Velturno

A Renaissance castle and chestnut delights: Welcome to the sunny slopes of the Isarco Valley foothills

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The Alpe di Siusi area offers views of the Villandro Alp, another high-altitude pasture in the region, the Lazfons Alp, and the area around Velturno.
Foto: AT, © Peer
The clustered village centre of Velturno (Feldthurns) is dominated by its eponymous castle, which once served as a kindergarten and school.
Foto: TM, © Peer
The area, Snodres in the picture, is well-connected to the public transport network and therefore to the larger towns of Chiusa and Bressanone.
Foto: AT, © Peer
Snowshoe hikers make their way to the Brugger Schupfe Mountain Hut (2,000 metres above sea level), the starting point of a 4.2 km toboggan run leading down to the Caerna Weather Cross.
Foto: AT, © Peer
The nearest ski resort is the Plose, a 25-minute drive away - for cross-country skiing, the Villandro Alp, 20 kilometres away, is ideal.
Foto: TM, © Peer
Velturno village is the main centre of the municipality, a holiday destination perched high above the valley floor of the Isarco Valley.
Foto: AT, © Peer
Near the Spitalwiese commercial area in Chiusa, the road leads uphill to the village, where Velturno Castle (Schloss Velthurns) welcomes visitors.
Foto: AT, © Peer
Built in the Renaissance style and once the summer residence of the Bressanone bishops, the castle can be visited from Easter until November.
Foto: BS, © Peer
It houses the local museum, which showcases, among other things, the impressive World Wonders cycle of murals by Pietro Bagnatore.
Foto: BS, © Peer
Also worth seeing is the St. Lawrence Church with its black and gold high altar: The church’s patron saint is depicted on the gable end.
Foto: AT, © Peer
In 1987, sculptor Othmar Winkler created the bronze statue of the freedom fighter Simon Rieder (1750-1810) at the Piazza Simon Rieder square: Rieder played a significant role in the Tyrolean freedom fights alongside Andreas Hofer.
Foto: AT, © Peer
A pool, a sunbathing lawn, shady trees, and a magnificent panorama: In summer, the open-air swimming pool in Velturno opens its doors.
Foto: AT, © Peer
A two-hour walk along the Panorama Trail starts at the edge of the village, leading you to Snodres and back through shady woodlands.
Foto: AT, © Peer
Snodres is one of the largest settlements in the municipality of Velturno, a small mountain village at an altitude of approximately 1,000 metres.
Foto: AT, © Peer
Another district is San Pietro Mezzomonte, with its 63 metres high waterfall behind the houses: The trail to the waterfall is marked with a signpost.
Foto: AT, © Peer
Caerna is the highest located hamlet: This settlment at 1,200 metres is known for Garnstein Castle, or Caerna Castle, which once protected the nearby silver mine in the Val di Tinne valley.
Foto: AT, © Peer
Starting from the Caerna Weather Cross, a 3.5-hour tour leads to the Monte del Pascolo in the Sarentino Alps, Velturno’s local mountain.
Foto: AT, © Peer
The many ancient chestnut trees are particularly striking: There are several thousand of them in Velturno, a popular Toerggele destination.
Foto: AT, © Peer
The Isarco Valley Chestnut Trail connects the sunny slopes between Bolzano and Bressanone, in the picture part of the fourth stage near Velturno.
Foto: AT, © Peer
In Giovignano, you may enjoy Toerggelen with homemade bread, the traditional “Schlachtplatte” meat platter, and stiffed Schlutzkrapfen.
Foto: TM, © Peer
The area has been inhabited since ancient times: In the Tanzgasse alley, graves and remnants of pottery production and livestock farming have been found, some dating back to 5000 BC.
Foto: AT, © Peer

Close to Velturno:
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Velturno in the Valle Isarco valley is a sunny village, the ideal spot for a relaxing holiday. The Bishops of Bressanone clearly appreciated this, making Velturno their summer residence in 1577 AD. Today, the municipality stretches up the right side of the valley to the mighty 2,439-metre peak of the Monte del Pascolo, called Königsanger, in the Sarentino Alps.

It is Velturno's local mountain and a popular hiking destination. Dense forests, scattered farmsteads, expansive views, fresh air, and historic buildings characterise this holiday destination.

Above the village of Velturno lie the hamlets of Caerna and Snodres, to the north Giovignano, and below, the settlements of Untrum, Gola, Pedraz, and San Pietro Mezzomonte. Two unique features make Velturno unmistakable: the impressive Velturno Castle, a jewel of Renaissance architecture housing the local museum, and the abundance of chestnut trees.

Currently, 3,336 chestnut trees grow within the municipality. No wonder Velturno is a renowned Toerggele area in South Tyrol. Swimming, tobogganing, hiking - you can do it all without leaving the municipality. The small outdoor pool in the Via Trumbichl road is surrounded by a gently sloping lawn dotted with trees. On foot, the Laitach Wine Hiking Trail and the South Tyrolean Chestnut Trail offer leisurely walks through the landscape above the valley basin.

For higher aspirations, the mountain tour to the Lago Rodella Mountain Hut - or Radlseehütte - at an altitude of 2,284 metres above sea level offers magnificent views of the Odle peaks in Funes. In winter, the Brugger Schupfe toboggan run invites you to an exhilarating descent.

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