The place on Lake Wörthersee where most people want to be is probably the Maria Loretto headland, in Klagenfurt’s east bay. This magical place manages to offer everything from unspoilt nature to splendid festivities.
Once you have experienced the Lendspitz nature reserve or seen the breathtaking view from Maria Loretto Castle, you will be in love with this narrow treasure for ever.
Whether it is a photo point for couples or sheer romance away from it all – everyone can escape from everyday life here. The high recreational value makes the peninsula the place to be!
Maria Loretto Castle
Do you think Count Johann Andrä von Rosenberg also enjoyed the sunset here over a good drink? The builder of Maria Loretto Castle certainly must have enjoyed the unrivalled view of Lake Wörthersee! Built in 1652 as a summer residence, today guests from all over the world get married at what is probably the most sought-after place in the east bay.
They come here from India to the USA to clink their glasses of trendy drinks and dignified wines from the top-class cellar. Whether you are in the bar, on the terrace or in the castle garden – the main thing here is to see and be seen! And if the walls could talk, they could tell so many stories about stars great and small who have been here in the past …
Maria Loretto Chapel
The Black Madonna in the chapel directly alongside the castle casts a spell over us. This is a religious place which opens its doors for special moments (for example on 2 July, the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary). The moment you enter you can sense the communion with the whole world.
This replica of the “mother” of all Loretto chapels, Maria Loretto in Ancona, has something mystical about it that you cannot find again in a hurry. Small, sheltered, it is a short trip into a world of its own. If you want to experience something really special, you can take part in the services in the Lady Chapel at 6pm on the 24th of every month from April to October.
Say I DO!
If you have fallen in love with this charming peninsula, you might also want to spend the happiest day of your life here. The wedding showroom provides a look at the romantic options Loretto Castle has to offer, so that couples can see all their supposedly utopian ideas presented in a real-life wedding location. A dream with a happy ending!
Lendspitz
The Lendspitz nature reserve is also magical, with an atmosphere that enables you to forget your worries and the fast pace of life. The unspoiled lake access is one of those utterly secret places for purists and nature lovers, and is a European Protected Area. The locals value the Lendspitz as a peaceful retreat with no entry fee.
Also free of charge: the car park round the corner at Schilfweg 32. Or you can come by bike or on foot from the Lend Canal via Wilsonstraße, but once you are here you have to leave your bike or any other vehicle outside!
Strandbad Maria Loretto lakeside beach
Your choice of your personal favourite beach reflects your attitude to life. Maria Loretto is the place where epicures swim – people who are looking for peace and quiet, and love the naturalness. Age plays no role here – children collect stones from the lake floor alongside pensioners sunning themselves, all getting along together in a relaxed way.
You can look out at the lake and the marina, behind which the larger lakeside beach, Strandbad Klagenfurt, awaits with a water slide and jetties. If you get hungry in between, there is a beach buffet. And young people can even work here too – on the business beach with Wi-Fi and sun protection.
Eating out with a view
If you want things to be a bit classier, you can enjoy a really good meal on the western tip of the Lendspitz: at the Restaurant Maria Loretto you will be won over both by the wonderful fish dishes, and by the view of probably the most famous lake in Austria. Here you can feast your way through the Alps-Adriatic cuisine amid the silverware and the romantic decor. And you can even come here by water, as it has its own marina including a charging station for electric boats!
