The “Stone Men” near Valas are a place of power on a circular hiking trail
High above, at around 1,350 metres above sea level, lies Valas (Flaas), the highest district of San Genesio Atesino. Today a tranquil holiday resort on the southern Monzoccolo, Valas looks back on almost a thousand years of history. Originally called "Valas" - its present Italian name - the term likely derives from the Romansh "valles", meaning valley. Numerous hiking and mountain biking trails invite you to explore the natural surroundings of Valas.
Your starting point is the village centre with the Parish Church of St. Sebastian, the primary school, and the fire station. From the bus stop in the centre, a bus route takes you down to Bolzano several times a day. While the valley swelters, you can enjoy the refreshing summer air up here, and children can run around the expansive larch meadows of the Salto - the largest in Europe.
Adorned with rustic wooden huts and the famous blonde Haflinger horses, which even have a dedicated Haflinger Horse Museum along the Valas road. In the midst of the Salto lies the idyllic Fahrer Weiher Biotope. A special hike, taking about five hours, leads you from Valas to the mysterious "Stone Men" and back again. Numerous legends surround these countless piles of stones, which are found in several locations in South Tyrol. Were they trail markers? Did they serve as protection for shepherds? Or was this a meeting place for witches and Celts?
Rock carvings and flint tools found there attest to their use at least as far back as the Stone Age. More legends are recounted on the Legends Trail, a two-hour hike with a new story at every stop.
