Wörthersee — Attraction in Maria Wörth

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In the early 19th century the marshy shores were home only to a handful of poor peasants. The opening of the Austrian Southern Railway line (Südbahn) to Klagenfurt in 1863, later extended to Villach along the northern shore, quickly turned the Wörthersee into an exclusive summer retreat for Vienna's nobility and wealthy bourgeoisie. Especially Velden and Pörtschach developed to main tourist resorts. Up to today, the Mediterranean climate and the clean, warm waters make Lake Wörth a popular tourist destination in summer. Although the region around the lake has been termed "Austria's Monte Carlo", in recent decades tourism around Lake Wörthersee has suffered from tough competition from package holidays to cheaper overseas destinations. As a response a number of local businesses have tried to focus on niches such as high quality tourism, family tourism or golf and horse-riding vacations. Most tourists visit the Lake in the months of July and August when water temperatures reach 25 °C. A large proportion of visitors return every summer and some own or rent holiday homes along the shore. The vast majority of visitors come from Vienna, northern Germany and the Netherlands. The largest Volkswagen and Audi car show in Europe, the Wörthersee GTi-Treffen (in English, "Wörthersee Meeting" or simply "Wörthersee"), has been held in the lakeside town of Reifnitz (usually in May) every...

Here are 2 of the best trails around:

Wörthersee Rundwanderweg • Distance: 55 kilometers • Difficulty: Moderate • Duration: 12-14 hours (can be split over multiple days) This is the most famous trail around Wörthersee, circling the entire lake. The trail offers breathtaking views of the lake from various vantage points and passes through charming villages such as Velden, Pörtschach, and Maria Wörth. You can explore forests, hills, and lakeside paths. The trail is well-marked and can be done in stages, making it accessible for all levels.

Pyramidenkogel Trail • Distance: 10 km • Difficulty: Moderate • Duration: 3-4 hours This trail leads to the Pyramidenkogel, a 100-meter-high wooden observation tower that offers 360-degree views of Wörthersee and the surrounding region. The hike starts in Reifnitz and takes you through scenic forests before reaching the summit. The ascent is a bit challenging, but the panoramic views from the top make it worth the effort. You can also take an elevator down after...

What an extremely beautiful and fun lake… it COULD be if only you can get to it. It is ridiculous that you have to walk/drive for miles to find super small, narrow, not safe, steep, unofficial opening to the lake and finally be able to swim and cool off. Being with a dog, we had to walk for an hour in the sun being so close to water and yet couldn’t get to it. Private property and closed gates everywhere. How is this possible? That people can’t even access it freely? Make sure you do your research on where you can access it. We tried twice, once we actually saw an opening but it was so steep and unsafe, we couldn’t risk it. So frustrating and disappointing, I thought Austria has these things sorted out...