Hiking in Carinthia - An experience for all the family

Walking holidays with the family often mean that parents are constantly pestered with questions of "Are we nearly there yet?" – by frowning children who find hiking anything but cool. Not so in Carinthia. Here we make sure that walking is fun for the whole family.

The Wörthersee, Carinthia's most famous swimming lake, holds another attraction for families this summer: A scenic trail has been opened round the lake with family-friendly access from most of the resorts. The path was designed with the focus on the four elements of earth, water, fire and air. Along the route you can also learn a lot about local myths and legends, fauna and flora and the history of the region. Many beauty spots are ideal for admiring the views or stopping for a rest. You can relax on wooden loungers, under sunshades or on swings and once refreshed go on to explore the next attractive section, such as the bare foot path. The whole trail is 55 kilometres long with an elevation gain of over 2,200 metres.

Families can easily do the walk in sections. Here in Carinthia the lakes and mountain experience can be combined. When you have had enough walking for one day, you can simply head for one of the landing stages on Lake Wörth and take a boat back to your starting point. The "Austrian Alpine Riviera" panorama is not only impressive from the surrounding hills, but also from the lake itself. Families should definitely also try to fit in time for a visit to Minimundus, the world of scale model buildings on Lake Wörth, and the magic forest on Lake Rauschele.

High-speed thrills and spell-binding stories in Bad Kleinkirchheim

What's on offer for families in Bad Kleinkirchheim ranges from fast to mystical. One of the most popular attractions in the area is the Nocky Flitzer, a spine-tingling ride on a 1,600-metre-long summer toboggan run. The rolling Nock Mountains are much loved by walkers and climbers. Given the moderate ascents and relaxing freewheeling afterwards, they are also ideal for varied family bike rides. The more ambitious members of the family can work off their excess energy on 43 mountain bike tours.

Sagamundo, the new attraction in Döbriach on Lake Millstatt, is a more spiritual and spectacular experience. The "house of storytelling" takes the whole family on a journey through the fairy tales, myths and legends that are common in Carinthia and has many a surprise in store.

Walks can also be exciting for the little ones. A great hit among families is for example the fairy-tale trail in Trebesing. It takes you through an idyllic forest and into a theme park with enchanting attractions. When you are there, don't miss the new dragon bridge, the longest pedestrian rope bridge in the Alps, or fun and action with the witch ride. The paths were also designed with the youngest members of the family in mind: they are all suitable for buggies.

No family holiday in Carinthia would be complete without visiting Terra Mystica in Bad Bleiberg. At the show mine you start off the experience by sliding down Europe's longest miners' chute. The pit train then takes you deep down into the bowels of the earth. In addition to mystical shows, the kids can also go on an underground treasure hunt.

Families in Carinthia: outstanding accommodation for perfect family holidays

Not only is Carinthia fantastic for family walking holidays, but also family holidays is general. The best example is the Carinthia Family initiative started in 2008. Family-friendly services is not the ubiquitous description in holiday catalogues, but it really taken seriously here.

"Holiday among friends" is the motto in Carinthia. Which means that the whole family is welcome, for example at the hotels catering specially for babies and children. Farm holidays make an excellent alternative and families certainly soon feel at home.

Bear categories and Kärnten Card guarantee holiday fun for all the family

Prospective visitors to Carinthia will now know how family-friendly a hotel, guesthouse or farm is at a glance. The Carinthia Family association has awarded bears to their members providing family accommodation. Three, four or five bears are a guarantee of wellbeing at the place you intend to stay and you can look forward to a warm, welcoming atmosphere. If you choose one of the higher bear categories, you can also expect other amenities and services, such as toys and baby facilities in your room.

A great bargain and a tremendous boost for the family holiday budget is the Kärnten Card. The bonus card costing only 35 euros for adults and 14 euros for children over six for two weeks gives you free admission to over 100 attractions. What’s more, it’s free of charge for younger kids and from the third child on. The Kä Ca mascot shows you which Kärnten Card sights are particularly family friendly.

Carinthia: special services for British families on holiday here

Carinthia's hotels - many family-run themselves - are dedicated to providing high levels of service for British visitors, catering for their specific needs and presenting the province as an attractive holiday destination.

In the regions of Villach-Warmbad/Lake Faak/Lake Ossiach, Bad Kleinkirchheim/Nock Mountains, Lake Wörth and Carinthia's Nature Arena, a number of hotels have undergone stringent quality testing to form an association and specialise in serving the British market. Their services range from English speaking staff to menus, brochures, websites, newspapers, television programmes and sightseeing in English with holiday packages tailored to British visitors' special preferences.

In addition to the 16 specialised hotels, there are currently 19 accommodation providers catering for walkers, 18 family hotels, 13 golf hotels, 14 hotels for cyclists and 12 spa hotels. Further information visit Carinthia-info.at

FAMILY DEAL IN CARINTHIA

Happy Family
• 7 nights with St. Oswald full board
• Free use of all hotel facilities, e.g. indoor swimming pool, hot tub, tennis courts
• Voucher for the family's own chalets in the mountains
• Kärnten Card – free admission to over 100 attractions
• Spa package for the whole family

From €1,620 for 2 adults and 1 child under ten sharing a double room. Visit hotel-st-oswald.at for more information.

How to get to Carinthia:
Ryanair flies from London Stansted to Klagenfurt three times a week.