Discover Spittal an der Drau

Spittal an der Drau combines Renaissance architecture, art and culture with leisure activities centred on water and movement. If you are looking for a hotel for your stay, your interests can be a helpful guide: historic buildings, museum visits and art offer a different focus from seasonal activities or routes along the Drau River.

Historic buildings and their distinctive features

The parish church of “Maria Verkündigung” contains evidence from several centuries: stone reliefs from the 14th century commissioned by the Counts of Ortenburg, a Pietà from the 15th century, and a portal stone bearing the Salamanca-Ortenburg coat of arms from the 16th century. Those interested in sacred art and architectural history will find works from different historical periods in one place.

Khevenhüller City Palace, now the town hall, is a three-storey Renaissance building with arcades. Porcia Castle is also a Renaissance palazzo and has a three-storey arcaded courtyard. The comparison highlights different architectural features: the arcades of Khevenhüller City Palace and the arcaded courtyard of Porcia Castle.

The Spittl adds a different history of use to these buildings. It is a former hospice in the style of a Renaissance palace, with an arcaded courtyard. You can therefore encounter Renaissance forms in several buildings, while the Spittl’s former function as a hospice adds further historical context.

Art and culture at Porcia Castle

At Porcia Castle, historic architecture is combined with cultural use. Today, the three-storey arcaded courtyard provides a setting for numerous cultural events. The gallery in the castle presents contemporary visual art in the 500-year-old columned vault of the Salamanca cellar. This brings contemporary art together with a historic exhibition space.

The Parkschlössl, built in the 16th century, offers another way to present art to the public: it gives local artists and autodidacts the opportunity to exhibit their work. This has a different focus from the gallery at Porcia Castle, where contemporary visual art is exhibited in the old columned vault.

Museum and seasonal leisure activities

The Museum of Folk Culture offers a smartphone audio guide in four languages for its themed sections: German, English, Italian and Slovenian. The MuKi holiday programme combines creativity, play and culture during the summer holidays and introduces children to history in an age-appropriate way. The programme’s connection to the summer holidays is important for planning; it is specifically aimed at children and teaches them about history.

In winter, the town park offers children and young people a toboggan hill and an ice rink as free ways to get active. These seasonal activities differ from the museum and its cultural programmes: here, the focus is on exercise in winter.

Drautal Perle is a sports and leisure pool in Spittal an der Drau, with water attractions and a wellness area. These include a whirlpool, blockhouse sauna, steam and brine sauna, herbal sauna, Finnish sauna and an infrared cabin. As operating details may change, check the latest information about the facilities before visiting.

Cycling and relaxation along the Drau River

The Drau Cycle Path runs along the Drau River to the cultural town of Spittal. DrAUENland near Spittal offers walkers and cyclists a nature trail and a waterside recreation area. The two descriptions have different focuses: the Drau Cycle Path describes a cycling route leading to Spittal, while DrAUENland is a place to enjoy nature and relax by the water. For tour planning, it is advisable to check current route conditions.

Discover more destinations: Stampfen, Penk, Mörtschach, Obervellach, Stall, Reißeck, Radenthein, Kleblach Lind.

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