Discover Villandro, that means exploring the Villandro Alp, digging for silver in the mine and visiting the Franz von Defregger Alley
Thanks to its diversity, the municipality of Villandro is one of the most beautiful holiday destinations in the Isarco Valley. From the small artists' town of Chiusa, the road leads uphill past vineyards. The highest point is Mount Villandro, one of the higher peaks in the eastern ridge of the Sarentino Alps. In between, you will pass the historic village centre of Santo Stefano with the Vicolo Defregger alley, which served as the inspiration for Franz Defregger's work "The Last Contingent". To the left and right, deep ditches separate the main village from the localities of San Maurizio and San Valentino. The fourth district of Villandro, Oberland, lies above it at the Villandro Alp, one of the most beautiful high alpine pastures in the Alps.
The Villandro Alp is a hiking paradise for the whole family. This means not only numerous paths between high moors, lush meadows and mountain pines, but also easily accessible mountain huts. In winter, the second-largest high alpine pasture in Europe presents itself in soft white, an ideal terrain for snowshoe tours, winter walks and cross-country skiing. Only the nearby Alpe di Siusi is even wider. Spring immerses Villandro in a sea of plum blossom, and autumn invites you to enjoy the traditional Toerggelen. Until now, both seasons have been classified as low seasons, but are becoming increasingly popular due to the individual offer and mild temperatures.
The cultural highlights around Villandro include various churches and the Villandro Silver Mine in the Val di Tinne valley below the Villandro Alp. Numerous tunnels lead into the mountain, one above the other, and were mined for ore and silver until into the 20th century. Two of them, the St. Elizabeth and St. Lawrence Galleries, were secured years ago and are now open to the public.
