I visited the winter destination with one of Europe’s longest slides, two Christmas markets and ‘gluhwein’
BELLS jingle as our horse and carriage glides through the snowy forest illuminated by lanterns on the path.
We’re making our way from the Austrian mountain village of Katschberg along the Advent Trail.
As we stop, traditional alpine music fills the air as locals chatter and enjoy a hearty gluhwein (like mulled wine, but better) or local beer in a festively-lit wooden lodge.
Crunching through the snow, we’re offered warm fruit tea as we make our way past other scenic lodges.
In one, a choir gives an intimate performance of festive carols.
In another, miniature ponies and sheep find warmth in the hay and accept pats from passers-by.
It is a wonderful festive path, but it is far from the only thing on offer in this part of Austria.
Carinthia, the southern-most region, is known for its stunning mountain vistas and quaint lakeside villages and is almost the epitome of Christmases from days gone by.
My journey began in Klagenfurt, tucked in between the mountains on the eastern shore of Lake Worthersee, a 20-minute drive from the airport.
The region’s capital, it’s known as the Renaissance Pearl of Austria, owing to its reconstruction by an Italian architect in the 17th century.
It is home to theatres, beautiful churches and more than enough bars and restaurants.
But the city is also perfect for a stroll, and you don’t need more than half an hour to walk from one side to the other.
It’s also home to two beautiful Christmas markets.
The one in front of the city hall sells everything from beautiful trinkets to local foods — the cheesemonger was a particular favourite.
The other, open from Thursdays to Sundays, sees pointed tents and glistening fairy lights line the stone banks of the small canal.
Here, skilled artisans work away at wooden gifts and barmen offer warm mugs of apple and rum for around £4.
Being among the welcoming, festive atmosphere and groups of families and friends, I felt like a local.
While you require plenty of layers in the day, the chill in the air is offset by the bright sun, which brings out the best of the mountainous landscape.
From the village of Velden, on the other side of the lake, we caught a cruise boat that offered views across to evergreen forests and snow-capped peaks — and had a bar well-stocked with Aperol spritz.
We made land in the tiny village of Maria Worth, with its miniature Christmas market and beautiful church that reached up from the water.
From here, it was only a short drive up the Pyramidenkogel mountain, on top of which is a wooden observation tower with 360-degree views across the region.
Entrance costs £14 but is worth it.
The views stretch across the whole of the bright-blue Lake Worthersee and to the pin-pricks of villages dotted around its shore.
Thanks to the clean, fresh alpine air, we were able to see as far as the borders of Italy and Slovenia, the horizon only obscured by huge mountains and dense forests.
Even better is the slide — one of the longest in Europe — that whizzes you down to the bottom of the tower in 20 seconds.
Accommodation was reasonably priced, with smart hotels round the corner from the markets in Klagenfurt and cosy Alpine lodges in the mountains offering something more traditional.
Food might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Austria, but think again.
At Das Kulinarium in Klagenfurt, we enjoyed a fine-dining four-course meal for £65.50pp featuring melt-in-the-mouth amuse bouches and battered sage leaves pinned to a miniature tree.
Then came hazelnut foam soup and truffle French toast, followed by a main of either Arctic char (closely related to salmon) or veal.
Cheaper options in other restaurants, such as the Bierhaus zum Augustin in the city centre, were just as delicious, with plenty of meat and fish from the surrounding countryside, at around £16 for a main.
This is a region filled with the spirit of Christmas, and the welcome it gave was a gift all in itself.
GO: AUSTRIAN ALPS
GETTING THERE: Ryanair flies from Stansted to Klagenfurt twice weekly in winter from £13 one way.
See ryanair.com.
STAYING THERE: Select Hotel Moser Verdino in Klagenfurt has double rooms from £71. See select-hotels.com.
Hotel Bacher in Katschberg has rooms from £84 per night, half-board.
See urlaub-katschberg.at.
MORE INFO: See visitcarinthia.at; visitklagenfurt.at and katschberg.at.