aau/MüllerKlagenfurt offers three different lidos – which will you choose?
Whether you join the fashionable crowd on the central jetty in Strandbad, relax on jetty No. 1 with the best views in Loretto, or indulge yourself with an ice-cream in Maiernigg lido: You couldn’t ask for a better selection. We have reviewed the special features of Klagenfurt’s three public beaches.
Strandbad:
Klagenfurt’s Strandbad, which first opened in 1924, is one of the largest lakeside lidos in Europe. It’s located at Klagenfurt’s eastern bay, where he lake reaches its maximum width of 1.7 km. In peak periods, the lido attracts as many as 450,000 visitors, and on certain hot summer days there can be around 10,000 bathers looking to cool off in the turquoise waters of Lake Wörthersee. So, for those who like to bathe in the crowd, Klagenfurt’s lido is the place to be. Few places are less likely to feel lonely than any one of the three jetties on a hot summer’s day. Most sought after by those who are not afraid to model in their swimming trunks or bikinis: A prize spot on the central jetty, the end of which opens out to an impressive view of the full width of the lake. Lucky are those who manage to hire one of the highly coveted beach huts. They are ideal for parking your inflatable lilo, your deck chair and your towels, leaving you free to pop down to the lido at any time. After all, in Klagenfurt you don’t go swimming occasionally, but rather cooling off after work or in the breaks between lectures is a regular part of everyday life.
Tip: Why not enjoy a morning run along the shores of Lake Wörthersee to Krumpendorf and back, and then be one of the first to jump into Lake Wörthersee from the end of the central jetty just as the lido awakens at 8 a.m.?
Loretto lido:
It may well be that just as many university lecturers and students visit Strandbad as the lido at Loretto, and yet: they are much more conspicuous in the significantly smaller lido that is Loretto. Hardly a day will go by when you don’t run into your fellow students or the professors while you’re hanging out at this delightful lido. Many a black existentialist turtleneck is swapped for swimwear in the summer months; we are told that the density of black bikinis and swimming trunks is particularly high in this “lido of the intellectuals”. On very hot weekends, it attracts around 1,300 visitors. Regular visitors to Loretto tend to have their traditional spot there and can almost always be found on the same jetty or under the same tree on the lawn. And as these things always go: People soon start to greet each other and quickly establish a community. Loretto lido, located on the Maria Loretto peninsula at the foot of Loretto castle, has been recently renovated and is a perfect place to relax, especially for those seeking peace and quiet. Our highlight at the end of the bathing day: A sundowner on jetty No. 1, fetched in a cup from the buffet, and then lingering at the water’s edge until the lifeguard insists that you finally move on.
Tip: Be sure to cycle or walk to the lido! Navigating the car park can get very tricky when it’s full and will really test your patience, especially after 4 p.m. in the afternoon!
Maiernigg lido:
Maiernigg lido is the family lido in Klagenfurt: So if you like to swim with and surrounded by children, this is the place for you. The jetty is arranged in a U-shape and offers plenty of space for sunbathers. You can keep a watchful eye on everything in this neatly arranged lido, both from the jetty and from the lawn. A particularly lovely feature of the lido in Maiernigg is the intense turquoise of the Wörthersee water, which will delight anyone who truly enjoys swimming in lakes. Starting out from the Maiernigg beach, you can easily follow the shoreline as you swim towards the bay of Loretto or go on a SUP tour. Located on the south side of Lake Wörthersee, Maiernigg is known best for its calm and relaxed atmosphere: On most days visitors will find plenty of parking spaces, the buffet is close to the sunbathing spots and you can chill out on the lawn (under the trees) as well as on the jetty.
Tip: The ice-cream at the Maiernigg lido is a real culinary delight. Those who manage to stick to just one scoop a day may be valiant in their service to their swimwear figure, but they are missing out on a delicious creamy treat that cannot be found elsewhere.
