you the story about the dragon.

A little way down Kramergasse, you’ll come across another curious little statue – the Woertherseemandl, a strange dwarf with a keg who seems to be shouting up at the sky. He’s got a very interesting story too!

This is where the city comes to shop! Altogether there are about 80 enterprises here comprising of shops, restaurants and cafes. There’s a food market, a perfumery, various boutiques, a book store – it’s all here. You should check out the building itself too. It’s been integrated into an older, historical structure, and is all the more elegant for it.

Right in the middle of Klagenfurt, this beautiful courtyard-building supplies enough intrigue and entertainment to take up an entire day. The Italian style structure is newly renovated – everything looks fresh. Today, it is the seat of the local assembly, but there’s plenty for a tourist to do. The main highlights are:

• The restaurant on the ground floor – great beer and great food.
• The Arms and Armoury Room – a fascinating if small museum. (there’s an entrance fee)
• The lovely sundial on the right tower.
• The Wappensaal – an incredible Baroque room filled with over 600 coats of arms. (call before visiting; it may be closed)
• The domed towers

Crocs, tortoises, snakes, spiders and scorpions – everything that creepy or crawly or wet and not an insect is here. The zoo has over 1000 animals of which a really ridiculous number are snakes. You get to put an Anaconda around your neck too if you want… not that we’re recommending it. There’s also a Dinosaur garden. In an aquarium, you get to see piranhas. Educationally, you get an insight into the breeding programmes for all the animals here. To cap it all off, there’s a petting zoo where you can touch tarantula, feed a croc on Saturdays – it’s a lot of hair raising fun.

On the east bank of Worthersee Lake, right next to Minimundus, there’s a lovely green space that mixes all the fun of beaches, meadows and forest within itself – Europa Park. At 22 acres, it’s once of Austria’s largest parks. It’s a great place for:

• Picnics, strolling, chess, people watching and selfies-taking.
• In spring, the flowers are beautiful.
• There’s a huge new playground for children, with convenient benches around for parents.
• At the beach, you can swim or play volleyball.
• The skater park is very popular.
• In one section, you’ll almost always find people challenging each other to games of chess.
• Finally, there’s a coffee house.

Really, there’s nothing more you can ask for from a park.

Gustav Mahler looked to nature’s tranquillity for inspiration for his music. He frequently found that inspiration at the banks of the Wothersee, working at this house during the summer months between 1900 and 1907. Today, you get to explore that incredible composer’s life throughletters, postcards, musical scores and photos.

While the market’s two halls tend to be open all week long, the best time to visit is on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, when the local farmers all descend on the square to sell their good. Everything turns into a cheerful bedlam – the locals race for the delicious fresh food and grocers - fruit, cheese, baked goods, fish, and fresh meat! It’s the best place and time to get to know the locals. In the neighbouring streets, there are many delicious cafes. The market is a great place to catch a quick lunch of local home-made food.

This is Klagenfurt’s ‘backyard mountain’. It’s a hill that rises about 571 metres above sea level and is criss-crossed with innumerable hiking trails. You’ll come across some picturesque small ponds, pretty woodland, and meadows. Get a map of the hill off the Internet or from the local tourist office and check out the following highlights:

• The Kreuzbergl Church – An 18th century Baroque construct with two onion-topped towers.
• The Observatory Tower – Come at night for the moon, stars, planets and galaxies. Come at day for the great views of the city. Park at the Botanical Garden.
• Klagenfurt Mining Museum: Mining, mineralogy, geology and paleontology
• The Carthinian Botanical Garden

The ponds are frozen in winter, which means many people take to the ice to skate.

A restaurant really has to be something special to qualify as a tourist attraction. Well, seeing that this one pulled out all the stops – set in a 17th century castle; terrace restaurant; a magnificent view of the lake at sunset – it qualified. The castle is such a romantic venue that at a chapel at its foot, by the lake, you can actually arrange for your own wedding. There is also a café-lounge-bar open at the place everyday from 3:00 pm.

Research, education and recreation centred on the flora of Carinthia – that’s the focus of these lovely botanic gardens. Its highlights are:

• An Alpine landscaped waterfall garden.
• The oldest Herbarium in Carinthia.
• Historical scientific instruments
• A library for research.
• The Succulent’s Quarter
• The cottage garden

It’s an idyllic location, and though this isn’t the best botanic garden in the world, a visit is worth it because it’s free.

Though somewhat plain on the outside, the church has an interior that’s really worth checking out. It’s one of the oldest Roman Catholic Churches in town. There used to be an older church here from the 13th century, but earthquakes and fires razed it down. The current church was built the early years of the 18th century. The highlights are:

• The Baroque onion dome (you can climb it during a guided tour for panoramas over the city)
• The four elaborate side chapels.
• The 18th century baroque pulpit that’s considered to the most beautiful in the region.

This curious little museum has the largest collection of electronic musical keyboards in Europe. It has about 1300 items in total that cover the entire history of this object, including some of the first keyboards ever built. You can get hands on with the exhibits and even play them. Once a week on Friday, a concert is held at the museum. You may have to pay to attend.

This intriguing museum found quite an exciting home. It’s set within a five hundred metre tunnel that used to be an air raid bomb shelter during WWII. Today though, it’s where you delve into the history of mining in Carinthia. The museum is divided into three sections:

• The Montan Duchy – Photos, document and exhibits related to cultural mining.
• Mineralogy: Examples of the typed of minerals mined from the Carinthian region – there are over 300 types.
• Palaeontology: Fossilised remains of plants and animals found around here, exploring 500 million years of geological history.

The best nightclub in town somehow managed to make a wide open modern dance space – complete with the cutting edge light and sound equipment – look comfortable and intimate. The feel of the place is rustic. The snack bar is pretty good too.