The Carinthian lakes are embedded in the picturesque mountain ranges of the Alps. They were created by the retreat of the glaciers after the last ice age and many of them are popular bathing lakes today. The “Kärnten Seenschleife” cycle tour, which is around 350 kilometers long, takes you from the central starting point in Villach along the most famous Carinthian lakes. You start with a walk around the Ossiacher See and then follow the valley to Millstätter See. The 11 km long, fjord-like Weißensee has no navigable connection between the east and west banks. You can enjoy this special feature by enjoying the natural lake and mountain landscape on your boat trip from bank to bank. On your way through Gitsch- and Gailtal you get to the Faaker See, whose emerald green water tempts you to swim and linger. In Rosegg, graves from the Hallstatt period tell of past times and the now predominant river landscape of the Drau accompanies you to Lake Klopein. The last stop on the tour is the Wörthersee, the largest lake in Carinthia. The Minimundus of the state capital Klagenfurt is definitely worth exploring and in Velden the casino invites you to an evening visit. The eight loop through the Carinthian lake landscape is completed in Villach - your starting point. The Minimundus of the state capital Klagenfurt is definitely worth exploring and in Velden the casino invites you to an evening visit. The eight loop through the Carinthian lake landscape is completed in Villach - your starting point. The Minimundus of the state capital Klagenfurt is definitely worth exploring and in Velden the casino invites you to an evening visit. The eight loop through the Carinthian lake landscape is completed in Villach - your starting point.
The double loop of this bike tour also enables day tours or individual circumnavigations of the lake. What shouldn't be missing on your trip is your swimwear, because the water in the numerous lakes can reach temperatures of up to 26 degrees in summer.
Route characteristics
length
The total length of the main cycle route is around 350 kilometers. The variants and excursions have a length of 83 kilometers.
Path quality, traffic and inclines
The route runs mainly on well-marked, asphalted bike paths and side streets with little traffic. Some sections of the route lead over gravel and forest paths. Many of the paths are flat and right on the lake shore. On the west loop of the tour, however, there are some steep climbs to be mastered.
Signage
Uniform small, green signs with white lettering show you the way through Carinthia, whereby larger signs with distance information are set up at critical points. The main cycle paths are numbered from R1 to R10 according to the Carinthian cycle path concept.