Virgen

In 2006 Virgen was voted “Europe’s most beautiful flower village”.

Altitude: 1,200 m asl

Between the Grossglockner and the Grossvenediger mountain, there is Virgen, a charming village located at the entrance of the Virgental valley. Due to its position between the Virger and the Lasörling mountain chain, this area is characterised by a beneficial climate. In fact, Virge in Slavonic language means “sunny place”, and the two mountain chains even keep away the cold wind.

In summer Virgen offers a range of excursion destinations, for example the Venediger high path, which leads you into a fascinating world of mountains. Other likewise popular destinations are the ruin Rabenstein (see pic) and the pilgrimage church Maria Schnee in Obermauern. This church features a fresco cycle that time and again is fascinating anew. More sensual is the nature trail “Weg der Sinne” (the path of senses), on which the motto is “listening, smelling and touching”.

As in winter the skiing area Matreier Goldried is within easy reach, you can enjoy skiing on 55 km of ski slopes and make your winter vacation in Virgen an unforgettable experience. In the village there is a little T-bar lift, which is perfectly suitable for children as well as beginners. Or maybe you prefer tobogganing? In the village there is a toboggan run called “Würfelehütte”, which features a lenght of about 2 km and is illuminated at night.

Our tip: The “Virger Widderzug” takes place on the first Saturday after Easter. This event is about a ram that is auctioned in favour of a pilgrimage church. This tradition dates back to the Thirty Years’ War, to the time when this area was pest-ridden. After this time the inhabitants promised to do a pilgrimage with a ram to Lavant…