Villach
From World travel guide
Villach is a town located in Carinthia in Austria. It has about 50,000 inhabitants.
Contents |
Understand
Villach is the second-largest city of Carinthia. It is a railway gateway to most parts of Austria as well as for bordering Italy. In Austria Villach is well-known for its carneval which is broadcasted on public television throughout Austria. Villach is a quite old city with roots back in roman times (when the city was called Santicum).The city had been heavily bombed in World War II (due to its importance as a major traffic gateway) destroying many parts of the city.
Get in
By plane
Villach has no domestic or international airport. If you are travelling by plane you have to go for Klagenfurt which has an airport.
By train
Villach is a railway gateway within Austria, so trains go from virtually every bigger city including Vienna, Graz,Klagenfurt, Salzburg, Linz, Innsbruck and Bregenz. There are also direct connections to Munich, Venice, Ljubljana, Zagreb and Belgrade.
By car
If you are coming from north, take the A10 Tauernautobahn. If you are coming from east (Graz,Vienna) take the A2 Südautobahn. If you are planning to go from Slovenia, take the A11 Karawankenautobahn. If you are arriving from Italy also take the A2 Südautobahn. The motorway around Villach has two exits at Faakersee which takes you to the centre of the city and Ossiachersee which takes you to the north of the city.
Get around
Villach is a quite small town, so it is easy to get around by feet. Taxis can be found near the railway station and in the centre of the city near Hauptplatz. Federal buses go to the surrounding area from the local Busbahnhof (busterminal,located a few minutes away from the railway station). Local busline no.10 goes around the historic city centre. Getting around by car can be tiring since parking space is rare during weekdays and traffic jams at business hours are very common. During weekdays parking space is liable to pay costs in most areas around the center of the city.
See
- Villacher Fahrzeugmuseum - has oldtimers which are worth to see.
- Museum der Stadt Villach - if you are interested in the history of the town go there.
Do
- Hiking - Villach is surrounded by a number of mountains including the Dobratsch which offer many possibilities for hiking.
- Cross-country skiing - Cross-country skiing is possible on Dobratsch and all major ski ressorts around Villach.
- ice-skating - Ice-skating is possible on Faakersee,Ossiachersee and Vassacher See though this depends heavily on the weather in winter wheter lakes are frozen or not.
- Villacher Kirchtag - Every year (usually the first week in august) the city is celebrating Villacher Kirchtag with a big amusement park. The city can get very crowded in this week with as much as 50.000 visitors especially from italy.
Buy
If you want to go shopping stick to the Hauptplatz and the centre area of the city. A bit outside of Villach (along Mariagailerstrasse) you will find an area with many shopping malls. These malls are widespreaded, so it's better to go by car or bus there. Buses to Mariagailerstrasse go from the local Busbahnhof ( a bus terminal ) which is located a few minutes away from the central railway station.
Eat
- Cafe Paragraf, Peraustr.18, Tel.0664 4827174 - has cheap menus around €5,50 from 11.30 to 14.00 o`clock. Outdoor restaurant area!
- Brauhof Villach, Bahnhofsstrasse 8, Tel.242220 - has traditional carinthian meals and is run by the local brewery.
- Taverna Mykonos Hausergasse.15, Tel 21305 - serves greek food. It is recommended to book in advance.
- Kaufmann & Kaufmann,Dietrichsteingasse 5, Tel.25871 - italian-style kitchen, it is recommended to book in advance.
Drink
If you want to go out in the evening go for Hauptplatz and the numerous small avenues that start there. You'll find various small pubs and cafes such as
- Turmstüberl - a small, atmospheric pub where the locals go. If you are travelling in a group you should book a table in advance.
- Tostenwirt - A nice place if you want to try the locally brewed Malzbier. (a special blend of beer). They serve meals as well.
- Soho Bar (Freihausgasse 13) - a cosy cocktail bar with a large amount of available cocktails.
Sleep
Villach has a large variety of both - low and high-budget hotels. Some adresses are:
- Romantik Hotel Post - Hauptplatz 26, Tel.26101 - pretty scenic, old hotel (built in the 16th century) in the centre of the city. This is one of the best (and therefor upper-price) hotels in Villach. Doubles are available from €80 to €140. Single beds are available from €70 to €90.
- Jugenherberge Villach - A youth hostel is available in Villach-St. Martin, Dinzlweg 34. Tel.56368, mailto:jgh.villach@oejhv.or.at Single beds are available for €17, a double costs €42.The centre of the city can be easily reached by feet.(about 10min walk)
Get out
If you want to get out, try Faaker See, a beautiful lake a few kilometers outside of Villach. It might also be interessting to see the area around Schütt (located in the south of mountain Dobratsch), an area with huge stone rocks, which are parts of Dobratsch itself after an earthquake back in the 14th century caused half of the mountain to fall in the surrounding area.
External links
http://www.villach.at - the official homepage of the city government with loads of information on attractions and hotels.
