When planning a trip to Launsdorf, you can explore several themes: a circular hike starts in the village, the art trail runs through the surrounding area around Lake Längsee, and seasonal activities are available at the Lake Längsee lido. Cultural highlights include the castle trail at Hochosterwitz Castle and St. Martin’s Church near Osterwitz. When looking for a holiday apartment, you can first decide whether a walking route, architectural history or waterside activities should shape your stay.

Castle Trail and Church History

The castle trail at Hochosterwitz Castle is protected by 14 gates. This sequence of gates is a specific point of interest for anyone interested in historic fortifications. The castle restaurant serves traditional Carinthian cuisine. As the menu may change, we recommend checking the current menu before your visit.

St. Martin’s Church near Osterwitz has been documented since 1123. The choir and nave date from the time of this first mention; a substantial tower was added on the south side in the 15th century. These dates point to two distinct construction phases: the early church and the tower added later. This makes it possible to trace the building’s history through specific parts of the structure.

In the area around Launsdorf, St. Georgen Abbey on Lake Längsee has been a peaceful place of spiritual energy for more than 1,000 years. Its religious and cultural character offers a different perspective from the architectural history of individual churches. Also in the surrounding area, the audio drama adventure tour “In the Footsteps of the Wolschar Robber” is a visitor attraction. As an audio drama adventure tour, it offers another cultural focus.

A dated example of a pilgrimage route is the Women’s Pilgrimage Day on 16 October 2021: on that day, 20 women set out from the Church of the Assumption in Launsdorf and walked along Buchberg through mixed woodland, past wayside crosses, roadside shrines and the Madonna Rock, to the small pilgrimage church of Maria Sieben Schmerzen in Wolschart Forest. There, the group visited the wooden chapel. On this historic occasion, the route connected a starting point in Launsdorf with several named stops and a destination church.

Circular Hike and Trails around Lake Längsee

A circular hike starts in Launsdorf and initially follows hiking trail number 4 east towards Thalsdorf. From there, it continues to Hochosterwitz and Sankt Sebastian; via Maigern and Sankt Martin, it forms a loop along the Glan River back to the starting point. Before setting out, check the trail conditions and signage.

The art trail runs for around 5 km around Lake Längsee in the area around Launsdorf. The circular hike and the art trail offer different planning considerations: the first follows a route defined by the named places and the section along the Glan; for the second, the approximate distance and the route around the lake are key points of reference. You can use these details to choose between a route with several stops and a roughly 5 km trail around Lake Längsee.

Activities mentioned at the Lake Längsee lido include stand-up paddleboards and boat rental. As operations are seasonal, check before your visit whether both activities will be available during your stay. This lets you plan your time at Lake Längsee around the actual season and the availability of your chosen activity.

Discover more destinations: Weitensfeld im Gurktal, Knappenberg, Straßburg, Metnitz, Eberstein, Gurk, Sadin, Klein Sankt Paul.

For the overarching travel overview: Sankt Veit An Der Glan.