Austria's Alpine Riviera goes British

Mediterranean climate, crystal-clear water, chic beach resorts and culinary treats – sounds like summer on the Riviera. But this is not France or Italy – this is Carinthia. Austria's most southerly province has everything you'd expect from the med: more than 2,000 hours of sunshine per year and laid-back beach life. This summer, take it easy at the lakeside resorts of Austria's Alpine Riviera.

Very British

Carinthian hotels have set themselves the task of offering British visitors superb service and tailoring holidays to their requirements. 28 hotels in the regions of Bad Kleinkirchheim/Nockberge, Wörthersee and Carinthia's nature arena have undergone rigorous quality checks and have specialised in looking after British guests.

This extends from English-speaking personnel to English-language menus, information materials, websites, newspapers, television programmes and sightseeing, to developing a deeper understanding of what it takes to provide perfect holidays for British holidaymakers. Thus the 28 specialist hotels include 19 holiday centres that focus on hiking, 18 family hotels, 3 golf hotels, 14 hotels for cyclists and 12 spa hotels:

For more information, visit Carinthia-info.at

Very family-friendly

Carinthia has been a top-notch family holiday destination for decades. Children are welcome guests everywhere – in hotels, holiday apartments and camp sites. Extensive child facilities and child care services are part of the package in many hotels and guest houses. Farm holidays are also a firm favourite as they are always a great experience for young and old alike. Where else can you sleep in the hay, milk cows, or bake bread with the farmer's wife?

Carinthia offers family-friendly adventures galore. How about a wild experience at Affenberg, Landskron's own Ape Mountain? Or a thrilling ride across Dragon's Gorge, gliding along a nearly 200m long wire that spans a whole valley? Older children will enjoy caving at Obir dripstone cave in Carinthia, a trip around the world at the Minimundus theme park or a canoe tour of the Wörthersee.

And parents won't have to dig deep into their pockets for all this, because the Carinthia Card provides free entry, or generous discounts on entry, to more than 100 of Carinthia's destinations and attractions. A two-week Carinthia Card costs ?23 for adults and ?9 for children. Bonus: Carinthia Card is free for third and subsequent children.

Very active

With 1,270 lakes you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to swimming, surfing, sailing and diving. Hikers are enthralled by rounded hills and sheer rock peaks, the highest being Grossglockner (3,798m). And golfers can play their strokes against a fantastic backdrop of mountains.

Hiking: Carinthia's unspoilt natural scenery offers lots of scope, at every degree of difficulty, for all those who like to get about by shank's pony, ranging from gentle walks across wide plains to climbing trails in high Alpine terrain.

Lake Wörthersee is an especially attractive region. Carinthia's biggest lake presents itself in all its beauty along the 65 kilometre-long Höhenwanderweg footpath, which leads through dense forests to spectacular viewing points and picturesque ponds. And when your feet have had enough, give them a break in a wayside inn, sample specialities such as cheese noodles, bacon and dumplings, or sail back to your holiday home in comfort on board a Wörthersee sightseeing cruise.

Nock Mountains and the Carinthia Nature Arena are equally enticing, with their stunning scenery, extensive hiking trails and plenty of ancient Alpine huts.

Golf: Carinthia has a particularly high density of golf courses, with 11 greens at your doorstep (eight in Carinthia, one in neighbouring Slovenia and two in Italy). Golf is truly an intercultural, international pursuit here. An added bonus: because of the mild climate, golfers enjoy superb conditions until late autumn. Golfers staying at one of Carinthia’s golf hotels pay reduced green fees of only £33. Courses in Italy and Slovenia offer discounts of 20%. Visit golfland.kaernten.at to find out more.

To top it off, many hotels are geared towards British holiday visitors and Ryanair flies direct from London Stansted to Klagenfurt - meaning Brits can get to the Alpine Riviera in just two hours.

Very good deals

3 nights in a 3-star hotel on half board, transfers from airport to hotel and back, a guided walk, and Carinthia Card cost from £100.

How to get there

Ryanair flies from London Stansted to Klagenfurt three times a week.