When you think of the Alps, Austria Not first in your thoughts, I bet. And as you can probably guess, I’m going to tell you why that should be the case. I’m taking you on more adventures, nice people and a beautiful environment for people who love being outdoors! And where are we going? In Bad Kleinkirchheim, in Carinthia!
Landal invites us to Bad Kleinkirchheim, In Karinthië, Austria, and I have to admit: I didn't immediately get a call either. Maybe among the winter sports enthusiasts among us, but we stick to temperatures above 0. Bad Kleinkirchheim is a cozy Austrian village with plenty to do. There is a Thermal Spa / swimming pool, but also the Landal park They have a swimming pool of their own. In addition, there are plenty of providers for outdoor activities. There is so much to do, we are told at the reception; too many to mention. Fortunately, we get an extensive calendar and brochure. We came here to cycle, but if you are here with your family there is plenty to do!
After our warm welcome at the reception, we get the car out and jump on the bike right away. A quick ride up and down the village to explore everything, and we pick up a few small hills outside the village. We see a nice restaurant and immediately know where the supermarkets are. It’s handy to have a round like this past the church. After that, we settle into our lovely apartment, stock up on groceries in the fridge, and easily find our chosen restaurant. While we’re eating, we work out the route for tomorrow.
The Alternative Dreiländer Giro
We are close enough Italy and Slovenia To tackle both countries in one day. But make no mistake, this is a tough ride of 140 kilometers with almost 1800 meters of elevation gain. A nice start to the holiday. Because this route never disappoints. We descend the main road, but once we are down we take a side road. We climb leisurely to the next village. Then cycling paths and highways alternate, without making us feel uncomfortable due to the traffic. Motorists take their time and allow others to catch up. Towards the Italian border the road is largely flat. Once we cross the border, we leave the road and ride along a beautiful bike path. It’s truly a pleasure here; no cars, beautiful asphalt, and a changing landscape. However, the entire time the elevation increases by 1-2%, which is typical Italian terrain.
The bike path leads us to the Slovenian border. This crossing consists of two white border posts. Earlier we already filled the canisters along the bike path. That is also necessary because to get back into Austria we have to cross the Wurzenpass. Fortunately, there awaits us above an unexpected attraction. A Slovenian supermarket / duty free shop. Here you can buy everything that you normally can score at an airport. For us, a lot of tobacco is being snorted here. We are clearly the odd man out with soft drinks and a busload of pringles. Outside on the benches we enjoy it to the fullest! We get back on for a really fast descent on lovely asphalt. We are back in Austria.
Through the Aftriz Lake (we think those pants were invented here) we return to the first descent of the day. We climb up between the rocks. The climb is both a reward and a bit of a struggle after such a day. Once at the apartment, it’s time to freshen up and cook in the excellent kitchen.
Hiking at Landal
Unfortunately, the weather is a bit less pleasant the next morning. But as mentioned, there is plenty to do for those who enjoy being outdoors. So we take a short walk in the drizzle. A small tip is to stick to the marked trails. We don’t quite follow them and that’s why the trails are of lower quality. But there is plenty of beautiful scenery to be found even through the official routes and Komoot can definitely help you too!
Fortunately, it dried up just before 12 o'clock, and after lunch we set off to conquer the climb to Falkertsee. This one is definitely a challenge for the climbers among us. The route is short at just 31 kilometers, yet it still contains more than 1,000 meters of elevation gain. The climb is therefore challenging to say the least, but if you have the time to look around you while ascending, you won't be disappointed. Once you're up there, things get a bit more challenging. With the bike, you really can't get to the Falkertsee. Secretly, we should have done our morning hike here. Because on foot, you can get to the See and can also walk to the actual summit, with a beautiful view.
We descend again and soon we are back down. We cycle calmly back along the bike paths. And we stop by the supermarket for an extra snack. This climb was definitely worth it and tomorrow we can go again!
Knock-out at the Nockalm
This route first takes us past the Falkertsee, which we literally and figuratively leave behind. The next turn takes us to the Nockalm. This is a toll road, but cyclists are allowed to drive through for free. Despite the toll, it’s not super quiet there, but as mentioned, everyone takes their time and lets the others pass. Soon it becomes clear why there’s a toll here. Not only is the asphalt perfect, the view is also worth it! This way your legs feel much less strained. The climb is also much friendlier; in 12 kilometers you cover just over 900 meters of elevation gain. Above is a typical Austrian hut where everyone is welcome. Perfect if you want to make a round trip from here.
We continue down the lovely descent. Six kilometers later, we can climb up again for the same amount of time. No penalty, because secretly this is a little bit nicer. Once we are up there, you are really in the middle of the other peaks of this area. We take a short break, enjoy the view, and get ready for the long descent. Because now we have 27 kilometers waiting for us, mostly downhill. This is on the main road, but the asphalt is really top everywhere. It’s a mix of really steep slopes and occasional steps. Before we know it, we are in the artist’s village of Gmünd. There you can definitely stop for a snack and a drink. Unfortunately, we were already hungry earlier and had already spent our money on pretzels from the supermarket.
Driving through the Millstätter See, we mostly drive back along a straight line to our final climb. Knowing what awaits us, with our hearts filled with anticipation and our legs empty, we head back to the apartment. If you’re going on a drive, let it be this one!
Routes Bad Kleinkircheim – Cycling in Carinthia
Unfortunately, our last day is not sunny. In the morning we will make our routes for you. These can be found here:
Higher Spheres During a Hike
To go hiking in the afternoon. Because even if you want a more varied holiday, there is plenty to do here. We mentioned it briefly in the intro. But besides road biking, you can also ride gravel, mountain biking, and therefore hiking. But a second look at the summer activities shows that we could have had two weeks of fun here. We came here for the cycling, but we could go back without the bike, without getting bored, and that says a lot. Okay, we would miss the cycling, but you can get there with your family or a group of active friends. Landal Bad Kleinkirchheim offers the holidaymaker who likes to be outdoors plenty to keep you from getting bored!
Practical tips: Landal Badkleinkircheim, how do I get there?
Bad Kleinkirchheim is especially well accessible by car. That is also convenient for shopping and for going to Italy or Slovenia, for example, without using a bicycle. From Utrecht it is a 1094 km drive to Bad Kleinkirchheim. In Austria there is a vignette requirement, which can be purchased from the ANWB or just before the border.
You can also get there by public transport. At Millstater See there is a train station from where the bus goes to Kleinkircheim. That bus also passes by Landal. That means a night train to Salzburg, where you change and then continue. It’s doable, but it’s a bit of a hassle.
Restaurants and coffee tips:
Of Spar and Billa on the main road, a kilometer walk from Landal.
We ate pizza at Margherita Pizzeria, Not super atmospheric, but very delicious!
As a finale, we are staying the last day Restaurant Landhaus-Stüberl It's typical Austrian restaurant and corresponding menu. If you're in Austria, you have to try this.
Bike shop: there is one in Kleinkirchheim Intersport Rent rentals. You can also get bike equipment and possibly have it repaired there.
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