The small-scale theme park Heidi Alm at the mountain lake Falkertsee in Carinthia is a nice place to go in the Austrian summer with your young children.
There is plenty to do in and around the Nockberge Biosphere Reserve, which is located in northern Carinthia, near the border with the provinces of Salzburg and Styria. One of the highlights is a drive along the scenic Nockalmstraße; a place that is also perfect for hiking. With older kids, you can go to the Nocky Flitzer summer toboggan run in the nearby Turracherhöhe. But where do you go with young kids under seven?
With children under seven (I went with my cousins aged two and five), the Heidi Alm and Falkertsee are great places to visit.
Heidi Alm
Animated TV series
Do you know Heidi, the five-year-old girl who spends time with her grandfather in the Swiss Alps? As a kid, I watched the animated series from time to time. I wasn’t a big fan of the series because it was already a bit outdated, but I do remember the theme song (especially the yodeling part – and for some reason the German version instead of the Dutch version). My cousins had never seen the series because it is no longer airing, but that is easily remedied with Youtube. The day before we went to the Heidi Alm, we watched a few episodes of the Heidi show and as a result, the next day my cousins could recognize most of the characters in the theme park!
Theme Park
The theme park is not large, but just big enough for the attention span and walking ability of young children. There are no interactive attractions that could make the park interesting for older children. After you enter the park, you follow the path from start to finish. Along the path are statues of the characters, set to reenact scenes from the animated series. Kids love to join the scenes and take pictures with the characters.
Little “hidden” side paths are fun to explore and reward the explorer with extra things to see. Scattered throughout the park are several playgrounds, the largest of which is just before the exit. If you come at the right time, your child can ride on a pony near the restaurant (and restroom) in the middle of the park. Adults will be running after their children as they excitedly run from scene to scene.
The Heidi Alm is in a beautiful location in the Austrian mountains. The view from the path that goes up and down and meanders through the landscape is soothing. So there is also plenty to see for those that are no longer kids.
Falkertsee
Near the entrance to the Heidi Alm is the small mountain lake the Falkertsee. The size of this lake is also perfect for young children, as most can manage a half-hour walk around the lake. The views are nice and the trail is relatively easy to walk on (as in, you’ll have to help the two-year-old a bit, but the five-year-old can do it on his own).
At the lake, you can stop at one of the cabins for a drink and a snack. If it’s open, I recommend a visit to the Hålta Hütte, where they serve homemade drinks, tarts and tapas.
How to get to the Heidi Alm and Falkertsee
The Heidi Alm and Falkersee are an hour’s drive from Mauterndorf (Salzburg province) or Villach (Carinthia province). Follow the Turracher Straße to Vorwald, where you take the road up to the Falkertsee.
You can park your car near the Heidi Alm, just before you would turn left to get to the entrance. Opposite the parking lot is the sports store Nock Sport Huber, in case you need warmer clothes. The kids only have eyes for the trampoline next to the store.
You get to the Falkertsee by walking past the entrance to the Heidi Alm.
Location: Heidi Alm, Falkertsee 2, 9564 Falkert, Austria
Opening hours
In summer (approximately from the end of May to the end of October), the Heidi Alm is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00. Tickets cost 12 EUR for adults and 6 EUR for children between 2 and 14 years. With the Kärnten Card, admission is free.
