Klagenfurt am Wörthersee is an unforgettable experience for all the family, especially when they explore the buzzing city and its picturesque surrounding area together by bike. The short distances in the compact city centre mean that even little ones can be out in nature, where all sorts of adventures await, with just a few turns of the pedals.
What could be nicer than an outing by bike? Exactly! A cycle tour with all the family, in and around Klagenfurt am Wörthersee. The city’s perfect location between Lake Wörthersee with all its leisure facilities and the peaceful countryside surrounding the city makes cycling a relaxed family adventure for all ages. Read on to find out where children can burn off energy safely on their bikes while their parents also get their money’s worth, or where parents can unwind too.
A cycling paradise for kids: Klagenfurt am Wörthersee
Let’s start with what’s closest. And in Klagenfurt nothing is closer than the turquoise Lake Wörthersee with the sunny east bay. From Klagenfurt city centre you can cycle along the Lend canal and be by Lake Wörthersee in just a few minutes, where there is a varied leisure programme for kids just waiting to be discovered.
The cycle paths have been developed to be safe, so kids can even ride on ahead around a bend or two without any danger. And there are not only many places to stop for a rest or a bite to eat, but also points of interest and varied leisure activities for all ages.
For a little reward in between
After just two kilometres, and thus already half-way to Lake Wörthersee, the historic stone bridge and the Eissalon Morle offer a first pit stop.
At this traditional Klagenfurt ice cream parlour you can enjoy home-made ice cream sitting in the garden directly alongside the cycle path, so it is a summer hotspot for all ice cream lovers. And the promise of Morle ice cream also provides the perfect way of enticing little ones to cycle back from the east bay to the city centre in the evening.
Top tip: Announce the ice cream treat on your way out in the morning, and then there will be no need at all for discussions in the evening. The wafer-thin chocolate coating on the ice cream – known locally as “Morle” – is also a real treat for your tastebuds.
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Tarviser Straße 100, 9020 Klagenfurt am Wörthersee
Cycling to the jungle or even out into space?
This discussion can happen quickly, because with so much to discover and experience in the east bay, one day of your holiday is hardly enough. But fortunately all the attractions are located right alongside the cycle path:
- The first visit has to be the reptile zoo with the greatest number of species in Austria – the Reptilienzoo Happ. A jungle full of crocodiles, giant tortoises, cobras and tarantulas is waiting to be discovered by intrepid adventurers.
- Budding astronauts will probably be drawn more to the nearby Planetarium Klagenfurt. And if you have pedalled fast, you will have more time and can manage both of them.
Around the world in a day
Once you have seen the jungle and the universe, you can leave your bike for a while and take a short trip around the world. At Minimundus – the small world on Wörthersee you can do 40 countries in a very short time. 156 models of the most beautiful buildings all over the world have been replicated on a scale of 1:25 in accordance with the original plans and using original materials, and erected accurately in every detail in the 26,000 square metres of parkland.
Here St Peter’s Basilica stands in eyeshot of the Taj Mahal, and the countdown for the space shuttle from Cape Canaveral takes place alongside the Graz Clock Tower with a model railway encircling it. The indoor area offers an interactive exhibition packed with excitement and entertainment.
After so much action, this cycle tour now mostly leads to the lakeside beach at Strandbad Klagenfurt. Every family will find a quiet spot on the largest lake beach in Europe. And if it isn’t the right weather for swimming, the attractively laid out Europapark with its ingenious children’s playground is the place to be.
Especially convenient: on the cycle park in front of the Strandbad you can even keep an eye on your bike in summer and have a short cycle check carried out.
On the Lake Wörthersee cycle path around the lake (or through the middle)
The cycle check is of special interest to cyclists for whom the east bay is only the starting point of their cycle tour, because you can start the circular Wörthersee cycle trail from here.
This classic route around Carinthia’s largest lake runs along well developed cycle paths, especially along the north shore via Krumpendorf and Pörtschach, and offers many opportunities for a swim — including small areas of the shore that are accessible free of charge, for a chance to cool off fast along the way.
What’s more, the roughly 39 kilometres can be almost halved if you take the shortcut across the water. The boats that cross Lake Wörthersee moor directly in the east bay, and can take cycling families to Velden in the west bay, or back the other way.
Cycling in the leisurely south of Klagenfurt
In Klagenfurt there are family cycle tours not just along Lake Wörthersee. In the south and south-east of the city there are cycle paths to take you on a journey of discovery. The south of the city can easily be explored alongside the River Glanfurt or Sattnitz.
From Lake Wörthersee alongside the Glanfurt and Sattnitz
For this, the best place for cyclists to start is in the east bay (or alternatively in the city centre again). In the “Lendspitz” nature conservation area there you can get off your bike and explore the estuary of the greeny-blue River Sattnitz. This is where Lake Wörthersee flows out and its water sets off for Ebenthal, to the south-east of Klagenfurt.
Cyclists can follow this waterway between little bath houses to reach the “sluice beach”, where you can cool off for a while in summer. Or how about a picnic around just a few more bends, in the shady Sattnitzpark?
BMX track, Kalmusbad and Ebenthal waterfalls
Then further east the BMX track, not far from the Tennisbuffet Weinländer, waits for a new lap record, and the St. Ruprecht leisure centre is a great place to cool off. At the end of the tour, the Kalmusbad is an inviting spot for an extended break, including cooling down. While the children let off steam in the water, mums and dads can fortify themselves under the shady trees at the Gasthaus Mühle with a hearty Carinthian snack. The ham here is a special treat for the palate.
The Ebenthal waterfall is not far away, and is worth a detour. A natural gem, and a true place of power. The thundering waterfall lies in a wonderfully shady gorge, and can easily be reached on foot. Take care: risk of slipping!
The cycle path along the River Glan then finally leads back to the city centre again through the Fischl and Welzenegg districts: the cycle tour is around 20-25 km long when you start in the east bay. If you start from the city centre, it is best to follow this path: To the sources.
The best starting point for cycle tours with the family
Those were just a few examples of rewarding destinations if you want to discover Klagenfurt with children by bike. Of course, all the other cycle tours around Klagenfurt are also ideally suited to families. So to the north of the city you can go on a short trip through history to Maria Saal, and to the south towards Ferlach you can explore the multi-award winning Drau Cycle Path in the beautiful Rosental Valley, or pedal through the Keutschach valley of 4 lakes.
Cycling in and around Klagenfurt am Wörthersee is the best option for families to discover Carinthia for themselves. The most important places of interest outside the city centre are just as easy to reach as the hidden insider tips in the surrounding area.
Along the cycle paths there are numerous places where you can stop to eat, rest, play or swim. Thanks to its excellent location, Klagenfurt is also perfectly connected to the cycle path network in southern Austria, making it the ideal starting point for longer cycle tours with the family.
