The certified “Mountaineering Village” in the Val di Mazia is a stage of the famous Ortles Bike Marathon every year in June
Image gallery: Mazia
A small village clings to the slopes above the Saldura Stream in the Upper Val Venosta: it is Mazia at an altitude of almost 1,600 metres, which was settled early on despite its exposed location. It is said that Saint Florinus, to whom the parish church is dedicated, was born here. Another chapel is dedicated to him on the edge of the village, next to a farm in which he is supposed to have been born in the 7th century. The numerous farms and hamlets around also belong to the village and are called Run, Curtaccia, Glies - a well-known starting point for hikes - and Tanai.
On the hillside, the ruins of the Mazia di Sopra and Mazia di Sotto Castles tell of the time when the bailiffs of Mazia were one of the most powerful noble families in the Val Venosta. They moved to the imposing Coira Castle near Sluderno in the 14th century and died out a short time later. Today, in September hobby mountain bikers populate the roads around Mazia (Matsch) and the Upper Val Venosta for a whole day: This is when the famous Ortles Bike Marathon takes place, which was part of the Bike Marathon Classics and has recently become a folk bike day for everyone.
A few years ago, Mazia was awarded the title of the first South Tyrolean "Mountaineering Village" of the International Alpine Club Initiative. It is the starting point for varied hikes that will delight anyone who enjoys being in nature. You can choose between the leisurely path along the Bergwaal and the Val Venosta High Route, which circles the valley lowlands at an altitude of about 2,000 m. In addition, there are destinations such as the Saldura Lakes and Lake Upi. The Mazia Valley stretches up to the almost 3,800 m high Palla Bianca, the "queen" of the Oetztal Alps. Its ascent, one of the most magnificent tours in the Eastern Alps, is possible as a ski tour in winter.
