Afritz: Lakeside Paths, Landscapes and Church Art

If you’re looking for a hotel in Afritz, you can plan your stay around two main themes: nature trails and activities at Lake Afritz, or church art and local customs. Nature attractions include an easy circular trail, a Slow Trail through a protected landscape area, and facilities for cycling, roller sports and calisthenics. Cultural highlights range from a late Gothic church with murals to an annual event. You can plan your trip around the places and activities you’d most like to experience.

Trails and activities at Lake Afritz

The Sonnenweg is an easy nature trail around Lake Afritz, 10.62 kilometres long. The Slow Trail Afritzer See leads through the species-rich protected landscape area around the unspoilt lake. This area lies between Mirnock and Wöllaner Nock. The two routes offer different experiences: the Sonnenweg combines a circuit of the lake with a specified distance and difficulty level, while the Slow Trail is defined by its scenery and protected area. If you’re planning to take the Sonnenweg, it’s worth checking the latest route details, as they may change.

A lakeside promenade also runs along Lake Afritz. The Seepark at Lake Afritz has a free, publicly accessible calisthenics park. Another option for exercise is the Afritz am See pump track, which is suitable for cycling and roller sports and allows enthusiasts of both sports to improve their skills. There are different ways to stay active, from walking by the lake and exercising in the calisthenics park to training on the pump track.

Churches, Calvary Hill and local customs

Afritz Parish Church is a Baroque-modified late Gothic church, first mentioned in a document in 1516. The choir features a Passion mural dating from 1500. The Calvary complex lies northwest of the village, on a steep hill, and was first mentioned in 1745. The steepness of the hill is a practical detail to consider when planning a visit.

At Easter, both Protestant and Catholic Christians take part in the procession to Afritz Calvary Hill. An April 2025 report describes this shared procession; specific details of seasonal customs may vary. On major feast days of both denominations, people in Afritz also maintain the tradition of attending church in traditional dress and wearing a ribbon hat. The Afritz Jubilee Church was consecrated on 11 October 1981. A September 2024 report also noted that, at the time, for three years the people of Afritz had been taking turns meeting in the Catholic and Protestant parish churches for a joint ecumenical harvest thanksgiving service.

The Day of Adoration in Afritz am See takes place every year on 11 September. If you’d like to plan your trip around this date, check the events calendar in advance. This makes it possible to plan a visit around a recurring religious observance without confusing it with the seasonal Easter customs.

Getting there and planning

To reach Lake Afritz, take the B98 Millstätterstraße towards Radenthein from the Villach-Ossiacher See exit on the A10.

Discover more destinations: St. Egyden, Stuben, Treffen Am Ossiacher See, Verditz, Gummern, Weißenstein, Sankt Jakob Im Rosental, Ferndorf.

See the main travel overview: Villach.