On the north shore, where the lake is at its most beautiful, a small peninsula pushes into the lake, to the left and right bordered by the traditional seaside resort of Pörtschach.
The unique colour of the lake conveys a feeling of well-being even from the shore. Along the flower promenade at the Promenadenbad, the wooded headland, the Capuchin Island in front of the “Landspitz” and the flower island, accessible via a bridge, round off the unique ambience.
Pörtschach on the Wörther See has always been the epitome of Carinthian tourism. About 140 years ago this place was still a small and completely unknown fishing and farming village. Nevertheless, Pörtschach “entered history” as early as Roman times, because the Noric main road from Velden led via Töschling to Pörtschach and then along the lakeside via Goritschach, Sallach, Pritschitz and Leinsdorf to Krumpendorf, as numerous finds testify.
For centuries Pörtschach was a modest village whose population had to endure a lot of hardship (Turkish invasions, plague of locusts, plague and French wars). It was not until it became a parish in its own right (1788) and a school was built (1777) that the village gained in importance.
When the Feldkirchen farmer Franz Werzer settled in Pörtschach at the end of the 18th century and acquired a huge estate, the foundation stone for the later upswing was already laid. However, it was not until 1853 that the first “tourists” came to Pörtschach with the Wörthersee boat trip. The opening of the railway (1864) finally brought Pörtschach the “connection to the big world”.
When candles were still burning almost everywhere, Pörtschach was one of the first places in Carinthia to have electric light (1904). In the outgoing monarchy it was a highly popular internationally renowned health resort.
The beauty of the landscape and the excellent accommodation facilities ensure that the “health resort by the grace of God” (since 1886), which today has 2,670 inhabitants, will continue to be a figurehead of Carinthia.
