Woerthersee

Lake Wörth is an Alpine lake in Carinthia, Austria’s southernmost province. The beautiful turquoise lake lies at about 440 metres above sea level, is about 17 km long and 1 to 2 km wide and stretches from Klagenfurt in the east to Velden in the west. Both shores are bordered by steep, forested Alpine foothills framed by the snow-capped peaks beyond. The northern shore is densely populated whilst the southern shore has seen far less development. The Mediterranean-like climate and warm, crystal-clear waters attract many visitors in summer. The region is often snow-covered in winter and very occasionally the lake freezes over, much to the joy of ice-skating enthusiasts. The photographs below include shots of the towns of Velden on the western shore, Pörtschach on the northern shore and Maria Wörth/Reifnitz spreading along the southern shore and onto a peninsula. The 54-metre-high “Pyramidenkogel” vantage tower in Keutschach can also be seen below.