Villach is the second largest city in Carinthia in the south of Austria, at the Drau River (Slovenian Drava) and represents an important traffic junction for Austria and the whole Alpe-Adria region. Villach is the second-largest city of Carinthia. It is a railway gateway to most parts of Austria as well as the Italian border.
In Austria Villach is well-known for its carnival which is broadcast on public television throughout Austria. Villach is quite an old city with roots back in Roman times (when the city was called Santicum).The city was heavily bombed in World War II (due to its importance as a major traffic gateway) destroying many parts of the city.
The city is located west of the Klagenfurt Basin at the confluence of the Drau and the Gail Rivers. Nearby countries are Slovenia with a direct line to the border of 11 km (6.8 mi) and Italy with a distance of 14.5 km (9 mi) respectively. Slovenia could be accessed via the Karawanken Autobahn (A11) and the Karawanken Tunnel, Italy by the Süd Autobahn (A2).
The municipal area borders on or surrounds several lakes, including Lake Ossiach, Lake Faak, Silbersee, Vassacher See, Magdalensee, and St. Leonharder See. Villach is surrounded by mountains of the Alps which are used for skiing in winter and hiking in summer.
The following sections belong to Villach: Bogenfeld, Dobrova, Drautschen, Drobollach am Faaker See, Duel, Egg am Faaker See, Goritschach, Graschitz, Gratschach, Greuth, Gritschach, Großsattel, Großvassach, Heiligen Gestade, Heiligengeist, Kleinsattel, Kleinvassach, Kratschach, Kumitz, Landskron, Maria Gail, Mittewald ober dem Faaker See, Mittewald ob Villach, Neufellach, Neulandskron, Obere Fellach, Oberfederaun, Oberschütt, Oberwollanig, Pogöriach, Prossowitsch, Rennstein, Serai, St. Andrä, St. Georgen, St. Leonhard, St. Magdalen, St. Michael, St. Niklas an der Drau, St. Ruprecht, St. Ulrich, Tschinowitsch, Turdanitsch, Untere Fellach, Unterfederaun, Unterschütt, Unterwollanig, Urlaken, Villach-Auen, Villach-Innere Stadt, Villach-Lind, Villach-Seebach-Wasenboden, Villach-St. Agathen und Perau, Villach-St. Martin, Villach-Völkendorf, Villach-Warmbad-Judendorf, Weißenbach, Zauchen.
In 1905 a part of the municipal area St. Martin was incorporated. In 1973 the city area was further enlarged through the incorporation of Landskron, Maria Gail and Fellach.
Villach is a quite small town, so it is easy to get around on foot. Taxis can be found near the railway station and in the centre of the city near Hauptplatz. Federal buses go to the surrounding area from the local Busbahnhof (busterminal,located a few minutes away from the railway station). Local busline no.10 (operated by a company called Kowatsch) goes around the historic city centre. Getting around by car can be tiring since parking space is rare during weekdays and traffic jams at business hours are very common. During weekdays parking fees are charged in most areas around the center of the city.
Villacher Fahrzeugmuseum – has antiquities which are worth seeing. Museum der Stadt Villach – if you are interested in the history of the town go there. The museum has a nice expo on minerals, mining and all kinds of Villacher History. Nice to visit for some background info on the town of Villach. Time to visit approx. 1 hour. Widmanngasse 38.
Landskron Castle – the remains of the old fortress of Landskron are on the top of a hill, 676 m high. A great part of the castle was destroyed by a fire in the 19th century, but some parts are still there and a few halls can be visited. There is also a restaurant, and every Tuesday evening there is a special “medieval” dinner served by waiters dressed in period costumes. The view from the castle is wonderful. From here you can see Villach and the valley of the river Drau with its lakes, and the Slovenian Alps on the other side of the valley.
Falconry in Landskron Castle – A section of the castle is now the home of several birds of prey. They can be seen in their cages, but even better is to see them fly, which is possible two or three times a day, according to the season and to the weather. The demonstrations last about 40 minutes, and the explanation on the birds and their behavior is in German only, but even those who cannot understand a word can enjoy watching eagles, hawks, kites, and owls fly just above their heads.
The bell tower of St Jakob – The church of St Jakob (the parish church of Villach) has an impressive bell tower, 94 metres high. It is the tallest in Carinthia and its present appearance and height dates back to 1847. Visitors can climb the 239 steps to the top and enjoy the wonderful view.
Krimmler Waterfall – On the border of Kärnten and Tirol is the Krimmler Waterfall, the largest of Austria. A magnificent roundtrip is to first take the Gross-Glockner hochalpenstrasse (pass) that brings you as well along the highest mountain of the country. From here towards the Zillertal and over the Gerloss-pass to the waterfall. Then back to Kärnten. Thermen Resort – The heated pools of Villach. Here, there are slides, vortex pools, and hot tubs for you to enjoy. Or, you can relax on the chairs outside of the pool. There is a restaurant inside and a spa for a little extra cost. The regular entrance was 7.90 Euro and is good for 3 hours.
Museum of Doll Art – Collectors and doll lovers of dolls will be overwhelmed by this museum. They show porcellan, vinyl and wooden dolls made by famous artists. Some of these dolls are manufactured in the own studio. In the basement premises they exhibit all different kinds of craftswork like glass objects, pottery, flowers and certainly a great variety of special dolls. Vassacher Strasse 65. Villacher Alpenstrasse – This almost 20 km alpine road takes you up to Dobratsch mountain and ends on 1.732 m. Who wants to visit the top still has a bit of climbing to do! The top of Mount Dobratsch is at 2.167 m high.
Maibacherl – located in Warmbad near Villach. A hot spring, which only appears in springtime. The water is hot enough for bathing and is very popular with the locals. Entry is free. Buses and trains operate from the main station to Warmbad on a regular base. The hot springs were already known to the ancient Romans. Take bus No.1 from main station to Warmbad and get off in Warmbad. From there it’s only a 10min walk to the hot springs.
Hiking – Villach is surrounded by a number of mountains including the Dobratsch which offer many possibilities for hiking. Cross-country skiing – Cross-country skiing is possible on Dobratsch and all major ski resorts around Villach. ice-skating – Ice-skating is possible on Faakersee,Ossiachersee and Vassacher See though this depends heavily on the weather in winter whether lakes are frozen or not.
Villacher Kirchtag – Every year (usually the first week in august) the city celebrates Villacher Kirchtag with a big amusement park. The city can get very crowded in this week with as many as 50.000 visitors, especially from italy. Jazz over Villach – a Jazz festival in the middle of July ocated on Gernottenhöhe in Judendorf.
Kanzianiberg is one of the best natural climbing walls in Austria. There are hundreds of colour-coded climbing routes at all levels, and on sunny days the vista is stunning. The maximum height difference is approx. 60 m. Kanzianiberg can be accessed by bus or bicycle (30 min from Villach) or car (15 min).
Alpe Adria Golf is one of the best 19 hole golf places in the area with stunning views from every hole. Located in Finkenstein, a merely 10 minute drive from Villach.
Faakersee is said to be the lake featuring the cleanest water (drink water quality) in Europe. Tranquille area without those disturbing motorboats. There are some free beaches, but the better ones have to be paid for (usually no more than 4 euro). All beaches are nicely laid out with large grass fields. Getting to the Faakersee in the village of Faak is about 10 minutes away from Villach
Tussles and vandalism among drunk people going out at weekend have been a problem on weekends in the centre of city. The city government reacted with rising the number of police controls, video surveillance in certain areas and assignment of private security services. Though the situation is getting better, be cautious especially on saturday night.
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