Styria … The southernmost province, of which Graz is the capital, is’ surnamed “the green state” for its beautiful wooded countryside. Here the peasants and the visitors wear the Styrian gray and green hunting suits and the Styrian version of the dirndl, most popular in Austria. Alt Aussee is the perfect place to stay. Bad Aussee, the larger center, is lovely with its white-faced, dark-timbered houses with balconies covered with beautiful flowers.
Life here is lived and also ended with a great deal of ceremony. An Aussee wedding is a sight to see, as is a funeral with the glass and ebony, the plumes, and horses with their gleaming silver harnesses. There are well-known hotels here such as the Post. Go to Alt Aussee and take a room at the Hotel Am See with a balcony overlooking the lake. While having breakfast watch the Dachstein glacier with the strange glints of morning light. Go canoeing on the lake and watch it (you can almost taste the ice from the glacier) . You should take a brine bath into which will have been dropped a few thimblefuls of strong pine oil for an exhilarating feeling. Near Aussee is Bad Ischl and the famous Salzkammergut lakes, easily reached from Salzburg.
Carinthia … Like Styria, the Province of Carinthia is also located in the southern part of Austria–to the west of Styria, bordering Italy. Carinthia’s Woerthersee is Austria’s best-known summer resort. It is a country with beautiful lakes and mountains, and because of its location south of the main alpine region, spring comes earlier and fall lasts much longer. Lake bathing is possible from middle of May until middle of October.
Carinthia has excellent winter-sport resorts also, such as Kanzelhoehe, famous for its perfect snow and many hours of sunshine. The highlight of Carinthia is Velden on Woerthersee, known all over Europe. It is a picturesque lake resort with first-class hotels (the Schloss is one of the best in Austria), an interesting program of social entertainment, including champion waterskiing. There are flower festivals, corsos, international dancing competitions, boat races, etc.
At Velden, Poertschach or Klagenfurt you can swim, sail, water ski, play tennis or golf to your heart’s content. One of the few golf courses in Austria is located in Dellach, a fifteen-minute drive from Velden. Millstatt and Seeboden on Millstaettersee are also very nice lake resorts with good hotels. The many castles are another most interesting aspect of Carinthia. The ideal castle tour is from Klagenfurt via Hochosterwitz to the old walled town of Friesach and the ancient town of Gurk.