Autumn holiday in Carinthia on an Alpine lake.

The scent of fresh herbs, hearty cheese and spicy salami wafts over the Benediktinermarkt in Klagenfurt, probably Carinthia's most traditional farmers' market, which is definitely worth visit on the market days of Thursday and Saturday. Carinthian delicacies and specialities from the entire Alps-Adriatic region are served with a rustic cosiness, in locations from the simplest snack bar to an award-winning market pub.

Climatically favoured sunny south-facing slopes, produce exquisite and internationally award-winning Carinthian wines ranging from Sauvignon Blanc to Pinot Noir, which are produced by around 130 local wine-growers. Among the most renowned in the heart of Carinthia is the Taggenbrunn winery above the ducal town of St. Veit an der Glan, where in addition to the exquisite wines, you can also enjoy numerous other culinary temptations in the Heurigen restaurant. The unmistakable symbol of the winery is the 15-metre-high sculpture "Time Goddess" by the universal artist André Heller.

Carinthian wine is on the rise - and the TrippelGUT on Lake Maltschach in central Carinthia proves this particularly well. The winery grows the Welschriesling, Pinot Blanc, Gelber Muskateller, Sauvignon Blanc, Donauriesling, Pinot Gris, Zweigelt, Pinot Noir and Merlot varieties in three different vineyards. Tastings and guided tours of the wine cellar are available by appointment. Together with specialities from Carinthia and the Alps-Adriatic region, the wines can be tasted in the restaurant or purchased in the farm shop. You can reach the TrippelGUT from the Karnerhof by car in about half an hour.

A 60-minute walk from Hotel Karnerhof is the Tarborhöhe, 725 metres above Lake Faaker See. The panoramic summit is a popular excursion destination for Carinthians and offers a wonderful all-round view of the lake and its surroundings. Numerous legends and myths swirl around the densely forested Tabor and the neighbouring Wauberg. Archaeological excavations have found evidence that the Tarbor was inhabited as early as the Neolithic period 8,000 years ago.

Over a length of 16.5 kilometres, the mountain panorama road leads up to the Dobratsch, offering impressive views of the city of Villach, the Finkenstein Castle arena, the Julian Alps, the Karawank range and the many lakes of the region. Along the route you'll come across inns, rest areas, hiking trails and children's playgrounds. The "Rote Wand" or red wall viewing platform and the Gams and Gipfelblick platforms are particularly recommended for their views. The Villach Alpine Road is passable year round by car, motorbike or bicycle.

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On a clear autumn day, it's a unique experience climbing up to the highest wooden observation tower in the world at the summit of the Pyramidenkogel. More of a sculpture than a structure, the Pyramidenkogel spirals into the Carinthian sky. Its viewing platforms offer a 360-degree panoramic view of Carinthia's mountain and lake landscape. The Mittagskogel, the Finkenstein Castle arena, the Dobratsch, the Gerlitzen as well as the towns of Villach, Klagenfurt, Pörtschach and Velden on Lake Wörthersee can all be seen from here.

The Museum of the City of Villach, founded in 1873, is one of the oldest municipal museums in Austria. Located in Widmanngasse in the heart of the Drau city, the museum focuses on the history, culture and art of the region on 800 square metres of exhibition space. The permanent exhibition includes an archaeological section with finds from six millennia, including Stone Age relics from Kanzianiberg, ceramics from the Bronze and Iron Ages and Roman and Celtic coins; an exhibition on the history of the city and the development of Villach; and a collection of art up to the present day with works by Canciani, Clementschitsch, Willroider and many others. In addition, different aspects of Villach's history are highlighted in regular special exhibitions.

The museum is located in the small village of Nötsch in the Gailtal, which can be easily reached from the Karnerhof in less than half an hour. The "Nötscher Kreis" was an informal circle of painter friends whose work had a lasting influence on Austrian art in the first half of the 20th century. The painters Sebastian Isepp, Anton Kolig, Franz Wiegele and Anton Mahringer were either born in the region or moved to Nötsch in the course of their lives. The museum, which opened in 1998, is housed in Wiegele's birthplace and offers a cross-section of work by the four artists.

Just over an hour away, the way from the Karnerhof to the Liaunig Museum takes a little longer - but it's worth it. Located in Neuhaus/Suha near the Slovenian border, this private art museum exhibits the collection of industrialist Herbert Liaunig. It is one of the most extensive collections of Austrian art from 1945 onwards, complemented by works of classical modernism and a selection of works by international artists.

The minimalist yet striking museum building made of exposed concrete, steel and glass by the Viennese architectural team "querkraft" blends seamlessly into the green southern Carinthian landscape above the Drava River. The Museum Liaunig opened in 2008, was awarded the Austrian Museum Prize in 2011 and was listed as a protected monument as early as 2012.