TOURISTIC INFORMATION

TRENTINO – ALTO ADIGE


City Country Mountains

Half-Day Excursion – In the Cloistered Vineyards of Novacella/Neustift
Category: Churches and Monasteries (Cloisters)
Opening Hours and Guided Tours:
Daily except Sundays and bank holidays. Guided Monastery Tours (from 10 persons) take place from Mon through Sat at 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. and 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m. as well as at 4 p.m.
Rent a bike or hike across the terrain. One hour of movement will provide you with the optimal mood for a visit to the cloistered atmosphere of the Abbey of Novacella/Neustift. In Novacella one can find everything that fits with the concept of a monastery: a late-Baroque chapter church, a Gothic cloister (in which one of the most renowned minstrels, Oswald von Wolkenstein, is buried), a wondrous fountain, a precious library, a picture gallery – and of course a well-established wine cellar. The Augustinian Abbey of Novacella, founded in 1142, is one of the largest monastery complexes in Tyrol. For centuries the monastery has been surrounded by vineyards, making it the northernmost wine-producing area of South Tyrol. Some of the best wines, mainly white grape varietals, thrive here amidst the high temperatures during the day and frost at night. Among the best local grape varietals are the fresh-fruity white wines such as Sylvaner, Müller Thurgau and Kerner.
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Half-Day Excursion – Promenade through the Bishop’s See
Category: City Sightseeing
Opening Hours and Guided Tours
Guided city tour: by registration at the tourist association in Bressanone/Brixen, Bahnhofstraße 9, Tel: +39 0472 836 401
Cathedral and Cloisters: until 1st November daily from 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., guided tours Mon to Sat at 10:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Pharmaziemuseum (Pharmacy Museum): Mon to Fri from 2 a.m. – 4 p.m.,
Mon to Fri 2:00 – 6:00 p.m., Sat 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., from September Tue and Wed 2:00 – 6:00 p.m., Sat 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Diözesanmuseum Hofburg (Diocesan Museum): until 31st October Tue to Sun, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
A relaxing promenade through the oldest city in Tyrol: in 2001 Bressanone/Brixen celebrated its 1000 year anniversary. Until 1972 Bressanone was a significant diocesan town, while today it is a university town. But in the historic lanes of the old town the contemplative flair of the small town still prevails. The starting point for the excursion is at the Domplatz Square in front of the cathedral; after a visitation to the Medieval painted arches, it continues on a more secular path along the Medieval arcades, and a visitation to the Adlerbrückengasse lane always proves rewarding. Situated there is the Pharmacy Museum of Bressanone which is a privately owned museum and a cultural gem: 400 years of the history of pharmacy are wonderfully documented here. Not far away – on the other side of the Adlerbrücke bridge – is the Stufels, the foundation point of Bressanone with its well-preserved facades and little shops. It is also highly recommended to visit the Diocesan Museum of the Bishop’s Residence with its splendid princely chambers as well as an extensive collection of sacred art from the period of Romanticism until the 20th century. At the end it is recommended to enjoy a meal in the traditional hotel Elephant or the old local tavern Finsterwirt.
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Half-Day Excursion – Looking for the Great Fortune in Dürer’s Chiusa/Klausen
Category: City Sightseeing
Opening Hours and Guided Tours
City sightseeing tour and guided tours of the monastery of Sabiona /Säben Tel. +39 0472 847 424
Stadtmuseum (City Museum): Tue to Sat 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., 3:30 p.m. – 6 p.m., Sun and Mon closed, 15th Aug. and 1st Nov. closed.
A placid city sightseeing walk through the small lanes of the old town of Chiusa/Klausen, a small town with a well-preserved Medieval layout. Due to the advent of mining in nearby Villandro/Villanders, Chiusa became a prosperous town. Later, after it became known that the famous minstrel Walter von der Vogelweide was born in the surroundings of the town, it became a meeting point for artists and writers. By the 19th century, more than 250 painters and sculptors were in residence in Chiusa. The precious collection of the town is now accommodated in the City Museum of Klausen: the Loreto Treasury is a unique collection of Italian and Spanish artistic handicrafts dating from the period around 1700.
1494 Albrecht Dürer visited Chiusa during his Italian sojourn. From the side of Tschanberg Mountain, he drew the landscape around Chiusa. This drawing became the model for the later copper engraving “Das große Glück” (The Great Fortune, 1501). It depicts Chiusa inverted sideways under the allegorical figure of Nemesis (copper engraving 334×231 mm, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York). A half hour’s promenade along the traces of the famous painter leads to the so-called Dürerstein (Dürer Stone).
Anyone for dinner? In Restaurant Jasmin, chef Martin Obermarzoner offers high quality cuisine, reservation required. Above Chiusa lies the Unterwirt Tavern of Thomas Haselwanter, who has transformed this rustic inn in the small village of Gudon/Gufidaun (10 min by car) into a well-known meeting point for gourmets.
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Half-Day Excursion – Rest and Relaxation at the Tyrolean Acropolis: the Monastery of Sabiona/Säben
Category: Churches and Monasteries
Opening Hours and Guided Tours:
Guided Tours to the Monastery of Sabiona/Säben Tel. +39 0472 847 424
Starting from Chiusa one can easily reach the once powerful Monastery of Sabiona/Säben within a 45 minute walk, a contemplative hike on the path of meditative silence. The monastery is still inhabited by (enclosed) nuns. The monastery complex encompasses four churches. The Baroque monastery church is an ancient place of sacred pilgrimage dating back centuries. Shrouded in legend is the so-called “Mouse Tower” (Mäuseturm) which is reported to be a place of haunting for ghosts. The monastery mountain has been settled since the Neolithic Age. From the early sixth century until 960, the holy mountain was the seat of the Bishop’s See and an important place for the Christianization of the country.
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Full Day Excursion – Next to the Skies in the Western Alpine Pastures of Lazfons
Category: Hiking
Drive by car from Velturno/Feldthurns up to Lazfons, and through San Pietro/St. Peter to the district of Rio di Pusteria/Mühlbach. From there continue on through the hamlet of Rungallen and up to the parking place at Kaseregg at 1959 m. From here the hike begins on a well-marked and mostly even Alpine pastoral road, continuing up to the edge of the forest, passing a few Alpine huts and the Jocher Wiesen meadow before reaching an Alpine pasture called Gfoleralm (2120 m; there is also a hut called Gfolerschupfe with service). These simple Alpine huts are situated amidst beautiful scenery and offer outstanding panoramic views. From Gfoleralm, the path leads within a few minutes southwards and on a slightly decreasing descent to the popular Stöfflhütte hut (2057 m); this is located one hour from the parking place. The Stöfflhütte is a superb Alpine inn located in splendid surroundings; from here there is a wonderful panoramic view of the Dolomites and the wide expanse of southern Alpine pastures around Villandro/Villanders.
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Half-Day Excursion – Knightly Games at Rodenegg Castle: the Wall Paintings Depicting the Legend of Ywein
Category: Castles and Palaces
The castle Rodenegg was erected in 1140 by the dynasty of Rodank and was later expanded into one of the most powerful noble residences in the country by the dynasty of Wolkenstein during the 16th century. Twin drawbridges lead the way to one of the most precious European fresco cycles. At Rodenegg Castle the ancient and legendary saga of Ywein is depicted in eleven well-preserved paintings made after the literary template of Hartmann von Aue, who at the beginning of the 13th century wrote the story down in verse form: King Arthur’s knight Ywein departs to foreign adventures and is remunerated thereafter with a land holding and a wife. The frescos are the earliest preserved evidence of secular chivalric-courtly visual culture in the entire German-speaking world. They were discovered only in 1972. Also preserved at the castle are Medieval sitting rooms and an armoury and library, as well as collections of coins and paintings and the dungeon of the legendary prisoner “Lauterfresser”. The best way to reach Rodenegg Castle is by foot: an 8 km hiking trail starts at Sciaves/Schabs near to Bressanone/Brixen. Less steep is the looped hiking trail that starts in Rio di Pusteria/Mühlbach.
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Full-Day Excursion – the Episcopal Curiosities around Velthurns Castle
Category: Castles and Palaces
Opening hours:
Daily guided tours at 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.; until 15th September also at 4:30 p.m., Closed Mondays. Information and group registration: Tel. +39 0472 855 525
It must have been pure curiosity that led the 16th century bishops of Bressanone to the idea of constructing Velthurns Castle directly above the city. The castle is considered the most splendid Renaissance palace in South Tyrol. Here the bishops of Bressanone spent their summers for centuries. The first floor contains fresco cycles depicting the four seasons, scenes from classical mythology, and a sacramental cycle. The prince’s room is especially renowned and contains a magnificent fresco cycle of the Seven Wonders of the World, to which an 8th one has been added: the Colosseum in Rome. A pleasurable and panoramic path to Feldthurn Castle leads along the Isarco Valley chestnut route from Chiusa/Klausen to Velturno/Feldthurns. A wonderful occasion to experience the local custom called Toerggelen in its original fashion is to participate in the Velturno chestnut hike and walk up to the Glangerhof Inn (Guln 37; Tel. +39 0472 855 317, in 39040 Velturno).
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Half-Day Excursion – Digging in the Fugger-Town of Vipiteno/Sterzing
Category: City Sightseeing
Opening Hours and Guided Tours
City sightseeing tours by request, at the tourist association +39 0472 765 25
The Multscher Museum: Tue to Sat 9.30 – 12.30 and 2:00 – 6:00 p.m. Closed on bank holidays. Tel. +39 0472 766 64
A walking tour through the city of Vipiteno/Sterzing leads one back to the city’s golden age during the 15th And 16th century, when the silver mines in the nearby valley of Ridanna/Ridnaun brought great prosperity to Vipiteno. Some of the biggest European entrepreneurial families, such as the Fugger family of Augsburg, relocated their enterprises to the Vipiteno region. Today the richly furnished patrician houses in the centre are testimony to the city’s history of mercantilism. The town’s major landmark is the Tower of the Twelve, or “Zwölferturm”. It separates the city into the old town and the area reconstructed later after a devastating fire. One of the best-preserved architectural jewels is the old town hall, one of the most precious buildings in the whole country. A Roman-era Mithras Stone is located in its interior courtyard. This was found in the south of Vipiteno and is evidence of the widespread nature of the oriental cult of Mithras in Tyrol during Antiquity. Also worthy of a visit is the Multscher Museum with the famous Multscher panel paintings. In the 20th century, these notable panel paintings became victims of the friendly relations between Italian Fascists and the National Socialists of Germany. Mussolini bought the panel paintings, originally part of the winged altar created in the 15th century by the artist Hans Multscher of Ulm. He then donated them to Marshall Göring as a birthday present. Only in 1959 were the paintings transferred back into the property of the city after a genuine odyssey.
In the old town, the restaurants “Zur Lilie” und “Kleine Flamme” offer cuisine (Neustadt 31, Tel. +39 0472 766 065) of the highest standard. Authentic South Tyrolean cuisine combined with the use of strictly organic local products and without regard to short term fashion is offered by the Pretzhof in nearby Prati/Wiesen in the valley of Vizze/Pfitschtal.
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Full-Day Excursion – Underground in the Mines of Schneeberg/Monteneve –Ridanna/Ridnaun
Category: Museum
Opening Hours and Guided Tours
Tue to Sun 9:30 am– 4:30 p.m. (in August also open Mondays). Different thematic guided tours on offer by request, tel. +39 0472 656 364
Mining in the Monteneve area between the two valleys of Ridanna and Passiria/Passeier is documented since the 13th century. At its peak more then 1,000 miners worked here in 70 open gallery pits. Only in 1979 did the mining of ore finally cease. The Museum of Ridanna-Monteneve was inaugurated in 1992, also featuring a show mining gallery. By means of the ore refining complex and a documentation centre in the former headquarters, it is possible to bring to life in an impressive way the privation and hard labour of the miners. An excursion to the miners’ village of St. Martin (2,355 m) is always an adventurous affair; also on offer are full-day excursions and special guided tours for children. Situated at altitudes between 2,000 and 2,650 m, Monteneve was one of the highest mining regions in Europe.
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Full-Day Excursion – On the Artistic Route into the Dolomites
Category: Round Trip
The Great Dolomite Sight Seeing Tour offers a classic panoramic tour of the Dolomite Mountains. The Valley of Gardena/Gröden is the point of access. In following the pattern of panorama tourism dating back to the early 20th century, travelers are witness to spectacular Alpine scenery. The “Artistic Route” was the name of the journeys undertake along the roads into the Dolomites at the time. The origins of the historical Great Dolomite Road lead back to a certain Theodor Christomannos. He was known as the Stelvio Pass Road architect and as a pioneer of modern tourism due to his founding the Grand Hotel chain within the “Association for Alpine Hotels in Tyrol”, which was the motivation behind the road that today runs through Val d’Ega. The first contracted section, running from Bolzano to Viga di Fassa, was inaugurated in 1897, and the road from Fassa to Cortina was finished in 1907. The Great Dolomite Road was also named as a “Fine Cultural Art Work”. Daily trips into the Dolomites are also offered by local bus tour operators.
Impressions of the life of the Ladin people can be gleaned from the Museum Ladin in San Martin de Tor. A highlight for younger guests is the collection of wooden toys created by the famous Val Gardena wood carvers. Furthermore there are multi-media stations along the way, featuring installations at which one can listen to examples of the Ladin language.
Culinary highlights can be found at restaurants such as “St. Hubertus” and “La Siriola” in San Cassiano/St. Kassian, as well as at “Stüa di Michil” at the Hotel La Perla in Corvara, since Alta Badia has an incredible density of award-winning chefs. The farm restaurant “maso runch” (Tel. +39 0471 839 796) located above Pedraces celebrates the art of simple but genuine cuisine.
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Half-Day Excursion – the Telling Architecture of Bolzano: a Promenade through South Tyrol’s Cultural Constructions
Category: City sightseeing
Opening Hours and Guided Tours:
City Sightseeing, Guided Tours and Thematic Tours
In the South Tyrolean capital of Bolzano/Bozen/Bulsan the three main ethnic groups and cultures living in the region come together in the highest density, and South Tyrolean history becomes most visible here above all due to its architectural appearance. The starting point of the city sightseeing tour is the Victory Monument, erected during the interwar period and is in a certain way the point of separation between the “German” old town and the “Italian” modern town, which was planned and constructed by some of the most prominent architects of the Fascist era. The route leads through Corso Libertà to the Piazza Tribunale square, a district in which the ensemble character of Rationalist architecture is almost completely preserved. Everything here is Italian: the bars, the shops, and the lifestyle, in contrast to the Germanic old town. Back at the Victory Monument, the route leads over the bridge and into the Medieval town of Bozen with its traditional fruit-market, arcades and former artisan’s alleys leading to the Walterplatz square. The artisans’ centre, Südtiroler Werkstätten, can be visited; it provides a good overview of the lively South Tyrolean artisanal and craftwork tradition. A new cultural self-confidence is represented by innovative buildings like the new “Museion”, the “Free University of Bolzano” which offers courses in the three regional languages, and the research centre “Eurac” of the European Academy.
Good local cuisine can be found in the Kaiserkron, in the old tavern Vögele near the fruit-market and in the Ca’de Bezzi; Italian flair is represented by the Hostaria Argentieri (Via Argentieri 14; Tel. +39 0471 981 718) while the central Walterplatz square offers a beautiful panorama over the “Piazza” and excellent bars and cafés. Urban chic can be found around the arcades in the “Exil” bar and the hyper-modern “Griffoncino” bar in the Art Hotel Greif.
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Half-Day Excursion – the Concept of Art: Visiting the New Museion in Bolzano
Category: Museum
Opening Hours and Guided Tours
Daily from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Thu from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
The new Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art is situated at a prominent point of the city. The river Talvera/Talfer, which separates German Bozen and Italian Bolzano, was created as a manmade waterway during the interwar period. This new construction of the Berlin architects Krüger, Schuberth, Vandreike (KSV) seems to reconnect the two parts of the city. The symbolic dialogue between the cultures is also accentuated through an elegant new bridge over the river Talvera belonging to the new building. The new Museion is defined as an experimental building, as it is a space for presentation and an artist’s workshop at the same time, 24 hours a day: during the night works of video art are projected on the glass front of the building. Both the 4,000 artworks in the permanent collection and the revolving exhibition program focus on art created after 1960. Within Europe the Museion has achieved fame for its collection’s focus on “language in the arts”. This approach seems to be natural for a tri-lingual region like South Tyrol. At the same time it is in accordance with current artistic tendencies: since the era of Conceptual Art in the 1960s, the use of text and language has become a strong component of the international art scene.
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Half-Day Excursion – A Meeting with Our Ancestor: Oetzi, the Man Found in Ice
Category: Museum
Opening Hours and Guided Tours
Tue to Sun 10:00 a.m.– 6:00 p.m. (last entrance at 5:30 p.m.). Open on holidays and daily in July and August. Guided tours available by request from Mon to Fri (9:00 – 12:00 a.m.; 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.) call +39 0471 320 100. Audio guides in diverse languages also available.
The mummy of the man from the ice and the attendant related findings (such as weapons and clothes) are the central exhibition of the South Tyrolean Archaeology Museum, located in the centre of Bolzano in Via Museo Street. Models, reconstructions, spatial images, videos and interactive multi-media stations admit one inside the ancient early past of the southern Alpine region. Oetzi himself is preserved in a cold-storage cell block that was developed for the purpose, kept at -6 ° Celsius and a relative humidity of 98 percent. The mummy is an archaeological sensation and a unique snapshot of Copper Age man. Oetzi was found in 1991 on the glacier of Val Senales/Schnalstal valley. He is considered now as the most significant mummified human in the world, since he is 2,000 years older than the mummy of the Egypt Pharaoh Tutankhamen. Furthermore, the South Tyrolean Archaeology Museum documents the history of the region from the Old Stone Age and the Middle Stone Age (circa 15, 000 B.C.) until the Carolingian Age (around 800 A.D.).
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Half-Day Excursion – Daily Life in the Middle Ages, as Depicted in the Fresco Cycle of Runkelstein Castle
Category: Castles and Palaces
Opening Hours
Tue to Sun 10:00 – 6:00 p.m. (last entrance at 5:30 p.m.)
In Bolzano the Runkelstein Castle is called the “Castle of Paintings”. The untitled dynasty of Vintler brought the picturesque castle, situated at the entrance to the Val Sarentino/Sarntal valley, in 1383 and furnished the west palace and the new summer residence with cycles of frescos. These mural paintings (1395-1400) are considered the largest secular pictorial cycle of the Late Middle Ages. The paintings decorate private living rooms and primarily depict scenes from the daily life of the court and illustrations from Medieval literature. Of exceptional attention are a fresco which portrays dancing couples as well as several depicting hunting and fishing scenes, a ball game and a knightly jousting tournament. The robes of the depicted figures provide us with rich information about the courtly fashions of the time. The summer residence is decorated with the most famous heroes of period literature, portraying kings, knights, swordsmen, giants and lovers, including Tristram and Yseult. The best way to reach the castle is to go by foot or bicycle alongside the Lungotalvera river promenade. Those who prefer a more comfortable form of travel can take bus line number 12 departing from the old town, as well as a free shuttle bus (departure from Walterplatz square Tue-Sun, every half hour after 10 a.m.)
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Half-Day Excursion – the Funicular to Colle/Kohlern, the Bolzano Summer Resort
Category: Hiking
The funicular tramway leading up Monte Colle was one of the first cableways in the world, inaugurated in 1908. Therefore, this aerial tramway celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. In the early 20th century, local hotel owner Josef Staffler, who had built a hotel in Colle, was exploring the possibilities of bringing day trippers and vacationers up to Monte Colle in a quick and comfortable way. For years he worked meticulously with technical engineers on his plans. The streets to Colle were uneven and a typical funicular ropeway, as had been constructed in other places, was not affordable for the hotel owner. So together they decided to build an aerial tramway. Today excursionists can reach the mountain from nearby Bolzano by modern cableway within a few minutes. One of the historical cabins can be visited at the upper station of the cableway. Colle has always been a popular summer resort for the local population, especially in the summer when the city reaches high temperatures. On the peak of Monte Colle time seems to stand still. A few idle summer resort houses, a chapel, a fitness trail, a mountain tavern (Gasthof Klaus, Tel. +39 0471 329 999) next to the cableway and the mountain hut Berggasthof Kohlern are all preserved in the local architectural style of the 19th century; and it takes only 15 minutes to walk up to the mountain’s summit. The Berggasthof Kohlern invites you for a longer stay: its imposing wine cellar with many rare local wines and simple but genuine cuisine invite you to spend the day on one of South Tyrol’s finest terraces, complete with a beautiful panoramic view.
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Full-Day Excursion – A Car-Free Summer Idyll in Tre Chiese/Dreikirchen
Category: Hiking
Three churches, three houses, one family history. Tre Chiese is an exceptionally fine example of the summer residence architecture of the 1920s and is reachable only on foot. The hamlet above Barbiano is built around three connected Gothic chapels. Even before that time it was used as a pagan fane (holy place) and fountain. Even today Tre Chiese is considered a magical, powerful place. For more than a hundred years part of the mountain has been in possession of the wealthy merchant family Settari. Heinrich Settari donated to his wife Johanna a piece of land or forest in the same surroundings with the birth of every child, and after the delivery of 15 children this parcel had grown into a sprawling property. A quick hike leads to the tavern Briol. This inn was erected in 1928 in the Bauhaus style as a dependency of the Tre Chiese baths, and it remains unchanged until now. The building was planned and built by Settari’s son-in-law, the painter Hubert Lanzinger who introduced the famous Tyrolean architect Lois Welzenbacher to the family, and it was Welzenbacher who built some of their summer residences below Briol in a classicist, refined Modernist style.
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Full-day Excursion – With the Nose in the Hay: Witch-Watching in the Alpine Pastures of the Alpe di Siusi
Category: Hiking
Opening Hours of the Siusi Aerial Cableway:
Daily from 8.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m., after 1st October until 6.00 p.m.
The Seiseralm or Alpe di Siusi is the most extensive high-altitude mountain pasture in Europe. It consists of a mass of approximately 57 square kilometres, at an altitude that reaches from 1,680 m above sea level at its lowest point to a maximum of 2,350 m. In the past few years, access via car has been limited.
An aerial funicular leads from the town of Seis/Siusi to the mountain station of Compatsch, a journey of only 15 minutes. From there a 1.5 hour hike leads to the magical viewpoint of Puflatsch. According to local folklore, the legendary witches of Mt. Sciliar used to gather there on the so-called Witches’ Benches. Hikers are spoiled by the gorgeous 360 degree panoramic view of the Dolomites. From the south of Pulfatsch, the view stretches from Siusi to Fiè and on down to Bolzano. This spooky excursion should be complimented with a curative hay bath at the Hotel “Heubad” in Fiè/Voels. Old South Tyrolean farmers swear by this course of treatment. During the days of cutting the fields in the mountain pastures, the farmers felt fresh and well-rested after a good night’s sleep in the hay. It became a tradition to take warm hay baths during the harvest. The first written acknowledgement of this tradition dates back to 1803.
A stop at the “Gostner Schwaige” Alpine chalet, which serves high quality cuisine in the mountainous heights, is also well worth it. It is owned by Franz Mulser, whose work experience at the reknowned “Tantris” in Munich and the Obauer Brothers restaurant in Werfen has given him inspiration for his creations in haute cuisine using only a small kitchen four square metres in size. gostnerschwaige@dnet.it
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Half-Day Excursion – Spotting the Country: a Hiking Tour to the Verano “Mountain Cinema”
Category: Hiking
Movies of all styles and genres, written by the weather, are on offer around the clock. But bringing popcorn and Coke is one’s own option. The scenery is best observed during daylight, when the sun displays its full power. After sunset, the movies in South Tyrol’s high Alpine cinema come to a conclusion. The mountain cinema, the so-called “Knottnkino”, is located at Mt. Tschoegglberg, between Verano and Avelengo (30 minutes walking distance) and was originally intended as an art installation. In 2000, the South Tyrolean artist Franz Messner transformed part of the red rock “Roatstoanknottn” into a unique mountain cinema, complete with steel and chestnut wood chairs.
The quickest way to reach the mountain cinema is from the restaurant “Alpenrose” in Verano. The theatre as a viewpoint is about a half an hour’s walk from the restaurant parking area. Those who like to combine their nature documentary with hiking have two options:
The first is to take hiking path number 12A, starting behind the guesthouse “Grüner Baum” in Verano. By turning left, there is an uphill hike that leads to Rotsteinkogel. It is about a 2.5 hour walk.
The second and more challenging option is to take the roundabout way, passing the Leadner Alm Alpine pasture. Winding along path number 16 it finishes back at the starting point guesthouse “Grüner Baum”, which in total is a 3 hour walk.
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Full-day Excursion – A Trip to the Pale Mountains
Category: Round Trip
The Great Dolomite Sight Seeing Tour offers a classic panoramic tour of the Dolomite Mountains. The Val d’Ega/Eggental Valley is the point of access. In following the pattern of Panorama tourism dating from the 1900‘s, travellers are witness to spectacular Alpine scenery. The origins of the historical Great Dolomite Road lead back to a certain Theodor Christomannos. He was known as the Stelvio Pass Road architect and as a tourism pioneer due his founding the Grand Hotel chain within the “Association for Alpine Hotels in Tyrol“, which was the motivation behind the road that today runs through Val d’Ega. The Great Dolomite Road was named a “Beautiful Work of Art”. Still today the “Grand Hotel Karersee” is majestically seated on the Karer Pass, which has been host to writers Karl May and Agatha Christie as well as Empress Elisabeth of Austria. Daily trips through the Dolomites are also offered by South Tyrolean bus companies.
The restaurant at Hotel Pfoesl in Deutschnofen is known for its creativity and it offers refined South Tryolean cuisine with fresh herbs from its own garden. Alta Badia has an incredible density of award-winning chefs, and therefore culinary highlights can also be found at Alta Badia restaurants such as “St. Hubertus” and “La Siriola” in St. Kassian, as well as “Stüa di Michil” at the Hotel La Perla in Corvara. The last kilometres of the sight seeing tour are topped off by the restaurants “Annastuben” at Hotel Groednerhof in Urtijëi, “Sassegg” in Siusi and the “Romantik Hotel Turm” in Fiè.
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Full-day Excursion – From the Mountain Museum to the Vineyards: MMM Firmian and the South Tyrolean Wine Route
Category: Round Trip
Opening Hours and Guided Tours
MMM Firmian Tue – Sun from 10.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. Last entrance at 5.00 p.m. Closed on Mondays
South Tyrolean Wine Route: guided tours through the local wine cellars offered almost daily
(Kellereiführungen )
In South Tyrol nobody can skip the mountains. They are a part of everyday life and are inherent to the local way of thinking. They may be enchanting, but they also become the most natural thing in the world. Reinhold Messner has established four mountain museums with different visions. They are located in South Tyrol and in its bordering province of Belluno. A fifth museum of this kind is set to be developed in Castle Bruneck.
The centrepiece of the Messner Mountain Museums is the MMM Firmian at Castle Sigmundskron, located south of Bolzano. This historical ruin was exceptionally restored by the architect Werner Tscholl. The exhibition at MMM Firmian focuses on portraying the mountains through exhibitions dedicated to the art and history of mountain climbing.
Mountains of a different nature are found along the “South Tyrolean Wine Route”, located south of Bolzano in the area of Ueberetsch/Oltradige. This region represents the main wine-growing area of South Tyrol, and in fact a large part of local wine is pressed and produced here. Beautiful wineries dot the scenery around the areas of Girlan/Cornaiano, nearby Sigmundskron/Firmian, and from Eppan/Appiano and Kaltern/Caldaro to Tramin/Termeno. This region is also home to the highest number of castles in Europe per capita, and home of some of the most successful wine producers, such as “Lageder”, “Manincor”, “Wein.Kaltern” and “Elena Walch”, which succesfully combine tradition with modern technology and architecture.
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Full-day Excursion – The Cradle of Tyrol: the Land of the Burgraves and the City of Merano
Category: Round Trip
Opening Hours and Guided Tours
Castle Tyrol: Tue to Sun open from 10 am – 5 pm; in August until 6 pm
The Gardens of Trauttmansdorff: daily from 9 am to 9 pm, after 16th September until 6 pm
Tyrol Castle was for many generations owned by the Counts of Tyrol. Today the Castle is the property of the South Tyrolean Museum of History. An interactive course guides visitors throughout the castle. The dungeon displays 20 pedestals, which portray the history of South Tyrol during the 20th Century.
Situated in Obermais/Maia Alta on the hills surrounding Trauttmansdorff Castle is Merano’s signature garden: the Gardens of Trauttmansdorff were selected as Italy’s most beautiful garden in 2005. A lookout vantage point, designed by Matteo Thun, provides a gateway to a wonderful view over the botanical gardens and the mountain scenery around Merano. Today Trauttmansdorff Castle accommodates the tourism museum called “Touriseum“. The Sissi Path is named after the Empress Elisabeth (known affectionately as Sissi) and is just one of the many beautiful promenades to be found in the environs of Merano. It is an approximately 20 minute walk from the health resort of Merano. On the popular Kur Promenade there still drifts the nostalgic flair of the Belle Epoque, while the centre of the city offers a distinctly modern variety of cultural life, especially under the “Arcades”. Merano’s “House Of Art“ showcases modern and contemporary art. The Museum Of Women has an impressive collection that highlights the history of women, currently by focusing on the female body as formed by fashion.
At the restaurant “Sissi”, Andrea Fenoglio tries to combine traditional Italian cuisine with the modern culinary arts. On offer at the restaurant “Fragsburg” is excellent cuisine along with a spectacular view of the health resort of Merano.
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Full-day Excursion – A Promenade through the Sculpture Path and the Labyrinth Garden
Category: Hiking
Opening hours and guided tours
Kränzel maze: daily from 10 am to 7 pm
The South Tyrolean Sculpture Path is a natural art project located in Lana along one of the most beautiful local walking trails. Hikers are able to experience how artists from all over the world have been inspired by the landscape of the area between the Gaulschlucht Ravine, the Brandis Waterway and the Laend Promenade on the Valsura Bank. Along the trail, they have created sculptures, special resting areas and meditative stations to pause, reflect and become aware of the surroundings. This is a great place to rediscover the ease of things.
The labyrinth gardens at the Kraenzel Chateau in Tscherms/Cermes near Merano offers every visitor a personal thread of Ariadne. With fun, art and wine, this place offers an atmosphere that encourages the natural development of sensitivity towards others and to nature.
The “Meraner Gruppe” are collective confronts visitors this summer with questions regarding identity and self-discovery. And Franz Graf Pfeil treats his guests to a taste of his self-pressed wines.
Culinary highlights are to be found when dining at the restaurant “Zum Loewen” in Tisens/Tesimo, where Anna Matscher creates first class regional Mediterranean cuisine by staying true to local tradition.
A wonderful place for a convivial dinner in a cozy atmosphere is the wine tavern “Pfefferlechner” in Lana. It also offers homemade beer and fresh South Tyrolean dishes in its large inner courtyard.
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Three-day Excursion – A Pilgrimage to the Riches of the art in South Tyrol
Category: Round Trip
Opening Hours and Guided Tours
St. Prokulus (St. Prokulusstraße, 39025 Naturns): Tue to Sun 9.30 am to 12 am and 2:30 to 5:30 pm. Open on bank holidays; after 15th October, Tue to Sun from 9:30 am to 12 am and from 2 to 5 pm. Guided tours at 10 am and 3 pm and by appointment.
Burgkapelle Hocheppan (39050 St. Pauls-Missian): Daily guided tours from 10:30 am – 5:30 pm.
St. James in Kastelaz (39040 Tramin/Termeno on the Wine Road/Kastelaz): Mon to Sat 10am to 12 am and 3 pm to 6 pm. Guided tours every Friday at 11 am, for groups available by request at the Tourist Association of Termeno +39 0471 860 131.
St. John Chapel / Bolzano: Mon to Sat 9.30 am to 17.30 pm, Sun 12 am – 6 pm.
Schloss Runkelstein (St. Anton 15, 39100 Bolzano): Tue to Sun 10 – 18 Uhr (last entrance at 5:30 pm)
Rodenegg Castle (Vill 1, 39030 Rodeneck)
South Tyrol is considered a centre of the Romanesque art of fresco painting in Europe. Important fresco cycles dating from the late Middle Ages remain well preserved. The thematic journey starts from Naturns and continues through Valle dell’Adige/Etschtal Valley to Bolzano and its environs, and then up through Valle Isarco/Eisack Valley to Muehlbach. The tour commences with a mystery: the exact date of origin of the “St. Prokulus” Fresco in Naturns is still unknown, but these paintings are considered as being some of the oldest wall paintings in the entire German-speaking world. The Byzantine influence is most notably present in the paintings found inside the Chapel of Hocheppan Castle, situated at the entrance to Oltradige/Ueberetsch. Often reproduced are its images of dumpling eating maidens.
St. James in Kastelaz near to Termeno has wall paintings showing battles between legendary Medieval figures. This era is also well-represented in Bolzano, where the St. John’s Chapel in the Dominican Church with its paintings in the manner of Giotto represents one of the key art works from the period circa 300 A.D. Castle Runkelstein boasts paintings depicting scenes from the literature of the times and also from everyday court life. It is considered to be the most extensive cycle of secular pictures from the late Middle Ages. For those who are fresco pilgrims, the oldest known secular wall painting, portraying the Iwein Legend, is a must-see at Castle Rodenegg in Muehlbach. This Medieval best-seller, written by Hartmann von Aue, was most likely illustrated for the first time at this castle.