Gais is the name of the first municipality along the Aurina river, in the Vedrette di Ries-Aurina Nature Park on the way into the valley
From Brunico, the Aurina with the valuable Aurino Floodplain Forest Biotope on its banks makes its way into the Valle Aurina. The first municipality on the way towards Casere at the head of the valley is Gais. It stretches from the main village via Villa Ottone to the hamlets of Lana di Gais, Rio Molino - actually a whole valley with alpine pastures - and Montassilone. The farms cling to the slopes above the valley basin of Brunico, in the middle of the Vedrette di Ries-Aurina Nature Park.
Several castles here tell of the valley's long history. One of them is Castle Chela, which is now almost overgrown, another is Casanova Castle, to which the Gais Cultural Hiking Trail leads. Villa Ottone Castle also has a lot to tell, because the border between Tures in Tyrol and Villa Ottone-Neuhaus (Gorizia) once ran near the village. If museums interest you more, then the Fireman's Helmet Museum is a special experience: 700 helmets and rare uniforms can be seen.
The municipality is the gateway to the mountain world of the Valli di Tures and Aurina with 80 three-thousand-metre peaks. Near Gais and Villa Ottone, both the Aurina Adventure Trail and the Valle Aurina Cycle Route pass by. In summer, the popular "Baggalocke", a small bathing lake with shady trees, offers some cooling. In winter, Gais is located between the Plan de Corones Skiing Area and the SkiWorld Valle Aurina, which combines the Klausberg and Speikboden Ski Areas. There are three toboggan runs in the village itself, including the 4 km long Valle Rio Molino run.
