Villach Old Town

Villach sits where the Drau valley meets the routes south to Italy and east to Slovenia, which has made it a trading and transport town since Roman times and is why its rail junction is one of the busiest in Austria. The old town is a long market square, the Hauptplatz, running down to the river with arcaded houses on both sides, and the parish church of St Jakob at the top - late Gothic, with a tower of about ninety-five metres that leans measurably out of vertical and can be climbed for the view over the town to the Karawanken and Dobratsch. Paracelsus grew up here, where his father was a physician. The Villacher Fasching carnival is one of the largest in Austria and the summer Kirchtag fills the streets for a week.

What you actually see

• A long arcaded market square - the Hauptplatz running down to the Drau.
• A leaning church tower - about ninety-five metres, measurably out of vertical, climbable.
• A three-way crossroads - the meeting of Austrian, Italian and Slovene routes.
• Carnival and Kirchtag - two of the largest street festivals in Austria.

When to go

All year; carnival in February, Kirchtag in early August. Half a day.

Honest expectations

Festival weeks fill the town completely and prices rise. The tower climb is many steps with no lift. The old town is small - half a day covers it.

Nearby

Landskron and the Ossiacher See are north; the Faaker See is east; Italy is south.