Spittal an der Drau is a Carinthian Drau valley town anchored by Schloss Porcia, one of the finest Italian Renaissance palaces north of the Alps, built between 1533 and 1597 with an arcaded courtyard that could sit unnoticed in Florence. The palace houses a regional museum and hosts summer theatre (Komödienspiele Porcia). Train connections from Villach take about 40 minutes; the Tauern line from Salzburg takes about 2.5 hours. The Millstaetter See is 10 minutes south by car. For travelers on the Drau cycling route or heading into the Hohe Tauern, Spittal is the natural overnight base. The palace courtyard alone is worth a stop.
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Spittal an der Drau
Schloss Porcia in Spittal an der Drau was built between 1533 and 1597 by Gabriel von Salamanca, the Spanish finance minister of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, and it is one of the very few pure Italian Renaissance palaces north of the Alps. The three-story arcaded courtyard could be transplanted to a Florentine palazzo without anyone noticing.