Giovignano

Giovignano (Tschiffnon), the last of the five hamlets belonging to Velturno in the Valle Isarco valley, is a small mountain village nestled above the valley basin. Above Giovignano lies Snodres, and a little further southwest, Velturno village. In autumn, people gather in Giovignano for the traditional Toerggelen under the chestnut trees, enjoying homemade specialities.

This is the time when the "Buschenschänke" - the traditional farm taverns - open their doors. The name comes from the branches, called "Buschen", which used to adorn the entrances of the farms that were permitted to serve their own home-pressed wine. These green branches signalled that the "Buschenschank" was open for business. After indulging in these autumnal delights, the surrounding natural beauty beckons. A leisurely hike takes you along the famous Chestnut Trail below Snodres to the Tonigmüller farm, and then along trail number 11 to the Wöhrmaurer farm.

The hike takes about an hour. The Chestnut Trail stretches across the sunny slopes of the Isarco Valley in several day stages. The final stage begins at the Sabiona Monastery in Chiusa and leads via Velturno and the Monte Ponente to Bressanone. This area can also be explored by bicycle, for example, on a bike tour on Mount Ponente.

Winter invites you to enjoy excursions in the snow and to visit the Christmas Markets of Chiusa and Bressanone. The surrounding high plateaus - the Villandro Alp, Mt. Plose, and Barbiano - are well known for winter sports. You can even go tobogganing in Velturno: A sledge run starts near the Brugger Schupfe Mountain Hut which can be reached from the Caerna Weather Cross.