A Vacation between mountains and lakes
Crystal-clear bathing lakes with drinking water quality, extensive pastures, impressive waterfalls and gorges, varied hiking and biking trails in between – and the neighbourhood to Italy and Slovenia: The holiday regions of Villach, Nassfeld, Weissensee and Ossiacher See spoil you with many, many hours of sunshine and are a true paradise for adventure-hungry vacationers.
Just start walking!
In the Villach / Gail Valley region you have a huge selection of varied hiking trails. You can hike directly from your holiday home or go by car or train to one of the nearby hiking destinations (e.g. to the Presseggersee or to Villach Warmbad). The Nötsch train station is only a few minutes away on foot.
If you want to go a little higher, we recommend a hike to the Wertschacher Alm or to the Schütt alpine pasture. Or to the Dobratsch summit house, the Egger or Watschig Alm or the Rifugio Zacchi in Italy and the Krnica hut in Slovenia. Your dog is also very welcome in all of these alpine huts!
Other hiking destinations in the area are
- Villach’s local mountain Dobratsch,
- the border triangle (chairlift),
- the Gerlitzen (dogs are allowed in the gondola),
- the Nassfeld (by gondola or by car)
- as well as Monte Lussari and Sella Nevea (each with gondolas) in neighboring Italy.
Your dog may also be on board on many boats on the Carinthian shipping lines; among other things on
- Ossiacher See,
- Weissensee
- and Millstätter See.
Hiking in the Gail Valley
The best way to discover the beauty of the Gail Valley is to hike through the picturesque and varied landscape. You can walk right from your front door in the Ferienhaus Saak – for example along the Nötschbach or into the Bleiberg valley on the trail of the Dobratsch circular hiking trail. Or you can go on a hiking tour in the Carnic or Gailtal Alps. Serviced alpine pastures and shelters with excellent cuisine invite you to take a break and quickly forget the hectic pace of everyday life.
You can even explore individual stages of the famous Alps-Adriatic Trail from your holiday home – and return to your cosy home in the evening.
Holiday with a dog between mountains and lakes
Whether you want to conquer the Gailtal and Carnic Alps or explore the hiking trails down in the valley: Ferienhaus Saak offers the ideal location for your active vacation with your four-legged friend.
On Nötschbach, just a few walking minutes from the Ferienhaus Saak, you will find sunny and shady spots as well as small bathing bays where your dog can go into the water. And it is less than 30 minutes by car to Lago di Predil or to the Laghi di Fusine in nearby Italy, where your four-legged friend can also splash around in the water.
There is also a beach on the Ossiacher See, where you and your dog can swim and stop off in a cosy inn. There is nothing standing in the way of a day swimming with your dog by the sea: in less than two hours you are in Grado, Italy, where it is a nice, shaded dog beach with fenced areas for you and your four-legged friend (for a fee, see here).
You can get all information about the many holiday offers in the holiday regions of Villach and Gail Valley directly from us.
Biking in Carinthia
A hit for all bikers: From the Ferienhaus Saak you can almost directly enter the Gail Valley cycle path (R3) from Kötschach-Mauthen to Villach. The almost 90 km long bike tour parallel to the border to Italy is an experience for children and parents.
The more than 400 km long Alps-Adriatic cycle path (from Salzburg to Grado) also leads past the Gail Valley. Ideal for taking one or more stages as a day tour and returning comfortably by train or bus. And there is a free bike bus from Villach Warmbad to Kranjska Gora (Slovenia) or Tarvisio (Italy), from where you can cycle back along an old, disused railway line.
The Villach / Gail Valley region is also a true mountain biker paradise. You can drive directly from the Ferienhaus Saak to the Wertschacher Alm or via Vorderberg (11 km) to the Dolinza Alm, where managed huts await you with vigorous strengthening. You can also find varied mountain bike trails at Faaker See, Nassfeld and in the Weissensee Nature Park.
Racing bike fans also have a lot to offer in Austria’s southernmost holiday region: e.g. a trip to the Windische Höhe or a round trip through the Gail Valley and the Bleiberg Valley along our local mountain, the Dobratsch Nature Park, which with the Villacher Alpenstraße also offers a demanding climbing tour for experienced road cyclists.
We are enthusiastic bikers ourselves and are happy to give you tour tips!
As a special service for our guests, there are lockable bicycle boxes for up to four bikes and sockets for e- (MTB) bikes at your house.
Erlebniscard Region Villach
From April to November, the Erlebnis CARD offers you workshops, taster courses and many other great leisure activities that will make your holiday varied and unforgettable. Whether it’s various guided hikes, a photo walk, stand-up paddling, adventure climbing, yoga on the lake/in the mountain, pony rides, an alpaca afternoon, a golf taster session or a visit to the Kärnten Therme; there’s something for all tastes!
With the Erlebnis CARD you can travel free of charge on the local train during your stay at Ferienhaus Saak (a ticket must be purchased for dogs and/or bicycles).