Discover the tranquil hamlet of Eschio near Verano on the Monzoccolo plateau
Image gallery: Eschio
Eschio (Aschl), along with Verano village, belongs to the municipality of Verano on the Monzoccolo plateau, nestled between Bolzano and Merano. The tiny locality of Eschio also encompasses the scattered farmsteads perched on the slopes above the Rio Eschio stream. As far back as the 13th century, the area was renowned for its arable farming and grain cultivation.
Its history, however, stretches back even further: In the 12th century, Pope Urban III confirmed that "Verano" belonged to the Augustinian Abbey of Au-Gries - today's Muri-Gries Monastery in Bolzano, home to the Nativity Scene Museum. On the western side of the plateau, you can explore the sunny area on foot. A leisurely hike leads you from the centre of Verano to the scattered settlement of Eschio with its small church dedicated to St. Anne.
You'll find more chapels at the Töt, Gassen, and Ödengut farmsteads within the Verano municipality. The Monzoccolo plateau attracts visitors year-round with its diverse landscapes.
Spring arrives a little later here at over 1,200 metres above sea level than down in the Adige Valley, where the apple trees are already in bloom. Then follows summer with its pleasantly crisp air, refreshingly cool even when temperatures soar in the valley below. Autumn enchants with its colourful larch forests, and in winter, the snow-covered slopes of the nearby Merano 2000 Skiing Area in the neighbouring municipality of Avelengo beckon you for sunny days of skiing.
