Pianizza di Sotto is a charming corner of Caldaro, between vineyards and a long history
Image gallery: Pianizza di Sotto
Surrounded by vineyards, palm trees, and cypresses, Pianizza di Sotto (Unterplanitzing) invites you to enjoy relaxing walks and bike rides. This small wine village, with its rural character, lies on the Caldaro state road, a section of the South Tyrolean Wine Road. Heading south, you'll pass historic manor houses with archways, turrets, and winding courtyards.
Historians believe that the old Roman road over the Mendola Pass to the Val di Non branched off here in Pianizza di Sotto. This assumption is based on the churches, commonly dedicated to Saint Leonard, that were typically built at crossroads. This ancient route was already mentioned in the Letter of Vigilius of Trent. Even today, a Saint Leonard Church forms the heart of the wine village.
It was built on the foundations of a Romanesque church and consecrated in 1429. The frescoes inside date back to around 1360. A small road leads down between the houses into the valley, where the Oltradige Cycle Path runs on a length of 20 kilometres.
It connects Bolzano with the wine-growing area between Appiano and Caldaro. Pianizza di Sotto offers a welcome stop during this cycling tour along the South Tyrolean Wine Road: at the Christl im Loch snack station, with its sun terrace, playground, and e-bike charging station.
