Day Trips from Kaufhaus Wiedenig: The 8 best destinations around Hermagor
One of the best things about Möderndorf in Hermagor: you live in the middle of a region where three countries, several lakes, a regional capital and the Mediterranean Sea are all within day-trip reach. From the Kaufhaus Wiedenig you can be at the cleanest mountain lake in the Alps in 25 minutes, at the nearest Italian pizzeria in an hour, and even at the Adriatic in two hours.
This guide lists the eight best day trips – from short and easy to a longer trip to the sea.
1. Garnitzenklamm – 5 minutes on foot
Right on your doorstep: one of Carinthia's most spectacular gorges. 4.5 km of deep canyon, more than 30 bridges and walkways and countless waterfalls. Doable with kids from around age 5. Duration: 1–5 hours depending on variant. Season: May to October.
2. Lake Pressegger See – 10 minutes by car
Carinthia's warmest bathing lake, with drinking-water quality. Up to 28 °C in high summer, a 6 km slow trail around the shore, family-friendly beach and SUP rental. Great for a half day or a full day.
More about lake Pressegger See
3. Lake Weissensee – 25 minutes by car
The cleanest mountain lake in the Alps. A still, motorboat-free paradise for swimming, stand-up paddling and hiking in summer. In winter the lake becomes Europe's largest natural ice surface (6.5 km²) – you can glide for kilometres on crystal-clear ice. Several small bays on the eastern shore are real local secrets.
4. Hermagor town walk – 5 min by car / 20 min on foot
The small capital of the Gail valley has a charming centre with cafés, ice-cream parlours, small shops and a beautiful main square. On Thursdays there is a farmers' market – the place to find Carinthian specialities directly from the producer: cured meats, cheese, must, bread and honey.
5. Tarvis & Pontebba (Italy) – 45 minutes by car
Italy starts just on the other side of the Plöckenpass. Tarvisio is the first sizeable town beyond the border, famous for its big Saturday market (clothes, leather, Italian groceries). Pontebba is a little further south – the perfect stop for an authentic espresso or a proper pizza.
Tip: the Alpe-Adria cycle path, a modern rail-trail between Hermagor and Tarvisio, makes for a fantastic e-bike tour.
6. Bled & Bohinj (Slovenia) – 90 minutes by car
Lake Bled with its famous island church and the castle perched on a cliff is one of the most photographed motifs in the Alps – and actually even more beautiful in real life. To escape the crowds, drive 30 minutes further to Lake Bohinj, its larger, quieter neighbour inside the Triglav National Park.
7. Klagenfurt & lake Wörthersee – 70 minutes by car
Carinthia's regional capital with its old town, the famous Lindwurm fountain and lovely cafés around Neuer Platz. Right next door: the turquoise lake Wörthersee with lakeside promenades, public beaches and the Pyramidenkogel observation tower with views across half of Carinthia. In summer, the classic resorts Velden and Maria Wörth are also worth a stop.
8. Trieste & the Adriatic – 2 hours by car
Invest a full day and you can reach the sea in summer. Via Tarvisio and the A23 motorway it's two hours to Trieste, the elegantly melancholic harbour city with its grand cafés, Piazza Unità d'Italia and the Miramare castle by the sea. On the way back, stop at Lago di Cavazzo or one of the small beaches near Grado or Lignano.
Pro tip: most of these trips work year-round – Bled, Tarvisio and Klagenfurt are well worth a winter visit too, on days when the weather is not great for skiing.
With or without a car?
A car gives maximum flexibility. If you arrive without one, you still have options:
- FReD e-carsharing: regional electric car by the hour – perfect for day trips
- Train to Klagenfurt or Villach: several times a day from Hermagor
- E-bike rental: for Tarvisio (Alpe-Adria cycle path) and shorter trips
See our activities page for a list of local providers.
Your base for the region
The Kaufhaus Wiedenig is the ideal base for day trips: central location between Italy, Slovenia and lake Wörthersee, quiet Möderndorf setting, and plenty of room for the whole family.
See the apartmentVerdict
Hermagor is more than a ski town or a bathing lake. It's one of the few regions in Austria where in one hour you can be eating pizza in Italy, in 90 minutes hiking around a Slovenian mountain lake, and in two hours swimming in the sea – and you sleep at night in a historic former general store.