Discover Greifenburg: Swimming Lake, Gorge and Culture

Greifenburg combines water-based experiences, impressive natural scenery and traces of history with a wide range of opportunities for active days on holiday. Those looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home can view the town as a starting point for a wide variety of travel plans: from a day swimming at the lake and a hike through a gorge shaped by natural forces to exploring medieval history.

Water and Landscapes Around Greifenburg

Greifenburg Swimming Lake covers four hectares and has a spacious sunbathing lawn. For a relaxing day by the water, it also offers a diving tower, a water slide, a trampoline, a bocce court and a playground. This makes it possible to combine peaceful hours on the sunbathing lawn with varied activities without having to decide on the character of the day in advance.

The Gnoppnitzbach water adventure trail reveals another side of the landscape. It leads through a gorge that was shaped over thousands of years by ice, water, wind and weather. The trail is therefore a natural experience in its own right for visitors who want to perceive geological formations and the impact of the elements directly within a landscape.

Hiking, Cycling and Special Activities

There are two described starting points for a hike to Waisacher Alm: hiking trail G5 leads there from Bruggen, while alternatively the route begins at the Gamberger snack station. Waisacher Alm can be reached on foot from these starting points in approximately 2 to 2.5 hours. Take the approximate walking time into account when planning your day and choose accommodation that suits your preferred holiday pace.

The E.T. Compton Hut is also of interest when planning tours, as it serves as a starting point for climbing the Reißkofel. Those who prefer travelling on two wheels will find another leisure activity in Greifenburg by cycling along the Drau. The Greifenburg climbing park also has a high-rope course. Canyoning is possible between impressive rock formations and in crystal-clear water.

The Emberger Alm is part of the local flying-sports scene: shuttle buses take hang-glider and paraglider pilots to the launch sites there. The landing field for flying-sports enthusiasts is located near Greifenburg Swimming Lake, at the Fliegercamp Greifenburg. These different options make it clear that the choice of accommodation may depend on whether you want to focus on water, hiking, cycling or special outdoor experiences.

Historical Impressions in Greifenburg

Greifenburg also offers specific points of reference in terms of cultural history. The existence of Greifenburg Castle is documented in the Carinthian State Archives for the first half of the 12th century. In a document from 1166, the lords of the castle at the time used the name of their castle, “de Grifenberc”, alongside their first names. The privately owned castle is a carefully restored historic site and can be rented for parties and celebrations as well as for art, cultural and information events.

Greifenburg Parish Church is a late Gothic complex. It was completed in 1521 and given a Baroque makeover around 1700; Lorenz Rieder is named as its master builder. The castle and parish church thus provide two different approaches to the town’s history: in one case, the traditional castle name is the focus, while in the other, it is the architectural history of a church bearing late Gothic and Baroque influences.

Choosing Greifenburg as a Holiday Destination

Greifenburg is located in the Upper Drau Valley and is suitable as a destination for travellers who want to divide their days between nature, water, activity and culture. A holiday apartment in Greifenburg may be particularly suitable if you want to organise your daily schedule flexibly between the swimming lake, excursions and historical impressions. When searching, consider above all which of the activities mentioned should be the focus of your travel plans.

For further orientation, you can also visit the pages on Pesenthein, Stall, Flattach, Sachsenburg, Maltaberg, Kolbnitz, Stampfen and Eisentratten.

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