The Weissensee Nature Park is located between the Drau Valley and the Gail Valley in the southwestern part of the state of Carinthia. Thanks to the foresight of the local population, two-thirds of the shoreline in this natural gem remains undeveloped to this day. Two boat companies offer sightseeing cruises several times a day, allowing visitors to marvel at the impressive scenery.
If you follow the mountain pass road over the “Kärntner Kreuzberg,” you’ll reach the district capital, Hermagor, after about 25 km. South of there, in the tranquil village of Möderndorf, stands the Gailtal Museum. This historic 14th-century castle reflects the history of the central Gail Valley.
At the “Gailtalbauer, ” the interactive farm in Kirchbach, the focus is entirely on culinary delights. A guided tour through the entire grounds reconnects visitors with rural traditions. The experience is rounded out by sampling the farm’s own products at the end of the tour.
Upstream along the Gail River, nestled between the Gailtal and Carnic Alps, lies the market town of Kötschach-Mauthen on the border with Friuli. A visit to the 1915–1918 Museum documents the former front line stretching from the Ortler to the Adriatic Sea with numerous pictures and exhibits, as well as the entire course of the war. Via the Gailberg Pass—the route connecting the southern Gail Valley to the upper Drau Valley to the north—you’ll arrive back in Lienz after about 34 km.
