Spectacular mountain road up to Carinthia's Dobratsch
No doubt about it, the panorama road to Villacher Alpe is one of the loveliest and most view-packed in Austria. From Villach-Möltschach up to the Rosstratte car park at 1732 metres altitude, you cover 1200 metres ascent, enjoying sensational views to the karst mountains and the impressive mountain summits in the tri-border region with Slovenia and Italy. Look forward to 16.5 experience-filled kilometres in the heart of Carinthia’s oldest conservation area!
Experience worlds on Villach Alpine Road
Explore the experience worlds and highlights here along the Villach Alpine Road. Right at the start of the mountain road, four bends take you quickly up into the heights. As it continues, the road meanders along the escarpment of the Dobratsch, heading through a highly interesting geological area. In the upper section of the route the forest gives way to extensive Alpine terrain and rugged cliffs – enjoy expansive, open views here!
P0 ArenAblick viewing platform
At the first car park, P0, on bendcurve 2, the Arenablick viewing platform awaits. It is here that you get to enjoy the views to the ski jump in the state-of-the-art Nordic performance center, where pros and leisure athletes train throughout the year.
P1 paNORAMIC REST AREA
After four bends which follow shortly after one another you come to P1 Aussichtsrast (Panoramic rest area) at 770 metres altitude. Enjoy a stop at a comfy rest point, with a large recreation area!
P2 View of the city and lakes
The next destination is the P2 car park – known as Stadt- und Seenblick (view of the city and lakes). It doesn’t get this name for nothing, since it is here that a wonderful view to the city of Villach – Austria’s seventh biggest city and the place where the Drau and the Gail come together – opens out at 862 metres altitude. In the nearby area of this town, which has some 61,000 inhabitants, you will come across numerous lakes.
P3 Forest rest area
After another 100 metres ascent you come to the Waldrast (forest rest area) at 965 metres altitude (P3). This idyllic rest point is located in the middle of a woodland, with views to the Finkenstein castle ruins above Lake Faak. First mentioned in documents dating from the mid-12th century, today it is the venue for concerts, theatre performances and the like.
P4 view of the schütt
Just after the 1000 altitude metre mark you reach P4 car park, the Schüttblick (view of the Schütt). There are views to the ‘Schütt’ avalanche area which came about thousands of years ago due to a large earthquake. Equally impressive is the view to the Julian Alps and the summits of the Karawanks.
P5 tri-border view
At car park P5, at 1307 metres altitude one of the absolute highlights of the Villach Alpine Road awaits - the Dreiländerblick (tri-border view)! A sensational panoramic view spanning Austria, Slovenia and Italy.
P6 Alpine garden
There is a very special experience world at 1483 metres altitude – the ‘Villacher Alpe’ Alpine Garden (P6). On a 10,000 square metre area, some 800 Alpine plants from three climatic zones are tended and nurtured by volunteer nature lovers. Almost half of the plants grow in their natural surroundings here, you are after all in the middle of a genuine nature garden! The Alpine Garden is open daily from the start of June until the end of August from 09:00-18:00 (special entry). Tip: Allow around an hour for your visit!
P6 skywalk "Rote Wand" viewing platform
Another highlight is waiting for you at the P6 car park - the barrier-free Skywalk ‘Rote Wand’. This free-floating viewing platform, which you access via a barrier-free path, provides a superb view, 400 metres above the ground below, to the reddish rock face and a breath-taking view into the distance to the Karawanks and the Julian Alps. Huge rockfalls created this unique spectacle on the southern side of the Dobratsch!
P8 Aichinger Lodge restaurant
Having reached Berggasthof Aichingerhütte (Aichinger lodge restaurant), 1650 metres altitude (P8), you are in the middle of the Alpine pasture area of the Dobratsch. Pay a visit to the ‘Herrscher der Lüfte – die Vogelwelt des Naturparks Dobratsch’ (‘Rulers of the Skies – Bird Life in the Dobratsch Nature Park’) exhibition, with its numerous interactive stations, along with the Nature Park information point, complete with shop. And, enjoy the dreamy panoramic views to the numerous lakes!
P11 Rosstratte
Even though on an experience road ‘the journey is the reward’, Rosstratte at 1732 m altitude and car park P11 is the end point of Villach Alpine Road. The free to access ‘Sonnenwege’ observation station illustrates historic methods of time recording – the clock and calendar are redundant, provided the sun is shining. Then a break is recommended on the extensive relaxation loungers. While children will be inspired by the adventure play area, adults get to learn interesting information about how the Dobratsch came about, while they head out on the barrier-free educational geology path ‘Vom Meer zum Berg’ (From the Ocean to the mountain). In ‘Die Rosstratte’ mountain inn delicious treats from Carinthian cuisine await all ages!
Panorama summit trail
You can only continue on foot from here, for instance along the Panorama Gipfelweg (panorama summit trail). After a mere 20 minutes you arrive at the ‘chamois and summit viewing platform’, from where you get to observe chamois roaming about freely, especially in the morning. Another path you can head out on from the Rosstratte is the ‘Jägersteig’, which leads up to the Dobratsch summit (2167 m) and the Dobratsch summit house in around 90 minutes. It is here that you can pay a visit to two of the highest pilgrimage churches in the East Alps and enjoy being pampered by innkeepers on the sun terrace!
Let's go!
You can find out more about the hiking and walking paths along Villach Alpine Road here.
Let´s go! You can find out more about the hiking and walking paths along Villach Alpine Road here.