Discover Oberdrauburg: Culture, Nature and Family Experiences

Oberdrauburg combines historical discoveries with a diverse landscape along the Drau. The town and its surroundings offer destinations for a variety of holiday days: You can explore a medieval castle complex, follow paths through the flat valley floor, see birds from all over the world or plan an eventful day at the pool with children. This combination makes Oberdrauburg an interesting starting point for a trip where culture, nature and activity belong together.

History and Special Places in the Town

Hohenburg is located on a hill north of Oberdrauburg. It can be reached on foot from the town centre in approximately 20 to 30 minutes. The castle was first mentioned in official records in 1375 and features Gothic and Renaissance elements. The walk there can therefore be combined with a historical destination without having to plan a longer drive for this visit.

The parish church of St Oswald also offers a distinct cultural highlight. It was built from 1805 to 1812, is designed in the Late Baroque and Neoclassical styles, and has a Gothic tower. Its features include vault paintings dating from 1809. Anyone interested in architectural history and ecclesiastical art will find another reason here not to view the town merely as a place to stay overnight, but as a travel destination in its own right.

At Vanni's Bird World in Oberdrauburg, a permanent exhibition displays birds from the Alps, tropical rainforests, Europe, America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. This adds an informative encounter with different habitats to your holiday and offers an alternative to spending the entire day outdoors.

Drau Landscape and Trails for Active Days

The approximately 1 km-wide flat valley floor near Oberdrauburg, created by the Drau over millions of years, has a well-developed network of hiking and cycling trails away from road traffic. The extensive floodplain areas of the Drau and the Lauenbach streams lie between agricultural cultural landscapes and form natural refuges for many rare plant and animal species.

Along the crystal-clear, fish-rich Lauenbach streams, you may be able to spot kingfishers with a little luck and patience. Those who prefer to explore the landscape by bicycle will find a supraregional connection in the Drau Cycle Path: The second stage runs from Lienz to Spittal an der Drau and leads via Flaschberg and Ötting to Oberdrauburg. The Burgforstweg begins directly in the historic town centre and offers views of the market town, the mountains opposite, Hohenburg and Hochstadel.

Experiences for Different Holiday Days

For families, the Oberdrauburg Adventure Pool offers a 58 m-long water slide, a mini-slide for toddlers and a Kids River pool. From Oberdrauburg railway station, the adventure pool can be reached by regional buses towards Unterberg or on foot in a short time. This means that a day at the pool can also be incorporated into your arrival or excursion plans.

Those looking for activity and a challenge can choose the climbing park in the town centre. It is suitable for beginners and advanced climbers. In the associated municipality, a country road runs through Ötting, Flaschberg and Pirkach to the foot of Hochstadel; the Flaschberg castle ruins can also be reached via a high-level trail branching off from Flaschberg. At the foot of Hochstadel, the Pirknerklamm gorge offers a not overly difficult gorge via ferrata with a climbing section beside a thundering Rainbow Waterfall.

Oberdrauburg as a Base for Your Trip

When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home, you can consider which of these experiences will be the focus of your stay. For those interested in culture, Hohenburg, the parish church of St Oswald and Vanni's Bird World make accommodation from which Oberdrauburg and its historical impressions can easily be incorporated into the itinerary particularly appealing. Those who prefer cycling, walks or nature observation can focus on the trails in the valley floor, the Burgforstweg and the Lauenbach streams. Families can also include the adventure pool in their selection. Visitors who would like to plan climbing in addition to a day at the pool can consider the climbing park as a separate option.

For further research, you can also find Görtschach, Weinberg, Pfaffenberg, Döllach, Techendorf, Heiligenblut Am Großglockner, Seeboden and Radenthein.

For the higher-level travel overview: Spittal An Der Drau.