Millstatt sits on the northern shore of the Millstätter See, Carinthia’s second-largest lake at 13 kilometers long and 141 meters deep. The village’s 11th-century Benedictine monastery has a Romanesque cloister arcade from around 1170 that is one of Carinthia’s finest surviving medieval structures, now used for summer concerts. The lake is cleaner and quieter than Wörthersee, attracting a wellness-oriented crowd and a significant triathlon community drawn by the cold deep water. Lakeside hotels on the northern shore range from comfortable family pensions to wellness properties. To reach Millstatt, take the train to Spittal an der Drau on the main Salzburg-Villach line and travel the last 5 kilometers by bus or taxi. Two to four nights in summer is the right length for lake swimming, the monastery, and relaxed cycling along the shore.
village
Millstatt
Millstätter See is 13 kilometers long, 1.5 kilometers wide, and reaches 141 meters depth, which keeps it cold enough to be excellent for triathletes but warm enough on the surface for summer swimming. Millstatt village, with its 11th-century Benedictine monastery cloister, sits on the northern shore.