Tschenglsburg Castle | Prato allo Stelvio

How to reach Tschenglsburg Castle 

Tschenglsburg Castle, also known as Fuchsburg, remains a unitary building complex despite its different construction periods. At its entrance, there is the great entrance portal dating from the year 1000, with a keystone in the white marble arch engraved with the family coat of arms. The castle was privatized in 1860 and is today a popular cultural tavern.

Opening hours:
All-season
10am – 11pm (Mondays closed)

Contact:
Tschenglsburg Castle
Cengles
39023, Cengles
+39 320-0829165

Lake Issinger Weiher | Falzes

How t reach the Lake Issinger Weiher

The lake Issinger Weiher – more than just water! The lake Issinger Weiher is one of the last pond biotopes in South Tyrol. Our bathers thoroughly enjoy the intense experience of nature in a still healing atmosphere. To bath, sunbath and relax in such an intact nature, you can consider it as a privilege.

The lake Issinger Weiher is closed on the 20th July and 31st August.

Opening hours:
June 15th – September 8th 2019
Daily from 10 am to 7 pm

Entry fees:

Day card 4 – hours
Adults 7,00 € 3,50 €
Children up to 16 years 5,00 € 3,50 €

Contact:
Weiher Platz 2
I-39030 Falzes/Issing
Tel. +39 0474-565684

Le Museum Al Plan | San Vigilio di Marebbe

How to reach the Museum Al Plan

Over 25 years ago Theodora and Maurizio began their search for valuable objects at flea-markets, in bric-a-brac and antique shops. The result is a unique museum in San Vigilio – Dolomites that is also listed in the Museums in South Tyrol. Even presenter Mauro Corradino of the TV series Trödeltrupp (bric-a-brac gang) has been to the Al Plan and bought a Vespa!

The museum in San Vigilio – Dolomites exhibits all kinds of clocks. And yet, time stands still in the hotel, because only 1 of the clocks is ticking. Once a year Mr Botto, a long-standing guest at the hotel, sets all the clocks. They tick, from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm. And then they stop still again; according to the philosophy of the hotel: on holiday, time should stand still for our guests.
With us you are never alone at the table! A family of 6 life-size wooden statues keeps you company… and when the hotel is closed, it keeps us company too. At times Maurizio puts the dolls in the car and takes them on tour. So he’s not out and about on his own…

Theodora once decorated her café in the centre of the village with the over 80 coffee grinders. Now, not only she but also her grinders have found their new home at the hotel. The collection includes true gems, such as a wall-mounted coffee grinder.

There are 46 wooden masks: laughing masks, sad masks and terrifying devil’s masks from San Vigilio, Val Gardena and Tolmezzo. Historic traditional hats, ancient mountain boots, antique skis and ice skates. There are pipes, bottle stoppers, cradle knives, china and other antique household items. They have all found their place in the Al Plan museum in San Vigilio – Dolomites.

Opening hours:
Daily from 10 am to 7 pm
Guidet tour every Sunday at 6:30 pm

Entry fee:

incl. aperitif 5,00 €

Contact:
Museum Al Plan
Ciasè-Straße 11
39030, St. Vigil in Emneberg
+39 0474 501025

Biotope Pirchner Moos | Terento

How to reach the biotope Prichner Moos

The biotope Pirchner Moos is located at an altitude of 1,300 m and is slightly inclined to the south. The geological base of the biotope is formed by the granite of Bressanone. The biotope shows two different vegetative environments. In the central zone, we find a small low peat bog with margins characterized by the presence of high peat bogs. The small moist biotope is surrounded by moist meadows, sparse woodland, and hedges. In the marshy part, we find different types of moss, including peat moss, but also the blondella, the central leaf, the poa, the sanguisorba, the caryx, and different types of orchids. In the past, wet meadows were used for the production of fodder and litter for horses. The variety of plants in the biotope provides shelter and for many animals. Here we find the wonderful royal dragonflies and, in particular weather conditions, you can also admire the spotted salamanders. The buzzard especially loves the open spaces of the cutting meadow. To the north of the biotope, at the top of the Hohenbichl, runs the “Pusteria line”, the boundary between the south-alpine and eastern rock plates. This tectonic line is one of the most important seismic lines in the Alps.

Pieve di Marebbe | San Vigilio di Marebbe

How to reach the church

For a long time, the entire religious life of the valley revolved around the church of La Pli/Pieve Marebbe. Once the most important house of prayer in the valley, records state that since the appointment of one Marquardus as the first pastor in 1214, Marebbe has always had its own resident pastor. Records dating back to 1347 list the church as the “parish church of the Virgin Mary of Marebbe”.

Today, it is a grand four-naved Baroque church with a particularly beautiful wooden high altar, skilfully carved in Renaissance style in 1636 – at a time when the Black Death raged through the valleys. The centre features a statue of St. Mary of Graces. Both for the population of the Badia valley and many pilgrims from the Pusteria valley, this picturesque temple remains a well-loved and much-visited place of pilgrimage.

Opening hours:
Monday to Sunday from 7 am to 10 pm

Free entry!

Contact:
Pieve di Marebbe
Str. Catarina Lanz 14/3
39030 San Vigilio di Marebbe
+39 0474-501037

Pietra del diavolo | Terento

How to reach the Pietra del diavolo

According to legend, the Rio di Pusteria farmers had once angered the devil so much that he swore revenge. He carried a stone from Luson and wanted it to roll down from Mutenock to Rio di Pusteria. The devil chose the shortest way. But because the stone was heavy and a devil had to rest once, he put down his rucksack with the stone. In his rage and anger against the people of Rio di Pusteria he had not noticed, however, that the morning was beginning to grey and that the Terentop sacristan – who was an early riser – was already ringing the prayer bell for the morning greeting. So the devil had to leave the stone and flee back to the underworld. This is why the “Devil’s Stone” (Pietra del diavolo) is still lying in the middle of the forest at about 1,700 m above the Nunewieser.

Schludernser Gate Tower | Glorenza

How to reach Schludernser Gate Tower 

Since 2011, the Schludernser Gate Tower has hosted the historic exhibition Stations of a Small Town on two floors, dedicated to the history of Glorenza/Glurns. The exhibit presents information about trade and defense, the marketplace and local professions, as well as particularities and curiosities of Glorenza. The Schludernser Gate Tower also offers the opportunity to walk along the guard’s walkway and battlements. Information panels and samples tell of the reconstruction and fortification of the city in the 16th Century. A special feature worth visiting is the round corner turret.

Opening hours:
26. March – 30. June and 3. September – 27. October
Monday – Friday from 9 am 00:30 pm and from 3 pm – 6 pm
Saturday from 9 am – 00:30 pm
2. July – 1. September
Monday – Saturday 9 am – 6 pm

Prices:

Adults 3,00 €
Children from 11-15 years 1,50 €
Seniors over 60 years of age 2,50
Groups of 10 or more 2,50€

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Contact:
Schludernser Gate Tower Information Office Glorenza
Florastraße 33
39020 Glurns
+39 0473-831097

Catarina Lanz Monument | San Vigilio di Marebbe

How to reach the Catarina Lanz Monument

Catarina Lanz, a young woman from Marebbe who was born in 1771 in San Vigilio di Marebbe, was honored in the fight against Napoleon’s French troops. In 1797, at the age of 26, she fought heroically with a pitchfork at the side of an Inntal shooter against a division of the Napoleonic army in Spinges near Mühlbach, a small village near Brixen, to save the little church and the adjacent cemetery from desecration. She became a symbolic figure of the Tyrolean fight for freedom in the French Wars.

Opening hours:
Open every day

Free entry!

Contact:
Tourist office San Vigilio di Marebbe
Catarina-Lanz-Str. 14/3
39030 San Vigilio di Marebbe
+39 0474 501037

The smallest town of South Tyrol | Glorenza

How to reach Glorenza

Glorenza, the smallest town in South Tyrol, works its magic on every visitor with its charming medieval atmosphere, perfectly preserved town walls and its three picturesque gate towers. Virtually unchanged since the 16th century, there are echoes of the eventful history of this former trading town around every corner. With its romantic character, rich culture and idyllic surroundings, Glorenza is a real alpine jewel. It is our pleasure to invite you to our beautiful town to share with you magical moments, historic festivals and spectacular cultural events.

History:
The village of Glorenza/Glurns was first mentioned in 1163. Its name is of Romansh origin, meaning Alder meadows. Originally an ancient Roman settlement of the Province of Raetia, during the early Middle Ages it belonged to the Swiss diocese of Chur, until Count Meinhard II of Tyrol granted the village market rights in 1290. From then on it evolved as a free city with a town charter being first mentioned in 1304. The importance of Glorenza grew with its economic prosperity as a trading center in the Late Middle Ages. Whoever was able to gain entry inside the city walls was exempt from taxation for ten years, while the city benefited from toll rates paid by commercial travelers and salesmen who were interested to offer their products for sale at the local market: wine, metal products, spices and fruit were traded, but above all salt, originating from the salt deposits of the nearby city of Hall. In 1423, the city was mentioned as the seventh city among 18 in the first Merano State Parliament.

After Tyrol was integrated into the Habsburg-ruled provinces in 1363, there were several attempts to repress the power of the bishops of Chur, the Lower Engadine, Müstair Valley and Upper Venosta Valley. As a reaction, the subjects of the diocese founded the League of God’s House [Gotteshausbund]. After further conquests of the Habsburgs, the situation seemed increasingly likely to escalate, eventually culminating in early 1499 in the Swabian War. In the decisive battle of May 22, the Battle of the Calven, the Gotteshausbund prevailed over the Habsburgs. Following the victory, the troops sacked and devastated the wealthy enclave of Glorenza.

On the orders of the Emperor Maximilian I, Glorenza was rebuilt, according to the plans of Jörg Kölderers. He is credited as the father of the present appearance of the city, with its notable walls and town gates. In the aftermath of these events, the city gradually declined in importance as a center of trade. It became depleted and impoverished over time, with the townsmen becoming farmers. Flooding, mudslides and fire disasters exacerbated this decline, and in 1799 parts of the city were burned down by the troops of Napoleon.

In the 20th Century many citizens of Glorenza worked as commuters in nearby Switzerland. In the 1970s, with the first economic boom, the modern redevelopment of the city was initiated.

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Contact:
Information Office Glorenza
Schludernser Torturm
39020 Glurns
+39 0473 831097

Sluderno

How to reach Sluderno

Attractions:
– Venosta Valley Museum
– Churburg Castle

Sluderno/Schluderns is a village with a rich history. Located below the imposing Churburg Castle, it is probably the best-preserved Renaissance fortification in the entire South Tyrol and also contains a huge armoury museum. This old farming village also found itself at the centre of historic battles and conflicts between the aristocracy, the episcopate and local farmers. Located at the intersection between the Upper and Central Venosta Valleys, it was one of the first settlements governed by written municipal laws dating back to the 13th century. Nearby Sluderno and to the local Vintschger Museum is the archeological site of Ganglegg, containing relics from the Bronze and Iron Ages. It’s fortifications date back to the Roman Era.

Sluderno also represents an ideal starting point for hikes and tours. Following the winding irrigation channels through sparse forests and green meadows, visitors can enjoy the splendid panoramic views over the valley and the surrounding mountains.

Art & Culture:
The cultural region of Upper Venosta Valley had already served as a valley for travelers in ancient times. Today historic sites, castles, churches and monasteries decorated with frescoes and artwork from over ten centuries ago, bear witness to this and can be visited by guests. The Celts, Romans and Rhaetians like the Venosti, but also the early Christian Middle Ages, left their mark. These include the Roman trade road Via Claudia Augusta, the medieval town of Glorenza/Glurns and many cultural monuments. They turn a trip to Upper Venosta Valley into a very special cultural experience.

Upper Venosta Valley, as “the valley of artists”, also lives up to its cultural and historical heritage with its way of life. Customs and traditions from ancient times go hand in hand with innovation and contemporary architecture. In this unique cultural landscape, hikers follow a trail of mountain churches and enjoy the view from the irrigation channels.

Taste & Enjoy:
The Upper Venosta Valley is characterized by sunshine, wind and low rainfall. The fertile microclimate rendering in the Upper Venosta Valley is an ideal place for lovers of high-quality fruit, such as the Pala pear, apples, apricots, berries and chestnuts. Other traditional staple products of the regional cuisine are: pasture cheese, rye, spelt and buckwheat.

These delicacies and farm products are real treats for gourmets and are sold directly at the farms or in the markets of this holiday region. Guided tours of the farms are also very popular with guests and locals as are the tastings.

Active holiday:
The diverse areas surrounding the Ötztal Alps, the Ortler Group and Sesvenna Group is an attraction for active holiday goers and families year round, and tailor-made for an active holiday in the Upper Venosta Valley.

Hiking, mountain climbing, bicycling and mountain biking on new paths – that is summer in the Upper Venosta Valley holiday area. A very compact, well-maintained and well-signposted network of trails for bikers, recreational cyclists and hikers with many places to take a break runs through the Upper Venosta Valley; also along the mountain refuge huts and alpine pastures high above.

Active vacationers in Upper Venosta Valley discover new paths along the irrigation channel paths of Monte Sole mountain, but also on mountain tours in the Ötztal Alps, the Sesvenna group or Ortles group and on multi-day hikes like the Venosta Valley High Mountain Trail.

Fishing and paragliding, enjoyment in the sport zone SportWell, and archery on a high-alpine 3D panorama-course, make for a very special summer holiday experience in Venosta.

The Family Ski Area Watles in the sunny Upper Venosta Valley provides skiers with excellent infrastructure, groomed slopes and huts with sun terraces. The region also offers winter walking trails and ski touring in the Ötztal Alps, the Ortler region and in the Stelvio National Park, as well as ice skating rinks, sledging runs and romantic horse-drawn carriage rides through the forests. Fans of Nordic ski sport will enjoy the Center for Cross-Country Skiing: sight of numerous international competitions.

An evening visit to the sauna and the fitness room at the Malles sport center Sportwell will get tired muscles regenerated for the next day. Evenings in the Sportwell can also be rounded-off with a bowling game or tennis match.