Sun Classics presents a scenic Alpine tour for September

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Sun Classics is a Dutch rally company started by Kitty and Marco Brocken which organises driving tours around some of Europe's most beautiful landscapes. Starting in 2021 with a leisurely meander through Tyrol and the Dolomites, it returned in 2022 with a route around the romantic mountains of Corsica. For 2024, it presents the Wörthersee Rally, a tour taking in the best scenery which Austria, Slovenia and Italy have to offer from September 15th to 21st.

With an emphasis on enjoyment and relaxation, drivers are encouraged to complete the rally at their own pace without feeling rushed, so there will be plenty of opportunities to stop and take in the spectacular views or enjoy a long lunch. There will be prizes, however, for accurate navigation, so there's something there for those among us who can't resist a bit of competition.

Participants will be based at Schloss Seefels, the beautiful mid-Victorian, five-star hôtel on the shores of the Wörthersee, the 10-mile ribbon of shimmering water nestled among the foothills of Carinthia. By starting and finishing at the hôtel every day, the rally promises to be as convenient as possible, eliminating the need to haul luggage from one place to another. When not driving, Schloss Seefels offers participants the opportunity to enjoy every luxury, from the well-stocked bar to the heated swimming pool in the lake.

Each day's route will introduce the drivers to a different part of Austria, Italy or Slovenia, with many twisting mountain passes presenting a challenging drive for which the reward is unrivalled vistas across hills and valleys. Some of these passes are smoothly paved, but others still retain their historic cobblestones... Other highlights will include cultural visits including the celebrated mediæval Hochosterwitz Castle, a formidable sight atop its commanding hilltop seat, and a romantic evening dinner excursion on the Wörthersee itself, courtesy of the MS Klagenfurt.

The scenery, itinerary and driving ought to be enough to appeal to anyone, but there are only 24 spaces available on the rally and just 10 remain. The Wörthersee Rally is open to all cars without plastic bumpers, though later cars may be admitted at the organisers' discretion.

For more information and to apply for entry, visit www.sun-classics.com or contact the organisers directly by calling +31 6 2234 8661 or +43 676 372 3360, or e-mailing [email protected]


Itinerary
After arrival on the Sunday, the driving starts on Monday, September 16th, from Schloss Seefels. The first day's driving will cover 146 miles, stopping first of all to visit Gurk Cathedral, a majestic 12th-century building in the Romanesque style. Heading into more mountainous territory, drivers will cross the Lasaberg and see the village of Bundschuh with its historic blast furnace, now the Hochofenmuseum, which tells the story of the local steel smelters. From there, the road winds through the verdant Nock Mountains, part of a UNESCO nature reserve since 2012, and will eventually lead past Karlbad, home to a 300-year-old wood-fired medicinal bath, the oldest of its kind in Austria. To close the day, the route will lead through Feldkirchen to return again to the hôtel.

Tuesday's 115-mile route heads south-west into the rugged slopes of the Karawanks and then follows the Colma Pass into Italy. Following the border will lead participants into Slovenia and along three more twisting and undulating mountain passes, among them the famous Predil Pass, a trade route since the 14th century which witnessed some bloody fighting between French and Italian soldiers in 1809. Climbing the Vršič Pass, which at 5,285 ft. is the highest pass in Slovenia, participants will then come to the Wurzen Pass and follow it back to the hôtel.

The 53-mile drive on the Wednesday will take place under the conifer-capped slopes of the Pyramidenkogel, where, at the top, there will be an opportunity to climb the 328 ft. wooden observation tower. A 45-minute drive will lead to the Dobratsch High Alpine Road, with unrivalled vistas across Villach, the Julian Alps and the Karawanks. The morning's drive ends at the Rosstratten, some 5,682 ft. high, after which the afternoon will be free to enjoy at your leisure, perhaps visiting the market town of Velden with its highly decorative late 19th-century Schloss.

Thursday involves 125 miles of driving, heading back to Slovenia with the Loibl Pass, an ancient trade route soaked in history, en route. The drive gets a bit more challenging at the Jezerski Pass and Seebergsattel with their tight hairpins, but spectacular views reward your efforts. It becomes flatter after Rechsberg, with an easy drive through picturesque Alpine villages, past churches with needle-sharp spires or onion cupolae, taking you back to the hôtel.

Friday's 112-mile drive stops first of all at Maria Wörth, a beautiful peninsula in the Wörthensee home to two charming historic churches. Participants then encounter Schloss Hollenburg, the first of four Schlosses en route, which was rebuilt in 1588. Ferlach Castle, home to the Weapons & Hunting Museum is next and, with its geometric 18th-century façade, very un-castle-like. The relatively gentle Schaida Pass leads to Schloss Hagenegg, a supremely well-presented house with something of a fairy-tale appearance. The next stop, Hochosterwitz Castle, is widely regarded as one of Austria's most impressive mediæval sights, a grim turreted fortress perched atop a 564 ft. hill. Finally, drivers will be able to see the Duke's Chair, a ninth-century throne made from Roman gravestones which for centuries was used for the ceremonial installation of the Dukes of Carinthia. They'll be able to spend another evening relaxing at the hôtel before heading home the next day.
 

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