Afritz combines nature at Lake Afritz with historic churches and living religious traditions. At the lake, the circular route, lakeside promenade and sporting activities take centre stage; in Afritz, the parish church, Calvary Hill and festivals add a cultural dimension. This gives you a clear question to consider when choosing your destination: would you mainly like to explore paths and landscapes, take part in sporting activities, or learn about architectural history and local traditions?

Paths around Lake Afritz

A lakeside promenade path runs along Lake Afritz. The Sonnenweg is an easy nature trail that circles the lake and is 10.62 kilometres long. If you take a stated length and difficulty level into account when choosing a route, you can assess this circular trail more specifically. Route details may change, so check them before setting out.

The Slow Trail Afritzer See offers a different perspective on the area: it leads through the species-rich protected landscape around the unspoilt Lake Afritz, nestled between Mirnock and Wöllaner Nock. The Sonnenweg is distinguished by its circular route and easy rating, while the Slow Trail highlights the protected landscape and its biodiversity. This lets you choose between the paths based on whether you want to focus more on the specific route profile or on the landscape.

Activities

There is a freely accessible calisthenics park in the lakeside park at Lake Afritz. The Pumptrack Afritz am See offers a different kind of sporting activity: it is suitable for cycling and scooter sports and gives enthusiasts a place to improve their skills. A calisthenics facility and a pump track designed for cycling and scooter sports cater to different sporting interests. You can plan the sporting part of your stay according to the type of activity you prefer.

Church architecture and living traditions

The Afritz parish church is a Baroque-style Late Gothic church, first mentioned in a document in 1516. The choir contains a Passion mural dating from 1500. The mural therefore predates the church’s first documented mention. Those interested in sacred art and earlier architectural history will find a specific historical reference point here.

The Calvary complex lies on a steep hill northwest of the village and was first mentioned in 1745. A report from April 2025 describes how, at Easter, Protestant and Catholic Christians alike visit Afritz Calvary. The specific details of this seasonal practice may vary. The site’s location and history give this religious landmark a different character from the parish church.

Church events and customs also shape Afritz. The Afritz Jubilee Church was consecrated on 11 October 1981. The day of adoration takes place every year on 11 September. On major feast days of both denominations, churchgoers in Afritz maintain the custom of attending services in traditional dress and wearing a Bänderhut ribbon hat. Cultural themes therefore range from architectural and artistic history to recurring religious events and festive attire.

Another ecumenical tradition is the harvest festival: a report from September 2024 noted that, at the time, the people of Afritz had been meeting for three years in alternating years at the Catholic and Protestant parish churches for an ecumenical harvest celebration. The rotation between the churches and the shared celebration give this custom its own ecumenical form.

Getting to Lake Afritz

To get to Lake Afritz, take the route from the Villach-Ossiacher See exit on the A10 Tauern Autobahn via the B98 Millstätterstraße towards Radenthein. Use this route as a guide and check the current directions before setting out.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Stuben, Weißenstein, Villach, Riegersdorf, Latschach, Finkenstein Am Faaker See, Petschnitzen, Feistritz An Der Gail.

Go to the main travel overview: Villach.