Gmünd in Kärnten is a small medieval fortified town in central Carinthia that functions as the gateway to the Maltatal, a 30-kilometer mountain valley leading to the Kölnbreinsperre, Austria’s highest dam at 200 meters, set in a Hohe Tauern cirque at 1,902 meters. The town has a functioning artists’ colony in its historic buildings and a compact old town worth an hour’s walk. About 20 minutes from Spittal an der Drau by car. The Maltatal road is open from late spring to autumn. Pairs well with Nockberge hiking and Bad Kleinkirchheim.
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Gmuend in Kaernten
The Kölnbreinsperre is Austria's highest dam, rising 200 meters above the Maltatal floor to hold back a reservoir at 1,902 meters in the Hohe Tauern. The approach through the Maltatal from Gmünd is a 30-kilometer mountain road through increasingly dramatic valley scenery.