Dellach Im Drautal: Discover Culture and Nature

If you are looking for a hotel in Dellach Im Drautal, you can start by identifying your travel interests. The area’s attractions range from a Romanesque castle complex and a late Baroque parish church to a waterfall, a limestone tufa formation, Nordic walking and mini golf. This offers a choice of different planning priorities: architectural history, nature and outdoor activities.

Architectural history and rare vegetation

Stein Castle is a Romanesque castle complex dating from the 12th century. It stands on a steeply rising rock about 200 metres above the valley floor, south of the Drau between Dellach and Irschen. Its construction date and position above the valley offer two points of reference for understanding the complex: its historical period and its place in the landscape.

The parish church of Dellach im Drautal is late Baroque. Its choir has a late Gothic core featuring a wall painting from the late 15th century. Different historical layers therefore come together in one church building: the late Baroque church and the older core of the choir. Those interested in architectural history will find here a different historical focus from that of the Romanesque castle complex.

The slope below Stein Castle also has a distinctive feature: it is home to a protected, very rare form of vegetation consisting of tree-like junipers. The combination of the castle complex and juniper vegetation offers two different perspectives on the same area of landscape—cultural history and a rare natural feature.

Waterfalls and limestone tufa

Weittal Waterfall lies at the entrance to the Lower Draßnitz Valley. From the village of Unterdraßnitz, it can be reached after a walk of about 1.5 hours, at an elevation of around 1,500 metres. The starting point, approximate walking time and elevation give you specific details to consider when including this destination in your travel plans.

Another natural feature forms at Lappenbach, known as Tuffbachl. Above the Schuster farmstead in the village of Stein, highly mineralised spring water, together with certain lichens and mosses, continually creates new limestone tufa rock. The formation of limestone tufa is therefore an ongoing process: water, lichens and mosses all contribute to the formation of the rock.

Trails and activities

The Nordic Walking Arena in Dellach Im Drautal has four routes. An information board next to the Drau bridge provides an overview of the routes. If Nordic walking is among your travel interests, you can get an overview of the trails there.

The terrain changes along the Schloss-Stein-Runde are clearly described: it initially follows a flat natural-surface path to the Drau bridge. A steep climb through the forest to Stein Castle follows. For your planning, the transition from the flat start to the climb that follows is just as relevant as the destination itself.

Another activity is the 18-hole mini golf course, which offers fun and games for the whole family. Family-friendly leisure activities thus complement the choice of routes and natural destinations.

Summer events and the therapeutic climate gallery

Health resort concerts are held from time to time in Dellach Im Drautal in summer. If you would like to combine your trip with a concert, check the specific event dates in advance.

The Barbara therapeutic climate gallery is currently closed for therapies. This is important to bear in mind if you are considering the gallery in your plans. At the same time, it is part of the area’s health tourism history: since 2008, it has been a health tourism attraction. An old mine tunnel was newly opened up and developed for the recognised therapeutic resource; the Margaretha healing spring also rises in this tunnel. The gallery’s development and its current closure for therapies are two distinct aspects to consider when assessing what is on offer.

Discover more destinations: Radenthein, Pfaffenberg, Obervellach, Kremsbrücke, Rennweg Am Katschberg, Weissensee, Lendorf, Steinfeld.

Return to the main travel overview: Spittal An Der Drau.