The charm of a small town, rural atmosphere and unspoilt nature await you in Silandro in the heart of the Val Venosta valley
The heart and centre of the Val Venosta, both geographically and administratively, is the market town of Silandro: It combines rural life with all the amenities of a small town, including a cinema and hospital. The glaciers of the Ortles Alps tower above, while vines, apricot and apple trees grow in the valley. The area extends from the village centre to Corces and Vezzano and up to the Monte Mezzodì or Monte Sole. On the other side, it stretches to Covelano, the marble village, and to the other valley side, to the Monte Tramontana. Although the first written mention dates back to 1077 AD, the origins of the village go back much further, to the Neolithic period.
Even today, numerous historical buildings bear witness to the importance of the village. As a cultural centre, Silandro with its Silandro Castle and the Monte di Silandro or Schlandersberg Castle, with its residences, monasteries and churches - including one with the highest church tower in Tyrol - offers a varied holiday destination for culture lovers and active holidaymakers. Parts of the municipal area belong to the Stelvio National Park. This unique protected zone is omnipresent: In the pedestrian zone of Silandro village, one of the visitor centres is dedicated to birdlife. Hikes on the slopes, walks through the individual villages and bike tours along the Val Venosta Cycle Path are a great way to explore all the facets of this section of the Val Venosta.
Above Silandro and Corces, the slopes rise towards the Monte Sole in the Val Venosta, whose nature is adapted to extreme conditions: The sun-exposed meadows are like a steppe, and the wildlife with green lizard and praying mantis reflects this. On the other side, the paths take you to the Covelano Marble Quarry and to the heights of the Monte Tramontana, where the Covelano Hut and the light blue shimmering Covelano Lake are located. It is already national park territory, but nature on the Stelvio Pass is much rougher and more alpine than on the sunny Monte Mezzodì. These mountains are also perfect for MTB tours. In winter, the ski areas of Solda and Trafoi are half an hour's drive away, and the cross-country ski tracks in the Val Venosta are part of Venosta Nordic, the transboundary cross-country skiing network with more 135 km of tracks.
