Klagenfurt am Wörthersee

Culture on Lake Wörthersee:

As you amble through the city centre steeped in history, you are struck above all by features such as the Lindwurm, the Wörthersee-Mandl, die Ernst Fuchs chapel, the Landhaus with the armorial hall or the plague column. But the arcaded courtyards, cosy cafes and restaurants, museums and shopping options also make the city a very special place.

Lake Wörthersee makes an important contribution to the city’s attractiveness. The warm swimming lake not only has Europe’s largest lido on an inland lake, but also a well-developed network of cycle paths, and options for jogging, walking and hiking. You can also get to know the lake from a very special angle on a ferry ride. Lake Wörthersee is also the setting for major events such as Ironman, the “Kärnten läuft” running event, the World Bodypainting Festival or Fête Blanche and other events.

In winter the traditional Christmas market in the city centre delights visitors from home and abroad.

Literature lovers are drawn to the annual Festival of German-Language Literature, during which since 1977 the Ingeborg Bachmann Prize has been awarded; this was created in memory of the Klagenfurt author Ingeborg Bachmann, and is one of the most important literary awards in the whole of the German-speaking area.

Klagenfurt’s Benediktinermarkt is a popular meeting place. Every Thursday and Saturday there are lively goings-on when farmers from Carinthia, Friuli and Slovenia offer their products. A separate organic market takes place on Fridays.