If you enter "water + mountains" and "farm with animals" in the usual search engines, you are not far from Farm holidays. This is exactly how Jan and his family from Oldenburg in northern Germany first landed on the Austrian farmholidays website, where, after a quick search, they booked the Neusacher-Moser farm in Carinthia directly online. That was in 2012 - since then, the family of five has traveled to Lake Weissensee every year. "If you had told me ten years ago that I would be vacationing in the same place eight times, I would have just laughed." But this loyalty to a location has its advantages: "When you arrive in Carinthia, you're immediately in vacation mode. After such a long time, you really know everything. The break from everyday life starts from the very first second."
Stress-free and environmentally friendly journey by train
So even the journey is relaxing. After a stressful journey by car in the first year, it soon became clear to the family that they would travel by train in future. "Not only do we save ourselves the stress on the highway, it's also much more relaxed for the children on the train." While the train practically runs from Bremen to Carinthia (currently 1x change in Munich/Salzburg and 1x Spittal Millstättersee to Greifenburg-Weissensee), the local tourist office has e-cars for hire, a shuttle service and numerous bicycles for young and old. So you won't miss your car when you're here. It's also cheaper and simply more sustainable.
The Bremen native, who is now a convinced electric car driver himself, has been concerned about environmental issues for some time. "If something isn't done soon, things will look bad for our climate. The question is: what can each individual do in terms of sustainability on vacation?" The best thing is still to leave the car at all if possible, says the 40-year-old, who enjoys the fact that the region has such a well-developed range of mobile options for holidaymakers who are here without a vehicle.
Variety of possibilities
Equally sophisticated and yet authentic is the unique offer that the North German family finds at the Neusacher-Moser farm. "It's the informality and relaxed atmosphere combined with warm hospitality that make our Farm holidays so enjoyable. You can just tell that Thomas and his family love being hosts," says Jan, listing some of the reasons why this farm, which has been owned by the Winkler family for 700 years, has become the vacation destination of the heart.
Being integrated into farm life, the natural surroundings and the breathtaking landscape with Lake Weissensee as the central location are further reasons for their loyalty over the years. "We have everything we could wish for: Wonderful mountains that are ideal for family hikes or mountain bike tours, numerous animals on the farm that not only make children's eyes light up and our own bathing beach practically a foot's length away from the farm." Swimming and splashing around in the highest bathing lake in the Alps, whose water thermometer climbs up to 25 degrees in summer, are right at the top of the to-do list. They also use the rowing boat or SUP or build a dam with great dedication.
Temporary freedom for young and old
In addition to the typical outdoor activities on and in the water, the farm experience is not neglected: the children either play with the animals on the farm, help with the hay harvest, have fun in the fitness room or take a tractor ride to the mountain pasture to collect the freshly milked milk. The question of what could be on the program for the little ones the next day comes naturally. "We often don't see our children for the whole day." They usually only pop in for a quick meal. Plenty of opportunity for the grown-ups to relax a little. Because when the children are doing well, the parents are also on vacation. "It's only when old farmer Brigitte prepares one of her delicious Kaiserschmarren that the whole house literally runs together," laughs Jan, who really appreciates the fact that the children are allowed to move around so freely.
The offspring really enjoy their freedom during their vacation in Carinthia. "Of course, fun and games are also a priority at home, but when we can walk across blooming summer meadows here and are just a few steps away from the lake, it's just something else," says the eldest of the three children, who celebrated her 12th birthday last year. The young woman from Bremen enjoys the fact that her own cell phone takes a back seat for at least 14 days a year and can be confidently put aside. The precious moments on vacation are meant to be enjoyed. The omnipresent mobile devices are an unnecessary distraction and are only pulled out of the pocket for a quick souvenir photo at most. The Carinthian mountain and lake landscape is completely new to the family. "Here in Bremen, the terrain is completely flat. It gives you a completely different perspective when you hike up the mountain or explore the other side of the lake on a stand-up paddleboard."
Change of perspective on Lago Bianco
You can also get to know the lake from a different perspective with a tractor ride into the mountains. Young farmer Thomas likes to take his guests up to the mountain pasture to give them the opportunity to help milk the farm's own cows. A special experience is the group hike up the Spitzegel. From the summit cross, you can marvel at the fascinating beauty of the sparkling white and turquoise blue lake from afar, which has reminded many a globetrotter of tropical waters.
One of the highlights on "Lago Bianco", as Lake Weissensee is often called, is the annual boat parade. One summer, the vacation family from Germany was allowed to decorate the rowing boat: "We made a beautiful sign out of reeds and even received an award. But above all, we had a lot of fun." On the boat, the lake shows itself from a completely different side. Being surrounded by its crystal-clear, drinking water, in which the colors of the setting sun are reflected, while you take the rowing boat to the town center in the evening: These are vacation experiences that you won't soon forget.
The road to the Caribbean in the Alps
If you are looking for unforgettable adventures in unspoiled nature, you will find what you are looking for at Neusacher Moser. Swimming, fishing, hiking, mountain biking in summer and skiing, ice skating, cross-country skiing and ski touring in winter are just a few of the activities on Lake Weissensee.
The organic farm also has plenty of culinary delights to offer: Holidaymakers can experience how a high-quality raw product is turned into a variety of refined delicacies such as butter, ham or bacon. And if you want, you can simply enjoy the tranquillity of the largely unspoilt lake and unwind for a moment.
Although Jan and his family occasionally went on vacation to the North Sea, they were drawn back to Carinthia the following year. "The children wanted to return to Weißensee. There was no discussion." A decision made in a matter of seconds.
With support from the federal government, the federal states and the European Union (LE 14-20)
Marlies Glatz
Assistent Farm Holidays in Carinthia, 13 Article(s)
