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Alta Pusteria

Alta Pusteria

Because of the contents we decided to divide the long Val Pusteria in two: in this section you will find everything about the Alta Pusteria, from Monguelfo to Sesto and San Candido.

This corner of the world is perhaps the most photographed by all, thanks to its many natural masterpieces, such as the Three Peaks of Lavaredo, Lake Braies or San Candido itself.

From here you can reach the secondary valleys, but not for beauty,

such as the Gsieser Tal/Valle di Casies, the Pragser Tal/Valle di Braies and the Höhlensteintal/Valle di Landro.

TOP 5 NOT TO BE MISSED

Discover the green Val Fiscalina

Excursion to the Three Peaks of Lavaredo

Ring tour around Lake Braies (Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park)

Visit San Candido

Do trekking from Monte Elmo to Sillianer Huette

WELSBERG / MONGUELFO

The characteristic Monguelfo is located in the centre of Val Pusteria and its position allows you to reach the ski areas of Plan de Corones or Dolomiti di Sesto in a few minutes.

For your historical research, you will be interested to know that here there is the castle of Welsperg dating back to about 1100.

Monguelfo is also the place from which the Gsieser Tal/Valle di Casies winds its way, a real paradise for families, where you can go on excursions of all types, passing from malga to malga and enjoying the typical snacks with speck and elderberry juice.

The Val di Casies is the perfect destination for a relaxing holiday in unspoilt nature.

Coming out of Monguelfo, pay attention! On the right you will find the junction to access the Pragser Tal/Valle di Braies, which preserves the famous and much frequented lake.

Foto  © IDM Alto Adige Manuel Kottersteger

Foto © IDM Alto Adige Harald Wisthaler

NIEDERDORF / VILLABASSA

The little Niederdorf/Villabassa is the surprise you don’t expect: the Kurpark, not far from the centre, is a place where children can have fun while you enjoy the benefits of the outdoor Kneipp trail. This park has won the title of “Kneipp Wellness Country in Italy”.

Furthermore, to improve your historical spirit, we recommend the Museum of Tourism in Alta Pusteria: a journey to retrace the evolution of the area in tourism.

In July, the appointment with the Dolomiti Superbike is not to be missed: the best mountain bike race in South Tyrol!

SEXTEN / SESTO PUSTERIA

Surrounded by the majestic Sesto Dolomites, Sexten is the ideal destination for your adventurous spirit. However, Sesto is not only active holiday, because it also offers two interesting museums: the Rudolf Stolz, dedicated to the works of this South Tyrolean artist, and the Hotel Mondschein, with his wonderful exhibition of cribs.

Forgetting about time will be easy, but the Sesto Meridiana will help you find the right hour: look at which top is shining the sun to understand the hour! Top eleven, top twelve…

The real jewel of Sesto, however, is the Fischleintal/Val Fiscalina, a place surrounded by nature and suitable for families, thanks to the numerous structures of the Fondovalle Refuge. From here you can start and walk up to the Three Peaks, or take the Alta Via n.5.

Foto © Roberto  Il Nino

Foto ©  Luca Avigliano

TOBALCH / DOBBIACO

The beautiful Toblach/Dobbiaco is located just after Villabassa, and is divided between the centre and Dobbiaco Nuovo, near the lake, from which the Höhlensteintal/Valle di Landro starts.

To feed the spirit, a pilgrimage to the Church of St. Mary will take you to discover a real treasure from the 13th century. If you want to immerse yourself in nature, we recommend a tour of Lake Dobbiaco, which is also ideal for children, thanks to the educational path on flora and fauna.

Further on, on the way to Cortina, Lake Landro will give you a wonderful view of the Three Peaks of Lavaredo (and for fans, we recommend the path that leads right there).

INNICHEN / SAN CANDIDO

The idyllic San Candido is the busiest centre in Alta Pusteria, with many shops and fine boutiques alternating with trendy cafés and restaurants in its pedestrian area. Dominated by Mount Baranci/Haunold, this picturesque village will make you fall in love especially during the winter season: its markets run through all the streets of the country and in the evening it offers views of the crib.

You may be interested in the Collegiate Church, an old church dating back to 1140, with its three-nave crypt, located in the centre of Innichen. If you want to walk, it may be a good idea to reach the Baths of San Candido: built in 1856 and now marked by time, are a testament to how the town was already a known and appreciated tourist destination in the past. Once you arrive, you can cool off with the water from the water source.

Last but not least, you can rent a bike to take the route to Lienz in Austria.

Foto © Enrica Pallaver  Photography

CURIOSITIES

Giant Haunold

As soon as you’re in San Candido, learn more about the history of the place: as soon as you enter the Collegiate Church, turn around and look up. The bone you see is a rib of the giant Haunold, who, as legend has it, helped the Sancandidini to build the church.

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WINTER ACTIVITIES

The Dolomites of Sesto are the ideal place for skiing with breathtaking views. Not only alpine skiing, but also cross-country skiing, tobogganing and winter hiking.

There are also fun parks: Snowpark Tre Cime, Shaka Snowpark in Dobbiaco and the Kids skicross park in Baranci. For the future has been planned a connection with the district of Sillian (Austria) and Val Comelico (Veneto), for a wider and more varied offer.

See our Ski Areas section for more information.

Foto © IDM Alto Adige Harald Wisthaler

Foto © IDM Alto Adige Marion Lafogler

SUMMER ACTIVITIES

Hiking, biking, climbing and much more.

Trekking in the shadow of the Three Peaks is one of the experiences that will remain in your heart. Here are some ideas about the excursions you can do in Alta Pusteria, our “must do”:

Tour of the Three Peaks, Val Fiscalina, Sorgente alla Drava in Dobbiaco, Rifugio Tre Scarperi, Tour of Lake Braies, Sillianer Hütte from Monte Elmo.

Certainly do not neglect the gastronomic aspect linked to the excursions. Take a break and ask for a Tyrolean snack: a chopping board with a piece of speck and a knife to cut it, cucumbers and black bread. Suggested accompaniment: elderberry juice. And you’re the protagonist.

If you are a fan of two wheels, you can’t miss the San Candido-Lienz! Our advice: go by bike to Lienz, have lunch in the center and return by train. For those who are more adventurous with their bikes, don’t miss the Dolomiti Superbike, which is held every year in Villabassa.

If you want to try climbing, we recommend the via Ferrata Torre di Toblin or the Grande Cima di Lavaredo. For training, visit the numerous rock gyms and the Dobbiaco Adventure Park.

And finally, take a dip in the Acquafan of San Candido, fun for everyone!

SKI / EXCURSION AREAS

HELM / MONTE ELMO

(by the way, you will often receive messages from your telephone operator who will welcome you every 5 minutes in both countries).

If that’s not enough, remember that for some years now you can easily reach “ski on foot” even the Croda Rossa.

For he summer, Monte Elmo reserves great surprises for young and old: the Olperl Park is a circular path designed for pushchairs, and as soon as you get to the top, you will find the faithful reproduction of a wooden mountain village., Of course, everything is child-friendly!

From Monte Elmo, we recommended that you take the path to the Sillianer Hutte: a hike between Italy and Austria with breathaking views.

ROTWAND / CRODA ROSSA

Reachable from Moso, the Croda Rossa is the ideal place for children, thanks to its many entertainments. One of them: the Finnish reindeer, exclusively here in South Tyrol, that you can feed every Thursday. A circular and very simple path leads you to limit this area that overlooks a unique landscape: Cima Undici, Croda dei Toni and Monte Paterno. From Croda Rossa you can reach Val Fiscalina with a path for trained persons.

Foto © Drei Zinnen Marketing

Foto © Drei Zinnen Marketing

HAUNOLD / MONTE BARANCI

Among the various family peaks of the 3 Zinnen Dolomites, we would also recommend you the Baranci, where the children’s festival is held every August. A lot of fun, all in a “gigantic” key, like the two foot-shaped swimming pools of Haunold.

The ascent from San Candido to Baranci is the ideal area for families.

Want to try some adrenaline? Then get on the FunBob sledge that will descend on a track that is 3 km long!

In winter it is the ideal place for quiet skiing, but also for stunts in the air with the snowpark.

ADVICE

For families: the Val Fiscalina is a real paradise for those who want to start their kids to practice trekking. You can also walk with a pushchair  and, at the end of this path, you will find the Fondovalle Refuge, with wooden games and animals.

We also recommend I Prati di Croda Rossa, where you can feed Finnish reindeer every Thursday.

Looking for some chocolate? Beyond Prato alla Drava (last village in Italy) starts Austria: follow for Heinfels, on the right you will find a branch of Loacker. And have a good break!

NATURAL PARKS

Natural park Fanes-Sennes-Braies

We start by telling you that hic sunt orsam and if you want to have a têt-à-têt with one of them, well, you just have to go into this wonderful park. Speleo bears have often been spotted, and their lair has also been found.

In more than twenty-five thousand hectares you can also admire the beauty of the flora and fauna, reaching the plateau of Prato Piazza or the instagrammed Pragser Wildsee/Lake of Braies. The tip: if you can avoid weekends and busy days, do it. The lake in question has now become one of the most popular destinations in South Tyrol.

For young speleologists, but also for those who love the theme, the park offers the opportunity to visit its caves of karst origin with specialized guides.

The Fanes-Senes-Braies Park has been a protected area since 1980 and extends over the municipalities of Badia, Braies, Dobbiaco, La Valle, Marebbe and Valdaora.

Three Peaks Nature Park (Drei Zinnen)

The symbol of the Dolomites and South Tyrol for excellence, it is really famous all over the world: the Three Peaks of Lavaredo (Drei Zinnen) have conquered musicians and actors all over the world. They are formed by the Cima Grande (which you can reach with a via ferrata), Cima Ovest and Cima Piccola.

It is recommended to go around this wonder and to reach the park you can leave your car at Rif. Auronzo (with a toll of Euro 30 for cars).

I’m not afraid of fatigue: from Lake Landro (in Dobbiaco) or from the beautiful Val Fiscalina (in Moso di Sesto Pusteria). 

Val Fiscalina

Inserted in the Park of the Three Peaks, this small but pretty valley deserves a few words, but above all a visit from you. It can be reached from the village of Sesto,  Bad Moos/Bagni di Moso and for 4 and a half kilometres it goes as far as the Fondovalle Refuge. It is ideal for families with children of all ages.

Both in summer (accessible with snowshoes and ski mountaineering equipment) and in winter, the Val Fiscalina offers magical moments and views that will remain in your heart: Monte Paterno, the mountains of the Sesto Sundial and the Three Peaks are the contours of this paradise.

Val Fiscalina is the access to Alta Via n.5 and you can reach the Three Peaks with a 3 hours walk.