Velden am Wörthersee

Velden am Wörthersee is the most cosmopolitan of the Wörthersee resorts, sitting at the western end of the lake in Carinthia. The town is anchored by Schloss Velden, a Renaissance castle built around 1590 that burned down in 1762 and was rebuilt and opened as a hotel in 1890. Today operated as the Falkensteiner Schlosshotel Velden, it sits directly on the lakeshore and remains the defining landmark of the town. Velden has long attracted an affluent crowd from Vienna, Graz and beyond, and the main square and promenade are lined with restaurants, boutiques and cafés. The Wörthersee is one of the warmest Alpine lakes in Austria, and the combination of castle architecture, warm water and mountain backdrop makes Velden a compelling destination. Rosegg Castle and its wildlife park are nearby, and the road south leads quickly into the landscape of the Karawanken mountains.

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Things to Do

• •Visit Schloss Velden, the 17th-century lakeside castle now operating as the Falkensteiner Schlosshotel Velden
• •Stroll the Velden Casino Promenade along the lake and admire the Belle Époque architecture surrounding the main square
• •Swim in the Wörthersee, one of the warmest Alpine lakes in Austria, from the town beach
• •Visit Rosegg Castle and its adjacent wildlife park, home to wolves, deer and other native animals, 5 km east
• •Cycle the full Wörthersee cycle path along the lake to Maria Wörth, Pörtschach and Klagenfurt
• •Take a boat trip across the lake to the pilgrimage church on the Maria Wörth peninsula

Nearby Attractions

• Rosegg Castle — a historic castle with a wildlife park and safari park nearby, 5 km east of Velden
• Maria Wörth — an iconic pilgrimage church on a lake peninsula with one of the best views on the Wörthersee
• Pyramidenkogel — a modern wooden observation tower near Keutschach offering panoramic lake views
• Klagenfurt — Carinthia's attractive capital with a Renaissance old town, Lindwurm fountain and Minimundus, 20 km east
• Finkenstein Castle — ruins of a medieval hilltop castle south of the lake with views toward Slovenia