The highest hamlet of the Val di Vizze is called San Giacomo: At the end of the valley, the Vizze Pass enchants with its lakes
Image gallery: San Giacomo di Vizze di Dentro
San Giacomo di Vizze di Dentro (St. Jakob in Innerpfitsch) nestles on the slopes of the Zillertal Alps and stretches up to the Passo di Vizze mountain pass. The hamlets of Kinzen and Sasso are scattered across the slopes near the village, at altitudes between 1,400 and 1,500 metres.
Beyond Sasso, the main road ends. There, the ascent to the Vizze Pass begins. Where migratory birds now soar southwards over the Alps, this high-altitude pass was once a vital checkpoint. On the other side lies the Austrian Zillertal valley. Down in the village, the Carabinieri station, the village tavern, and the school cluster around the old parish church, with its tall spire and ornate wooden doorway. The second, newer church, dedicated to St. James, is built in the Gothic style.
For nature lovers, there's the Moassl Waterfall near San Giacomo, a natural Kneipp basin, and the newly designed Mushroom Path in the Val di Vizze. Most spectacular, however, is the surrounding world of glaciers and mountains, featuring the Gran Pilastro, the Gran Vedretta, the Cima Grava, the Cima Felbe, and the Punta Rossa peaks. Hikers and mountain bikers are drawn to the Passo di Vizze with its crystal-clear mountain lakes. One of these lies directly by the Passo di Vizze Hut, South Tyrol's oldest privately owned mountain hut, dating back to 1888.
Also well-known are the Gran Pilastro Hut, a base for mountain tours to Mt. Gran Pilastro, and the Europa Hut, through which the Italian-Austrian border runs. The area is interesting for mineral collectors with its rock crystals, smoky quartz, and zircons - though collecting is prohibited.
