Author: Todo Suedtirol

How to reach Villanders

Attractions:
– Mountain mine expirience | Villanders
– The Odle/Geisler | Val di Funes

The excavations in the centre of the village brought to light relics from the stone, bronze and iron ages, but also traces of Roman settlements. Today’s Villandro was built on these foundations and offers its picturesque historic centre, old farms, cosy inns, and famous hotels
surrounded by a landscape blessed by the heavens. The scenery is varied, from fruit orchards to bare rock, passing through vineyards, fields, chestnut forests, meadows, woods and Alpine pastures.

These natural wonders are especially prominent in the spring, when the white flowers on the plum trees burst into bloom and the snow-capped peaks sparkle over the valley. But they can also be enjoyed in the fall, when the broadleaf trees come alive with colour, the wine is bottled and stored in the cellar and you can eat chestnuts and speck together with “Nuie”, the new wine. You can also take walks and hikes in all directions, always accompanied by a magnificent view over the valley and Dolomites.

How to reach Tirolo

Attractions:
– Tyrol Castle
– Chairlift | Merano – Tirolo

Situated above the spa town of Merano/Meran, Tirolo/Dorf Tirol is an ideal walking and hiking holiday destination in South Tyrol. Well-marked paths along a 70-km trail network lead across various altitudes, ranging from leisurely walks through botanical gardens to hikes along the Waalwege trails on the hillside. Mountain bike trails in diverse mountain terrain alternate with high-altitude hiking across the Spronser Seen lake plateau in the Texelgruppe Nature Park.
Tirolo is also steeped in culture and history. There are several notable castles, fortresses, and churches in and around Tirolo. Tyrol Castle, the most prominent of these, houses the South Tyrolean Museum of Culture and Provincial History. Deeply rooted in the area, culture and local traditions continue to play an integral role in the lives of inhabitants. Things to do in and around the village include shopping, sporting and cultural activities. There are upscale shops, boutiques, cafes, and restaurants as well as swimming pools and hiking trails. For a sporting or leisure holiday, making use of the well-equipped spas or indulging in the pleasures of the palate, there is a wide range of options for visitors in Tirolo.

Nature and Culture:
From the orchards and vineyards at around 600 meters above sea level up to the Spronser Seen lakes at 2,500 meters, Tirolo reveals fascinating nature that is both Alpine and Mediterranean in flavor. And the culture and history have a big impact on the local landscape too. Out and about on themed trails and promenades visitors will stumble upon witnesses to an eventful past. These include Tirol Castle, the most important monument to Tyrolean history, the Brunnenburg, and churches and sights such as the early-Romanesque Church of St. Peter and the Bird Care Center. Tirolo, however, is also synonymous with tradition and custom. Over the course of the year, countless cultural events are held here: from the musical Tyrolean Spring of Culture and the culinary festival So kocht Dorf Tirol (How Tirolo Cooks), to the melodious Soirées at Tirol Castle and the VinoCulti wine festival, the events are as diverse as Tirolo itself.

Food and drink:
Good food and drink is part of the way of life in Tirolo. The entire variety of South Tyrolean cuisine can be found in the award-winning restaurants, traditional inns and rustic mountain huts on the panoramic terrace above Merano. Alpine dishes made using handed-down recipes, Mediterranean treats and innovative creations are all part of the cuisine in Tirolo and have a firm place at gourmet events, traditional festivals and autumn’s Törggelen (new wine) evenings. Wine has a particular importance. The wine trail and the annual wine event, VinoCulti, bear witness to the fact that the noble grape juice has played a vital role in the vineyard-rich landscape around Tirolo. When hiking too, gourmet pleasures are just a mountain hut away. In the mountain inns of the Texelgruppe mountains you will always find “Real Quality in the Mountains” on the table.

How to reach Rifiano

Attractions:
– Church in | Rifiano
–Burgstall prehistoric settlement site in | Rifiano/Riffian

Rifiano il located on a terrace at the entrance of the Val Passiria, where the mild climate of Merano meets the alpine mountain air of the Val Passiria.

The municipality of Rifiano is located at the western side of the Val Passiria at an altitude of 504 m asl, only 5 km from the city of Merano. Its position on a south-east oriented terrace fosters the growth of grapevines and chestnut forests. Also the mild climate, which at Rifiano meets the fresh alpine air of the Val Passiria also contributes to the fact that Rifiano offers ideal conditions for your stay.

Inhabited by some 1,290 people in the Gruppo di Tessa nature park, the municipality is surrounded by forests and meadows, providing ideal hiking conditions. The Rifiano Waalweg path (Roggia di Rifiano) and the Alta Via Meranese high path are probably the most famous trails in the surroundings. The latter passes the mountain villages of Campo, Vernurio e Gaves, located between 1,000 and 1,400 m asl.

Rifiano is by the way also known by pilgrims, as it hosts the Lady of Sorrows pilgrimage church and a chapel of grace, which are also worth to be visited from an historic and artistic viewpoint. Also the municipal coat of arms of Rifiano, illustrating parts of a steeple, refers to the above mentioned pilgrimage church.