Kötschach and Mauthen are twin settlements, linked to create a single small town at the mouth of the Lesaschtal, less than 15 minutes from St Jakob. They both have elegant gothic churches, with interesting frescoes (which tend to be on the outside in this part of the world!), and share an extensive museum dedicated to the fighting that took place on the neighbouring peaks in WW1. There are shops and restaurants and two swimming pools – one of them a ‘naturschwimmbad’, a linked series of swimming ponds. There are opportunities to go horse-riding for the day and bicycles can be hired, for gentle pottering (downstream of Kötschach the Gail valley bottom is wide and almost flat) or more strenuous outings. Water-borne pursuits available nearby include kayaking, canyoning and of course rafting.
If you have a hire car you can explore further afield too. Under an hour away is the charming old town of Lienz: its pedestrian squares have an Italian flavour and the 13th Century Schloss (Castle) Bruck houses the town museum and a wonderful 15th Century fresco cycle in its two-tier chapel. Just outside Lienz excavation is still under way at Aguntum, site of a Roman town – with extensive ruins to be explored and an excellent small museum.
Even on our Original Car-Free Escapes there is some scope to explore independently if you don’t feel like walking, and options are provided in the handbook.
