With the weather in the UK distinctly unsummery at present, thoughts are inevitably turning to warmer climes and the prospect of a few days relaxing in the sun.
Spain, France, Greece, Florida and Italy will all be welcoming thousands of Brits in the months ahead, but the Austrian National Tourist Office insists it has something equally alluring to offer.
Carinthia, Austria's most southerly province, boasts 2,000 hours of sunshine each year and an attractively laid-back atmosphere. Austria's Alpine Riviera, in fact, is said to have "everything you'd expect from the Mediterranean".
This beautiful part of the world is also well-tailored to the British market, with many of the hotels designed with British tourists in mind. Guests can expect to find English-speaking hotel workers, English-language menus, British newspapers and British television shows.
Visitors to Carinthia are advised to visit the beautiful city of Villach and also spend some time around the spectacular lakes. The mountain ranges are equally impressive and tourists can expect to encounter numerous cathedrals and castles.
But according to the national tourist agency, visitors are also heading to Carinthia to enjoy a few rounds of golf, on courses that boast truly breathtaking scenery. There are eight courses in Carinthia and many people also cross the border to Slovenia or Italy for more choice. The mild climate in Carinthia also means that golfers can continue to enjoy fantastic conditions into the autumn months.
For raw natural beauty, Lake Worthersee is perhaps the place to go. This is Carinthia's largest lake and a charming footpath offers an enchanting walk through dense forests to impressive viewing points.
Access to this part of the world is extremely easy, with Ryanair flying direct from Stansted to Klagenfurt. Austrian Airlines is also a popular carrier and a new deal from this airline allows adult holidaymakers to take two children free of charge between June 30 and August 31. This particular offer applies to flights from Heathrow to Vienna, Graz, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Linz and Salzburg.
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