Villach travel guide
Turquoise lakes, the Dobratsch and Italy half an hour away
A Carinthian rail hub on the Drau, used as a base for the Faaker See and Ossiacher See, the Dobratsch nature park and day trips to Italy and Slovenia. June to September is the swimming season. Two or three days. Costs are high, and Schengen rules give many visitors 90 days.
Carinthia's second city sits on the Drau in the far south of Austria. Italy and Slovenia are each less than half an hour's drive away. Main rail and motorway lines cross here, which makes it a practical base rather than a destination in itself: the reasons to stay are the warm lakes, the Dobratsch and the thermal water at Warmbad.
The old town is small and was badly damaged by bombing in the Second World War, so do not expect a medieval set piece. Hauptplatz slopes down to the river bridge, the tower of St. Jakob rises behind it, and the lanes off the square hold most of the bars. The city museum on Widmanngasse fills in the backstory, from Roman Santicum onward.
Two lakes lie within a short drive. The long Ossiacher See runs north-east below the Gerlitzen ski mountain. Smaller and greener, the Faaker See sits south-east of town towards the Karawanken range on the Slovenian border. Both get crowded on hot weekends, so swim early.
Dobratsch, the mountain west of town, is a nature park with a toll road (the Villacher Alpenstrasse) that climbs most of the way up; footpaths cover the rest. In winter its slopes are used for cross-country skiing. Closer in, the ruin of Landskron castle on a 676 m hill has a restaurant, a falconry show with eagles and owls, and a view down the Drau valley to the lakes.
People have bathed in the thermal springs at Warmbad on the southern edge of town for centuries. The modern spa there is the answer to a rainy day. It has its own railway station, so you can arrive by train with a towel and nothing else.
This is a town that likes a party. Its carnival sessions are broadcast to the whole country, and the Kirchtag that runs from late July into early August is the largest folk festival of its kind in Austria, so plan around it one way or the other. The kitchen leans south: Kasnudeln, the hand-crimped cheese and mint parcels, are the thing to order in any old-town Gasthaus.
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Top things to do in Villach
Two swimming lakes, a mountain nature park, a castle with birds of prey and thermal water.
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Best time to visit Villach
Month by month, so you can pick the weather and the crowds you want.
Warm lakes, open mountain roads and the Kirchtag festival from late July into the first days of August.
Skiing on the Gerlitzen, cross-country tracks on the Dobratsch and the thermal spa at Warmbad; carnival peaks before Lent.
The Villacher Kirchtag, a week spanning the end of July and the start of August, fills the town; book a room well ahead or stay at one of the lakes.
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Getting there
Rail hub and Klagenfurt airport
Arrive by train: Villach is the junction where lines from Vienna, Graz, Salzburg, Linz, Innsbruck and Bregenz meet direct routes to Munich, Venice and Ljubljana, with night trains to Rome and Zurich. Klagenfurt Airport (KLU) is about 40 km east; S-Bahn lines S1 and S4 together run every half hour.
- Klagenfurt Airport (KLU)
- About 40 km on the A2; S-Bahn lines S1 and S4 together run every half hour between Klagenfurt and Villach
- Hauptbahnhof
- A short walk from Hauptplatz and the river
- Local stations
- Seebach and St. Ruprecht to the east, Westbahnhof and Warmbad to the south
- By car
- A10 from Salzburg, A2 from Vienna, Graz and Italy, A11 from Slovenia
- Two motorway exits serve town: Faaker See for the centre, Ossiacher See for the north.
- Klagenfurt's routes include Vienna, London Stansted and Cologne/Bonn, plus summer holiday flights.
- From late April to early November the Optima Express car-train runs from the Hauptbahnhof to Edirne in Turkey.
Where to stay
Hauptplatz, Warmbad or a room on the Faaker See
Decide first whether this is a city break or a lake holiday. Rail travellers and anyone catching a night train do best near the old town, where the Hauptbahnhof is a short walk away. For a summer week, most people base themselves on one of the lakes and drive in. During Kirchtag week every option fills, and the old town gets loud until late.
- Old town
- Near Hauptplatz, the bars and the station; convenient but noisy on festival nights
- Warmbad
- Southern edge of town next to the thermal spa, with its own railway station; quiet, and best for a spa stay
- Faaker See
- Lakeside hotels in villages such as Drobollach and Egg, for swimming and the Karawanken views; a car is close to essential
- Ossiacher See
- Annenheim and the north shore, below Landskron and the Gerlitzen lifts; good for skiers in winter, busy in July and August
Getting around
BUS:SI city lines and regional buses from the Busbahnhof
Villach's centre around Hauptplatz is crossed in minutes. BUS:SI city lines run every half hour on weekdays from about 05:00 to 22:00, and regional buses leave the Busbahnhof near the station for the lakes, though services to smaller lakes are thin. A car saves waiting, but weekday parking in the centre is scarce and charged.
- BUS:SI
- City lines every half hour on weekdays; timetables at villach.at
- Regional buses
- From the Busbahnhof near the Hauptbahnhof to the lakes and surrounding villages
- Warmbad
- Its own railway station beside the thermal spa
- Dobratsch
- Villacher Alpenstrasse toll road most of the way up
- On weekdays, park on the edge of town and walk in.
- Warmbad has its own railway station beside the thermal spa.
Know before you go
What makes Villach worth the trip, and what catches visitors out.
Why travelers love it
- An early swim in the Faaker See, before the weekend crowds reach the turquoise water.
- The Villacher Alpenstrasse, climbing the Dobratsch to views over three countries.
- The falconry at Landskron, eagles and owls flying just over the audience's heads.
- Kärntner Kasnudeln, curd-cheese and mint pasta pockets, in an old-town tavern.
Good to know
- A car helps for the Dobratsch, the lake villages and border trips.
- Landskron's falconry runs only from late spring to early October.
- Night trains call after midnight, so a room near the Hauptbahnhof makes sense if you are catching one.
Trip fit
BookingMentor editorial ratings out of 5, based on a first-time visitor's experience.
Weather in Villach, month by month
Villach's January nights drop to about −6°C, and July, its warmest month near 26°C, is also the wettest at roughly 134 mm.
Climate figures are approximate long-term averages for Villach (Zamg.ac.at, via Wikipedia).
Warmbad, the Dobratsch and Landskron's eagles over a long weekend
Spend a long weekend in Villach: day one in town on Hauptplatz and at the city museum (May to October), then the thermal pools at Warmbad; day two up the Villacher Alpenstrasse to the Dobratsch summit for views to Italy and Slovenia; and a third day for the eagle shows at Landskron and the lakes.
Day two: drive the Villacher Alpenstrasse up the Dobratsch in the morning, while the air is clearest, and walk the last stretch to the summit for views towards Italy and Slovenia. Back in town, see whether anything is playing at the Kremlhoftheater, which seats eight people and calls itself the smallest theatre in the world.
Day three is for the lakes. Swim early in the turquoise Faaker See before the weekend crowds arrive, then cross to Landskron, the castle ruin on its 676 m hill above the Ossiacher See, for the afternoon falconry display (late April to early October), when eagles and owls skim the heads of the audience. Stay for dinner at the castle restaurant and the view down the Drau valley.
Kasnudeln, Reindling and a bratwurst on the Draulände
Order Kärntner Kasnudeln, hand-crimped pasta pockets of curd cheese, potato and mint served with melted butter, and try Reindling, a cinnamon and raisin ring cake eaten at Easter and on Sundays. Carinthian cooking borrows from Italy and Slovenia. Stauber's Stadtschenke on Nikolaigasse cooks regional produce and has a garden.
Old-town taverns are the place for regional dishes. Stauber's Stadtschenke on Nikolaigasse cooks with produce from the surrounding region and has a garden for fine weather. Café Bar Paragraf on Peraustrasse serves local food and lunch specials.
For a quick bite by the river, the Bratwurstkönig on Draulände grills sausages. After dark, follow the lanes off Hauptplatz to small pubs such as the Turmstüberl, a locals' bar where groups should book. During the Kirchtag in August, food and drink stalls fill the whole centre.
Fasching on television, Kirchtag in August and a frozen Faaker See
Visit Villach from June to September, when the Faaker See and Ossiacher See warm up for swimming and July peaks near 26°C, though it is also the wettest month. The Villacher Kirchtag folk festival fills the centre for a week from late July into early August, so book far ahead. January nights fall to around −6°C.
Winters are properly cold for a southern town. December and January highs struggle to 1 or 2C, and January nights fall to around -6C. That means cross-country tracks on the Dobratsch, downhill skiing on the Gerlitzen above the Ossiacher See and, when the cold holds long enough, skating on the Faaker See, Ossiacher See or Vassacher See. Warmbad's thermal water is the answer to grey days.
Carnival is the other big date. Villach's Fasching sessions, building towards Lent, go out live on Austrian national television, and the town fills with costumes. Spring and late autumn are quiet, with October and November among the rainier months at over 100 mm each.
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How we research our Villach travel guide
Villach's rail hub, Kirchtag dates and city buses were checked with the city, Austria.info and ÖBB.
Last updated . Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Checked against trusted sources:
Official website of VillachAustria.infoÖBB Austrian Federal Railways
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Quick answers to the questions travelers ask most before visiting Villach.
Getting there
There is no rail link at the terminal itself, but S-Bahn lines S1 and S4 together run every half hour between Klagenfurt and Villach, about 40 km apart. Long-distance trains also come straight in from most Austrian cities, Munich, Venice and Ljubljana.
Timing & weather
From June into September, with July and August highs around 25-26C. Winter suits skiing on the Gerlitzen and the spa at Warmbad instead.
For about a week from late July into the first days of August, with the costume parade on the final Saturday. The whole centre turns into a folk festival, so book accommodation early.
From late April to early October, with several flying displays a day depending on season and weather. Eagles, hawks, kites and owls take part.
The best time to visit Villach is Jun to Sep. Lakes warm enough to swim and the Dobratsch road open.
- Summer: June - September (Warm lakes, open mountain roads and the Kirchtag festival from late July into the first days of August)
- Winter: December - March (Skiing on the Gerlitzen, cross-country tracks on the Dobratsch and the thermal spa at Warmbad; carnival peaks before Lent)
July is the warmest month in Villach, with average highs of 26°C, and January the coolest, with lows of -6°C. July is the wettest month, at about 134 mm of rain; January is the driest. Villach's January nights drop to about −6°C, and July, its warmest month near 26°C, is also the wettest at roughly 134 mm.
General
The Faaker See, south-east of town, is the favourite for its clear turquoise water. Go early on summer weekends.
Yes. Tarvisio is under half an hour by car, and direct trains run to Venice.
Drive the Villacher Alpenstrasse, a toll road that climbs most of the way, then walk the final stretch to the summit. In winter the slopes carry cross-country tracks.
Yes. It sits on a rail and motorway junction, with the Faaker See, the Ossiacher See and the Dobratsch close by and Klagenfurt about 40 km east.
Kasnudeln are hand-crimped pasta parcels of curd cheese, potato and mint served with butter. Reindling is a yeasted cinnamon and raisin ring cake eaten at Easter and on Sundays.
On festival nights there are drunken crowds in the lanes off Hauptplatz, though the police presence is heavy. The rest of the year Villach is as calm as most Austrian towns.
Villach's centre around Hauptplatz is crossed in minutes. BUS:SI city lines run every half hour on weekdays from about 05:00 to 22:00, and regional buses leave the Busbahnhof near the station for the lakes, though services to smaller lakes are thin. A car saves waiting, but weekday parking in the centre is scarce and charged.
Visa & documents
Austria is a Schengen country. Citizens of the EU and of many other countries, including the US, UK, Canada and Australia, can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period; other nationalities need a Schengen visa. The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) records non-EU travelers' fingerprints and a photo at the border.
Health & safety
Crime rates in Austria are very low. The main risks are in the mountains: changeable weather, avalanches and hiking accidents. Check avalanche warnings before skiing off-piste, start hikes early after checking the forecast, carry insurance that covers mountain rescue, and call 112 in any emergency.
