Gerlitzen Alpine Road is a sensational drive south of the Alps

Gerlitzen Alpe Panoramastraße is a very scenic toll road located on the north shore of Lake Ossiach in the heart of Carinthia, Austria.

Gerlitzen Alpine road

How long is the Gerlitzen Alpine Road?

The toll road is 12km (7.45 miles) long. It’s totally paved (not in the best condition) and quite narrow (5 m wide) but you'll get a nice view of the Ossiacher sea. The name Gerlitzen comes from the old Slavonic “Gorelice” (goreti = to burn) and refers to a region that was plagued by fires.

Is the Gerlitzen Panoramastraße steep?

The Gerlitzen Panoramastraße offers breathtaking views of central Carinthia. Starting from Bodensdorf (near Ossiacher sea), the road climbs up to the panorama car park at an altitude of 1.773m (5,816ft) above the sea level, near the Mountain Resort Feuerberg. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 1.258 meters. The average gradient is 10.48%, hitting a 13% through some of the ramps.