Hike to Sternberg church and the Black Castle

Beautiful hike in central Carinthia which combines nature and culture

If the weather is nice (read: sunny) the church offers a magnificent view into the Klagenfurt Basin and the nearby mountain ranges: the Julian Alps and the Karavanken.

Training shoes or hiking shoes

Beginning at the parking lot you follow the road for a few minutes towards "Stallhofen" until you reach the sign for "Sternberg." Here you take the path to the right and hike on a small road, past a beautiful prairie and farm, staying on the edge of the forest the whole way towards "Sternberg" until you reach a crossroads, where you must turn back onto a paved road. This road leads you slowly upwards to the foothills of the Sternberg. You can shorten the ascent by taking a nice trail near the road.

Continuing north, you go behind a church and begin a steep climb up the mountain until you reach a sign for "Köstenberg." Following path 6, you will go through the beautiful forest, "Hochwald," towards "Ruine Hohenwart" (Hohenwart ruins). There are always signs at the intersections pointing you in the right direction. The last few meters lead you up a steep trail to the ruins. From the castle ruins you descend quickly to a farm, where you will find a paved road that you have to follow to the left (west) downwards until "Stallhofen." From there it is only a few minutes to walk to your car.

At the cemetery in Damtschach