#HowWeVacation: A reunion with childhood

Maren and Sina are two genuine girls from the Black Forest. It was their parents who introduced them to the vacation destination of Carinthia when they were two and four years old and checked into Schlossgut Gundersdorf near the capital Klagenfurt for the first time. Looking back, they both confirm: "It was love at first sight. For us children, the vastness, the pool, living and working with the animals were unique. We were allowed to occupy ourselves the whole day without having to stick to a fixed program." That's why the anticipation was enormous every year when the car was loaded up again and the family set off on the journey south. Blissful moments marked the vacations, the two sisters grew up until one day teenage years knocked on the door, as they remark with a smile: "Farm holidays weren't quite as interesting anymore." The years went by, Maren and Sina grew up, travels across the globe followed until they both started happy families.

The taste of childhood

One day, Maren's own childhood came back to her mind and she remembered where she spent unforgettable vacations as a young girl: at Schlossgut Gundersdorf. "I didn't hesitate for long, called them to see if there was still a place for me and my family and packed my bags." Soon after this cordial phone call, the car rolled onto the estate and everyone was delighted. "My family felt just as comfortable from day one as I did back then." A feeling she was keen to share with her sister: "I told Sina about this rediscovered vacation magic." In the same year, her sister also booked her family vacation in Carinthia and could only confirm the feeling after 35 years: "For me, it was like a kind of homecoming and a moving moment when I entered the Schlossgut again after so many years: the smells were the same as I remembered them, I felt transported back to my own childhood." Because here at the Horner family's Schlossgut Gundersdorf, children can simply be children, they can let off steam, ask questions and are involved in the daily work on the farm. "They don't have to work here, they can just be," says Sina, appreciating the hosts' philosophy. They have been working and living under one roof for four generations now, and the estate has been family-owned since 1914. No one makes a secret of the fact that it is not always easy to keep a listed building in tune with the times for the benefit of tourism; on the contrary, they are passionate and dedicated to ensuring that old and new coexist in harmony. Guests can feel this in every corner of the historic building. Or as one guest described it in his online review: "This is Carinthia's Tuscany."

The right thing for everyone

Anyone who wants to help out is welcome to do so at Schlossgut Gundersdorf at any time, while those who prefer to relax and unwind can choose from a variety of quiet spots. Thanks to the well-stocked farm store, a visit to the supermarket is not absolutely necessary, which guests like Sina and Maren really appreciate: "We have a full board, so to speak. We get everything our hearts desire in the farm store: bread, honey, bacon, fruit and much more. Everything is sourced locally and is top quality. This means we can decide spontaneously every day what to put on the table without having to start the car." This leaves time for vacation moments with the whole family. These are the moments that are often neglected in everyday life and that everyone will remember for years to come.