Schlaiten: Trails, Waterfall and Village Culture

Schlaiten combines an impressive high-altitude location, sacred art and trails through a varied landscape. The settlement lies almost entirely on a terrace southwest of the Isel, around 150 metres above the valley floor of the Isel Valley. This makes the village a special starting point for anyone wishing to combine village culture and nature experiences during their trip.

Between the Church, Chapels and Living Village Culture

A defining cultural and historical feature is Schlaiten Parish Church. Its Baroque high altar dates from 1735 and was created by Johann Paterer. On the west side of the church, at the end of the cemetery, is the arcade passage known as the “Nothelfergang”. Its 15 niches contain statues of Saint Paul and the 14 Holy Helpers. After being enlarged, the parish church was consecrated to Saint Paul in 1658. Schlaiten subsequently became a much-visited pilgrimage destination, particularly for people from Upper Carinthia.

The Chapel of Saints Chrysanth and Daria also contributes its own art-historical detail: it houses a Neo-Romanesque high altar dating from 1888. Those interested in church art, religious history and the development of small village churches will find several different points of interest in Schlaiten rather than just a single attraction.

Local festival culture includes numerous festivals, celebrations and events held in the village square throughout the year. These include the Schlipfkrapfen Festival. When planning a trip, the village square can therefore be interesting both as a cultural point of orientation and as a setting for regional traditions. You should check the respective dates separately to ensure they fit your trip.

Panorama Trail with Waterfall and Forest Chapel

The Schlaiten Panorama and Adventure Trail leads from Schlaiten village square to Daberer Waterfall. It also passes the vlg. Gridling farmstead, considered an old miners’ house dating from the 16th century, and leads to the “Good Shepherd” Forest Chapel. This allows nature, local history and sacred sites to be connected in thought along a single route, without limiting the day to just one type of experience.

For families with different interests, this combination can be helpful when choosing the focus of their holiday: while some travellers are primarily looking for the waterfall or the landscape, others are more interested in the old miners’ house or the forest chapel. The individual stops provide specific themes for planning the day, without requiring you to focus exclusively on culture or exclusively on physical activity.

High-Altitude Location and Trails along the Isel

At 2,805 metres, Bockstein is the highest point in the municipality of Schlaiten and is considered a popular vantage mountain. It therefore represents a distinctly mountain-oriented side of the area. Anyone planning a trip with a stronger focus on high-altitude terrain, views and hiking can take this destination into account when personally selecting accommodation and planning their holiday days. Information on the route, walking time or difficulty level is not provided here for Bockstein and should be clarified separately before undertaking a specific tour.

The Iseltrail offers another perspective on the landscape. Between Schlaiten and St. Johann im Walde, it runs in the immediate vicinity of the Isel, mostly along the embankment. The trail thus complements the higher-altitude impressions around Bockstein with a route through the river landscape. Depending on the type of trip you want, when looking for a holiday apartment in Schlaiten you can therefore consider whether village culture, a panorama and adventure trail, a vantage mountain or proximity to the Iseltrail should be the main focus.

Discover More Places

If you would like to include other places in your travel plans alongside Schlaiten, here is a compact selection: Obertilliach, Leisach, Matrei in East Tyrol, Außervillgraten, St. Veit in Defereggen, Lavant, Raneburg and Tristach.

For the overarching travel overview: Lienz.