Ancient vineyards flourish around the listed farmhouses of Pianizza di Sopra
Image gallery: Pianizza di Sopra
Where the Monte Ganda rises with its Ice Holes, the Appiano residential area of Ganda merges into the Caldaro hamlet of Pianizza di Sopra (Oberplanitzing). Here you are already on the Mendola Road, the road which winds its way up to the Mendola Pass, the border with the Trentino.
Convertible and motorbike enthusiasts appreciate this panoramic road with views of Lake Caldaro, as do cyclists who compete here in the Südtirol.Berg.Cup race. Pianizza di Sopra was formerly called "Planties superior", which means "upper level terraced slope" - an ancient wine-growing area where monasteries like the Bavarian Tegernsee and the Austrian Wilten cultivated their grapes.
Hiking trails lead through the landscape on the slopes of the Mendola Ridge and through the vineyards down into the valley. One of these is the Caldaro Wine Trail, which takes you through the narrow streets of Caldaro and the vineyards to Lake Caldaro. The centre of Pianizza di Sopra is the Church of St. John the Baptist, a late Gothic structure from the 16th century.
On the northern edge of the village rise the remains of a late Gothic tower, where the Church of St. George once stood: the Tower of St. George. It was first documented around 1237 but fell into ruin after Emperor Joseph II ordered its closure. Today, there is a riding stable below the tower.
