Austria KLAGENFURT
Beautifully restored Renaissance and Baroque buildings fill the streets and squares of this compact city that’s so easy to explore on foot. At its historic heart, a narrow street almost imperceptibly separates the Old and New Town, but ‘new’ is relative – it dates from the 16th century. Little passageways lead to hidden, elegantly arcaded courtyards. A spectacular lake, the Wörthersee, lies a mere 4km away. Castles and chateaux, churches and chapels, some of them dating back to the 12th century, dot the surrounding countryside of rich farmland and forested hills backed by craggy
The City
Capital of Carinthia, Austria’s most southerly province, Klagenfurt’s
800-year old city centre was mostly created by Italian architects (Klagenfurt
is closer to Venice than to Vienna). In gentle shades of sand, lemon, soft
pink and pale green; its prettily colour-washed Baroque and Renaissance
façades give an elegant feel to the streets and squares. Over 50
arcaded courtyards lie tucked away behind the fine buildings. Some of the
best are in the ‘old’ town around the Alter Platz. Take a look
at Burggasse, too. The Tourist Office offers free walking tours every day
in the summer. Beautiful Wörthersee lake lies close by. In summer,
buses leave the city centre every few minutes for the beach – the
largest inland bathing beach in Europe – with its water sports, cycling
paths and leafy half-marathon fun run route. Boat trips drop in on lakeside
towns and villages. The centre of Klagenfurt’s summer life, Wörthersee
has an outdoor concert hall seating 2000 people, numerous sporting facilities
and events. In winter you can go floodlight skiing at the Schleppe-Alm,
just five minutes from the centre of town.
Pharmacy Pharmacies operate a rota system for out-of-hours
service. Information is posted in pharmacy windows, at the Tourist Information
office and on the website, Call the LKH hospital for help with emergency
dental problems after surgery hours. Or the night emergency medical line,
141 Subway: Dentist
Phone: +43 (0)463 5380
Internet: www.info-klagenfurt.at
Electricity 220v, 50Hz.
Airport Klagenfurt Airport is just 3km from the city. Buses run about every 30 minutes between 06.00 and 18.00 to the bus station in the town centre. Journey time 36 minutes; €1.60. A taxi to the city centre costs €12-€16. Phone: +43 (0)463 41500
Internet: www.klagenfurt-airport.at
Public transport The city centre is compact and easily walkable. There
are two main bus stations, on Heilegengeistplaz in town and outside the
Hauptbahnhof, where there’s a Bundesbus information office. Bought
on the bus, single bus fares range from €0.80 to €1.60, depending
on distance. It’s cheaper to buy a strip of tickets from ticket
machines or at the office at the city bus station. There’s a good
service by day, but buses are infrequent in the evenings. Free timetables
are available from the Tourist Office. Bundesbuses run along both shores
of the Wörthersee lake, stopping at all the main villages and resorts.
Phone: +43 (0)463 521 542 Bundesbus information +43 (0)463 54340.
Internet: www.stw.at
Klagenfurt Is An Important Railway Junction.
Tel: 05 1717, no area code required; for train information www.oebb.at
(Austrian Federal Railways, ÖBB)
STW lake steamers do great boat trips on the Wörthersee, usually
between May and early October, calling in at pretty villages on both
sides of the lake and departing from Klagenfurt around every two hours.
They also operate evening cruises. The area is perfect for cycling. Bikes
can be hired at the Tourist Office, where you can pick up free route
maps. Phone: +43 (0)463 21155 +43 (0)463 537 2223
Internet: www.stw.at www.info.klagenfurt.at
Taxi Taxi Klagenfurt Phone: +43 (0)463 499 799
Internet: www.taxi-klagenfurt.com
Post Main Post Office Address: Pernhartgasse 4
Internet: www.post.at
Telephone Country code: +43 Area code:
463 Subway: 463