Discover Lake Pontelletto and its charming alpine hut, perfect for relaxing on hot summer days
Image gallery: Le Cave
Le Cave (Grasstein), the northernmost district of Fortezza, is situated at the transition from the Valle Isarco to the Upper Valle Isarco, known as Sachsenklemme. Grasstein is the smallest of the municipality's three districts, but it once served as a vital transshipment point along the Brennero railway line. The surrounding granite quarries provided the materials used to build the station building and sections of both the Brennero and Val Pusteria railway lines. This made Le Cave the freight yard for granite transport, leading to its Italian name, "Le Cave" - quarries.
Today, the freight yard lies dormant, reclaimed by nature. Above the village, the hike to Lake Pontelletto begins. The hut bearing the lake's name offers refreshments in summer. Here, amidst the peaks and forests of the Sarentino Alps, you can immerse yourself in the South Tyrolean mountain summer. Other rewarding destinations include the Bergl Hut and the Sulzenalm.
Located slightly below Lake Pontelletto, these huts are no longer managed and are falling into disrepair. They can be easily combined in a single mountain tour. The lake can also be reached by mountain bike or, during the colder months, on a winter hike. Interestingly, almost every village in South Tyrol, no matter how small, has its own chapel or church - except Le Cave.
However, it does boast something many other villages lack: an old power station. Constructed in 1931 at the beginning of South Tyrol's electrification, the power station is now decommissioned. It serves as the first unmanned demonstration power station on the Upper Valle Isarco Cycle Path, intended to be developed for educational purposes and made accessible to visitors.
