Discover Laastadt: Hiking Trails, Natural Monument and Rural Culture

Laastadt combines unique nature experiences with insights into the rural history of the surrounding area. The geographical centre of Carinthia is located in the municipality of Arriach, in the village of Laastadt. For your holiday, this creates a place where hiking, a natural monument and rural culture come together in different ways.

Hiking trails for different day plans

The Mittelpunktweg leads from the village square in Arriach through Laastadt to the geographical centre of Carinthia. The trail is described as a moderately difficult hiking trail and takes about 3.5 hours, including the return journey. This information helps you fit the tour appropriately into your day plan. Anyone looking for a hike with a clear destination and a regional connection will find a distinctive feature of the municipality here.

Another option is the Arriacher Hofwanderweg. This moderately difficult, well-marked circular hiking trail takes about 4.5 hours to walk. Along the route are rural cultural features, interactive information boards, as well as resting areas, water play areas and Kneipp facilities. There is also a rural museum and a snack station. This allows the hike to be combined with various discoveries and breaks without losing sight of its character as a circular trail.

Candelabra Spruce: Nature and History in One Place

One of the striking destinations in Laastadt is the seven-topped Candelabra Spruce near the Seiterkeusche. It is designated as a natural monument. The approximately 500-year-old spruce also serves as a resting place on the Arriacher Hofwanderweg. This creates a special stopping point for visitors: the route not only leads through the landscape, but also draws attention to a single, unmistakable tree.

The Candelabra Spruce also has a historical dimension. It was mentioned in an official document as a boundary tree more than 400 years ago. On the descent section of the Route Mittelpunkt Kärnten, the trail passes this natural monument. The section then continues along a paved road past the hamlet of Laastadt to Arriach. You can take this specific sequence of paths into account when planning your hike.

Rural Culture and Regional Discoveries

The Moser Museum in Laastadt is a farm museum. Numerous agricultural tools from times gone by are on display there. Together with the rural cultural features along the Hofwanderweg, this provides access to rural history that does not rely solely on the landscape. Those travelling with different interests can combine a hike with a museum visit or with the stops along the route.

Llamas can also be observed or booked at the Jobst-Ofner family at Laastadt 33. In addition to the hiking and cultural offerings, this provides another specific encounter with animals. When choosing your accommodation, it may be useful to first consider whether you want to focus your stay primarily on a longer circular hike, the Mittelpunktweg, experiences of nature and history, or several different activities.

Laastadt as a Starting Point for Your Search

A holiday apartment or holiday home in Laastadt is suitable for travel planning focused on the local trails and destinations. The available information differs mainly in terms of the hiking formats: the Mittelpunktweg is listed as taking about 3.5 hours, including the return journey, while the Arriacher Hofwanderweg takes about 4.5 hours. In addition, there is the natural monument, the Moser Museum, the rural cultural stops and the opportunity to observe or book llamas.

Discover More Places

If you would like to continue your search beyond Laastadt, you will find further destinations here for orientation: Fahrendorf, Fresach, Gerlitzen, Schloß Treffen, Heiligengeist, Selpritsch, Petschnitzen and Gschriet.

To the higher-level travel overview: Villach.