Golfing Region Carinthia

Carinthia, Austria's southernmost province, is one of the most charming regions in the Alpine republic. Impressive mountain landscapes, idyllic alpine pastures and crystal-clear lakes invite you to relax and enjoy sporting activities in equal measure. So travelers can seek relaxation at the Carinthian lakes as well as play a good game of golf. With the Alpe-Adria-Golf Card, the latter is even possible in Slovenia and Italy.

Golf in Carinthia - a sport steeped in tradition

Golf in Carinthia can look back on a long tradition. Carinthia's oldest golf club, KGC-Dellach, was founded back in 1927 and is located in the immediate vicinity of Lake Wörthersee, offering a fascinating panorama. In addition, national and international golf championships have often been held here in the past. Carinthia also has eleven other golf courses and three exclusive golf clubs. One of these is the GC Schloss Finkenstein, which offers a wonderful view of the Karawanken mountains not far from Lake Faak. A particular highlight of the course is the 200-year-old castle, which was converted into a clubhouse in 1995. Golfers can relax on the terrace of the castle's own tavern after their round. The Carinthian golf hotels are also dedicated to their guests with a wide range of offers. Athletes are pampered in a pleasant atmosphere after an exciting round of golf. In general, however, holidaymakers in the Austrian province have a free choice. From a vacation apartment, a rustic mountain hut or a comfortable campsite, to a luxury hotel, a farm vacation or a children's hotel. Guests can check in wherever suits them.

The Carinthia Golf Open has been an integral part of the European Challenge Tour calendar since 2009. In the six years of the professional golf tournament's existence, two German players have already been able to claim victory. In the inaugural year, the Kärnten Golf Challenge, Christoph Günther was victorious and last year the long-standing national player Moritz Lampert won the tournament. This year, the title went to Nacho Elvira from Spain.

Golfing in three different countries

Golf tourism is now a significant economic factor in Carinthia. As a result, numerous hotels are located in the immediate vicinity of the golf courses. In addition, the Alpine region has a particularly interesting offer: the Alpe-Adria-Golf Card offers golfers the unique opportunity to play on the most beautiful golf courses in Carinthia, Slovenia and Friuli Venezia Giulia.

More information about the Alpe-Adria-Golf Card

A fascinating region for culture lovers

Of course, Carinthia doesn't just have unique golf courses to offer. The region is also a fascinating destination for lovers of panoramic views of Carinthian art, culture and sightseeing. Carinthia is influenced by three cultures that have inspired many artists to create impressive works over the years. The Austrian province is also home to important architectural monuments such as Porcia Castle in Spittal and Hochosterwitz Castle near St. Veit. Carinthia is also home to numerous museums exhibiting works of art from all cultural eras. The "Museum of Modern Art Carinthia", for example, is dedicated to the frescoes of Carinthian Baroque painter Josef Ferdinand Fromiller. In contrast, the archaeological open-air museums in Magdalensberg and on the Hennaberg have devoted themselves to works from the Roman period.

Pure joie de vivre

Guests in Carinthia are confronted with pure joie de vivre. Friendly encounters with people, wellness offers and established festivals, whose cheerful atmosphere is infectious, delight all vacationers. These positive feelings are supported by the melodies of Brahms and Mahler, the songs of choirs and the current sounds in the town squares. Summer cheerfulness fills the whole province. Holidaymakers in Carinthia are offered culture, fun and joy through and through, from the Klagenfurt Municipal Theatre to the Friesach Burghofspiele at Heunburg Castle and the Porcia Comedy Theatre in Spittal an der Drau. A tip for all visitors to the vacation region is the Transformale - Kunst Kultur Küche Kärnten. The motto of this festival is "Land in sight".

Wonderful bathing fun - the Carinthian lakes

Holidaymakers don't have to miss out on relaxing hours by the water in Carinthia either. The region does not have Caribbean sandy beaches to offer. However, the province's magnificent bathing lakes, all of which have drinking water quality, leave nothing to be desired. On the contrary: visitors can swim, dive, sail or water ski in the water, which is up to 27 degrees Celsius. This makes the Carinthian lakes some of the warmest waters in the Alpine region. At the well-known bathing lakes, such as the Wörthersee or the Weissensee, the wishes of both adventurers and connoisseurs are fulfilled. But it is not only the large lakes that offer a wide range of leisure activities. Activities such as sailing, surfing, diving or boat tours are also possible on the smaller lakes, offering every vacationer an individual vacation paradise.

On foot through Austria

Of course, a vacation in Carinthia is also ideal for hiking. Numerous hiking trails lead around Lake Ossiach or Lake Wörthersee, for example. The most famous is the 55 km long Wörthersee circular hiking trail. This hiking route runs through wooded areas and offers wonderful views of the lake. Hikers also get their money's worth on the Grossglockner, Austria's highest mountain, in the Karawanken and Nockberge mountains. Cyclists also get their money's worth. From spring to late fall, Carinthia offers ideal conditions for this, so that enthusiastic cyclists can benefit from a network of cycle paths that currently covers 1300 km. There are also 1800 km of legal, signposted routes for mountain bikers and an extensive e-bike network. Highlights also include the Drau Cycle Path and the Alpe-Adria Cycle Path, which leads from the National Park to the sea.

Buildings in miniature

Travel around the world in one day - the Minimundus theme park in Klagenfurt makes it possible. Here, 140 of the world's most beautiful buildings can be viewed on a scale of 1:25. At least one new model is added to the portfolio every year. Numerous events and activities round off the varied vacation offers. These include the Beach Volleyball Grand Slam, the IRONMAN Austria and the Harley-Davidson meeting.

The climate of the Austrian province

The weather in Carinthia is Mediterranean, with over 2000 hours of sunshine a year not uncommon. Spring is usually mild and the summer months are warm with temperatures around 25 degrees. May and September are the best months for hiking. The golf season begins in March and ends around mid-November. However, Carinthia is a popular destination at any time of year thanks to its above-average number of hours of sunshine.

Arriving by car or plane

Carinthia can be reached quickly via the A8 from Munich/Salzburg and the Tauernautobahn. There are connections from all major German airports to the airport in the provincial capital of Klagenfurt.

Carinthian cuisine

Carinthia not only offers unspoiled nature and famous sights, but also a varied cuisine. The traditional dishes are mostly hearty meals made from simple, regional ingredients. These include, for example, the Carinthian Reindling, a sweet yeast pastry with cinnamon and raisins. The food culture is influenced by three countries - Carinthia, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Slovenia. With one of the highest domestic productions of freshwater fish in the whole of Austria, Carinthia is paying particular attention to the topic of "fish cravings" in 2015. The local innkeepers and fish chefs invite you to culinary festivals throughout the year, where you can sample fresh dishes and watch the chefs prepare them. The Fish Festival in Feld am See and the Kitchen Cult in Villach are just a few of the many highlights on offer to holidaymakers in Carinthia.

More information can be found under Carinthia Golf.