Nikolsdorf

Altitude: 661 metres a.s.l.

The municipality of Nikolsdorf in the Drautal valley is composed of the hamlets of Nikolsdorf, Lengberg and Nörsach, as well as some scattered farms on the valley floor, only 13 km from Lienz. The municipality extends to the neighbouring region of Kärnten and is therefore the easternmost municipality of Tyrol.

Nikolsdorf is overlooked by the Schloss Lengberg castle. This fortress dates back to around 1100 when it was owned by the counts of Lechsgemünde. For more than six centuries the castle was in the hands of the archbishops before being acquired by Tyrol in the 15th century. Following several renovation works which were carried out recently, it was opened to the public. The freedom monument in the village is worth visiting too. It was built around 1900 in memory of the Tyrolean Rebellion in 1797 when French troops occupied the Tyrolean territory.

Besides its rich cultural heritage, Nikolsdorf is also a fantastic starting point for several outdoor sports. Children will fall in love with the Waldschwimmbad, a swimming pool in the forest. The locality is complete with several tennis courts and a sports centre and is directly connected to the Drau cycle path. The Nikolsdorfer Runde (lit. tour of Nikolsdorf) is a true challenge for passionate mountain bikers. This 40-km long itinerary needs to be completed within three hours. From Nikolsdorf you can also undertake stunning hikes through the Hohe Tauern Nationalpark and into the Lienz Dolomites. The Kalserhütte hut at 1,800 m a.s.l. can be reached in around three hours of walking time.

Adventure seekers who are keen on trying a new sport can delve into the world of rafting by contacting a rafting association offering rafting courses. If you are still not satisfied you can try to fly on a glider.

In winter you can practise cross-country skiing on the 12 km tracks in the village or along the 60 km long trails outside the village. Other outdoor sports facilities available here are an ice rink and the sledge run of Nikolsdorf. You can also experience a ski safari in East Tyrol and in Kärnten. From Nikolsdorf you can easily reach nine skiing areas in the surroundings in a 10-40 minute drive and have fun on the ski slopes with only one ski pass.