Treffen at Lake Ossiach

Treffen at Lake Ossiach combines nature experiences with distinctive cultural themes: mountain and forest trails, cycling, sculpture art and architectural history can all be the focus of a trip. The destinations below vary by season, activity and cultural theme, giving you concrete ideas for planning.

Hiking, forests and cycling

In the wider tourism area of Treffen, the Gerlitzen Alpe offers hiking trails and mountain huts in the warmer months; in winter, it is a family-friendly ski resort. From Treffen, the 12 km Gerlitzen toll road leads directly to the middle station of the Kanzelbahn cable car. The 12 kilometres of the Gerlitzen toll road lead from Treffen directly to the middle station of the Kanzelbahn; the 27-kilometre cycle path around Lake Ossiach, by contrast, is a separate circular route for cycling trips.

In Verditz, gentle hikes are possible in summer and snowshoe hikes in winter. The difference is important when planning your trip by season: the Gerlitzen Alpe offers hiking trails and mountain huts in the warmer months, while in winter it becomes a ski resort; Verditz combines gentle summer hikes with snowshoe hikes in winter.

The path to the three Finsterbach waterfalls—the Finsterbachfall, Schleierfall and Kesselfall—climbs uphill through a forest of spruce and deciduous trees and crosses four bridges.

The Spiritual Forest Trail at the Ortenfelshütte in the municipality of Treffen has seven stations. There, you can experience the forest with all your senses. From Treffen, you can also take the 27-kilometre cycle path around Lake Ossiach. The forest trails differ: the route to the Finsterbach waterfalls climbs uphill and crosses four bridges; the Spiritual Forest Trail has seven stations for experiencing the forest through the senses.

Art and architectural history

The Krastal Sculpture Trail features 15 stone artworks. The “From the River to the Lake” project is an open-air gallery that runs from Treffen to Weissenstein.

At the historic quarry near Villach, Kunstwerk Krastal provides international artists with space to work with stone and explore interdisciplinary approaches. The address is Krastaler Straße 24, 9541 Treffen am Ossiacher See. In summer, the natural setting of the Krastal marble quarry was regularly used for theatre performances.

At the Catholic parish church of St. Maximilian, two periods can be distinguished: the surviving nave walls and the tower foundations date from the 12th century. Since its renovation in 1812, the interior has been classified as Neoclassical. The medieval dating therefore refers to the surviving structural elements, while the stylistic classification applies to the interior.

The Pilz & Elli Riehl Puppet Museum is located in Winklern. Many handmade dolls from the former “Elli Riehl Puppet World” have found a new home there.

Discover more destinations: Görtschach, Ferndorf, Heiligengeist, Feld am See, Selpritsch, Bad Bleiberg, Fresach, Petschnitzen.

For the main travel overview: Villach.