famous road
Villach Alpine Road
A 16.5 km panoramic toll road climbing from Villach up the Dobratsch massif to 1,732 m, with sweeping viewpoints over the Julian Alps and the Karawanks along the way.
9 km · about 15 min drive
EuropeAustriaCarinthia
Villach
Carinthia, Austria · Europe
About Villach
Villach works well as a base: 9km from Villach Alpine Road.
Villach is in Carinthia, Austria, with about 59,000 people. You drive on the right here.
Villach (German pronunciation: [ˈfɪlax] ; Slovene: Beljak; Italian: Villaco; Friulian: Vilac) is the seventh-largest city in Austria and the second-largest in the state of Carinthia. It is an important traffic junction for southern Austria and the whole Alpe-Adria region. As of 2025, Villach had a population ofRead more
65,749.
Together with other Alpine towns Villach engages in the Alpine Town of the Year Association for the implementation of the Alpine Convention to achieve sustainable development in the Alpine Arc.
In 1997, Villach was the first town to be awarded Alpine Town of the Year.
Where to Stay in Villach
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Villach?
Within an hour or so of Villach: Villach Alpine Road (9 km), Lake Jasna (16 km), Zelenci Nature Reserve (16 km), Peričnik Falls (19 km).
Are there any good drives near Villach?
The nearest famous roads are Villach Alpine Road, Vršič Pass and Mangart Saddle Road.
Where is Villach?
Villach is in Carinthia, Austria.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 58,882
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Austria
- Region
- Carinthia
- Timezone
- Europe/Vienna
- Coordinates
- 46.6103, 13.8558
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Austria
Motorway vignette required. ÖAMTC roadside assistance: 120.
Full driving guide for AustriaTags
Worth the detour from Villach
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
scenic viewpoint
Lake Jasna
A mirror-still emerald lake with a golden ibex statue at the foot of the Vršič Pass near Kranjska Gora.
16 km · about 20 min drive
natural wonder
Zelenci Nature Reserve
Emerald spring lake near Kranjska Gora where the Sava Dolinka river surfaces through white chalk bubbling from the lakebed. The water stays 5-6°C year-round and never freezes; boardwalks lead from a roadside car park.
16 km · about 30 min drive
waterfall
Peričnik Falls
A 52 m waterfall in the Vrata Valley below Triglav that you can walk fully behind: the overhanging rock lets the path pass between cliff and cascade. Ten minutes on foot from the roadside Koča pri Peričniku hut.
19 km · about 20 min drive
landmark
Russian Chapel (Vršič Pass)
A wooden chapel built by Russian prisoners of war who died building the Vršič road in 1916, standing among pines on the northern ramp.
20 km · about 25 min drive
mountain pass
Vršič Pass
Slovenia's highest pass at 1611m with 50 numbered cobblestone hairpins, built by Russian POWs in WWI and now a popular Julian Alps motorcycle route.
21 km · about 25 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Pyramidenkogel Tower
The world's tallest wooden observation tower (100 m) spirals above the Wörthersee, reached by a drivable summit road; go up by lift or 441 steps and down Europe's highest indoor slide.
22 km · about 25 min drive
mountain pass
Mangart Saddle Road
Slovenia's highest-reaching road at 2055m, a narrow single-track shelf road with no guardrails climbing to a dramatic saddle beneath the Mangart peak.
25 km · about 30 min drive
Driving roads near Villach
7 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 60km.
- Right hereVillach Alpine RoadA 16.5 km panoramic toll road climbing from Villach up the Dobratsch massif to 1,732 m, with sweeping viewpoints over the Julian Alps and the Karawanks along the way.
- 16 kmLake JasnaA mirror-still emerald lake with a golden ibex statue at the foot of the Vršič Pass near Kranjska Gora.
- 21 kmVršič PassSlovenia's highest pass at 1611m with 50 numbered cobblestone hairpins, built by Russian POWs in WWI and now a popular Julian Alps motorcycle route.
- 22 kmPyramidenkogel TowerThe world's tallest wooden observation tower (100 m) spirals above the Wörthersee, reached by a drivable summit road; go up by lift or 441 steps and down Europe's highest indoor slide.
- 25 kmMangart Saddle RoadSlovenia's highest-reaching road at 2055m, a narrow single-track shelf road with no guardrails climbing to a dramatic saddle beneath the Mangart peak.
- 25 kmMangart SaddleThe end of Slovenia's highest road at 2,072 m, a narrow single-track climb with tunnels cut through rock spurs and a huge Julian Alps view.
Driving in Austria
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.62/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
- Vignette
- Required, around €12.4 for a short-stay sticker
When to drive here
April to October
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