St. Catherine of Alexandria is the patron saint of both Santa Caterina near Fiè in the Alpe di Siusi region and Santa Caterina (St. Kathrein) near Avelengo in the Merano region: It is an enchanting little mountain village where the Church of St. Catherine can be seen from afar on a small hill. Along with the blond Haflinger horses grazing all around, it is the landmark of the municipality and a well-known photo motif. The place is truly idyllic: The meadows, the mountain peaks behind and the forests all around give the place its unique charm and contrasting colours.

The Romanesque church with Gothic apse dates back to the 13th century and contains valuable and well-preserved frescoes. You can visit it in summer on a guided tour. Below it lies a large boulder in the meadow which - so the story goes - was hurled here by an angry giant. He once wanted to help with the construction of the church in Langfenn with another giant, but as there was only one hammer, they got into an argument. And it got out of control...

Until a century ago, Santa Caterina itself was difficult to reach from Merano. In 1923, a suspension railway was built from Maia Alta to the hamlet, but its operation stopped a short time later when the road was built. Since then, you can reach it easily, also by public transport. The bus line 225 takes less than half an hour from Merano to this spot on earth, where peace can literally be felt. From here you can hike on to the Sulfner Pond with its magnificent water lilies. The Haflinger Horse Adventure Trail, on the other side, starts in Avelengo village and ends in Santa Caterina.