Sights in the Ahrntal Valley

At the head of the Ahrntal, there is a gem from the 15th thcentury. The Holy Spirit Church – originally a place of worship for the workers at the Prettau copper mine – has long been a pilgrimage site with an almost mystical aura. From Kasern, a Way of the Cross with 15 wooden columns leads to the striking church building, which is linked to an old legend: In front of the church stands a cross whose Christ figure has bullet holes in it. It is said that a shooter once practiced here sacrilegiously for a shooting competition. He also won a bull as a bonus – and was killed by it on the way home.

Above Sand in Taufers, at the entrance to the Ahrntal, a mighty building rises, which has already been the setting of many films (Just Married with Ashton Kutcher and Shiverstone Castle with Harald Schmidt): Taufers Castle was built in the 13th century and is visible from afar with its fortified walls and keep. Historical locations such as the armoury, the ghost room, the cardinals’ room, and other romantic areas, as well as the impressive knights’ hall, await you. Naturally, the castle dungeon and torture chamber are also not left out.

Many vacationers experience the alpine South Tyrol in a high-altitude euphoria. In Prettau, it goes in the opposite direction. Until the 20^th century, the finest copper was mined in hard work full of privation at depths of 1,100 m. Today, the old tunnels are used for speleotherapy (cave therapy) to relieve chronic respiratory diseases. In the climate tunnel, the cool 8-10°C air is exceptionally pure, because allergens and suspended particles are bound to the rock walls due to the high humidity. When inhaled, this tunnel air is heated to body temperature and removes water from the mucous membranes, which can alleviate or even eliminate breathing problems without side effects. Guided tours of the mine are also regularly offered.

History at your fingertips: In Dietenheim, near Bruneck, there is a spacious area where you can dive deep into history. Because the local folk art museum is not simply an exhibition building with showrooms, but a picturesque museum village with everything that belonged to a village in earlier times: farmhouses, workshops, gardens, a water mill, farm buildings, plenty of old agricultural equipment – and right in the middle, the Mair am Hof Residence from the Baroque period. All the buildings are originally preserved and paint a vivid picture of the life of South Tyrolean farmers.

This geological exhibition in Mühlegg – between St. Johann and Steinhaus – with around 1,000 mineral exhibits from around 30 million years ago is one of the most important museums in the eastern Alps. If you ever wanted to know how the beautiful patch of land on which you take your hiking tours arose, you can find out here first-hand. At the 300 m² exhibition space, many valuable pieces can be found, including the largest smoky quartz in South Tyrol and – from the nearby Prettau mine – the world’s most beautiful Gwindel quartz.

Every year during Advent, the South Tyrolean Christmas markets cast their spell over us. Fragrant baked goods, mulled wine, and magical lights put young and old into the Christmas spirit. The traditional charm of the romantic old town of Bruneck offers the perfect backdrop for this; maybe you will even find a souvenir for your loved ones back home. You can get there from Enzianhof in just 25 minutes by car. After an exciting day on the ski slopes, a visit to one of our regional Christmas markets will bring you an atmospheric balance in the winter magic of South Tyrol.