Holidays in Vadena in Bolzano and surroundings between sport and food and wine

14 km from Lake Caldaro, and 15 km from Bolzano, lies Vadena on the Wine Route, a South Tyrolean municipality located west of the Adige, next to Monte di Mezzo. A small town of just 1,000 inhabitants but with a great history, whose name is mentioned as early as 860 A.D. in historical documents such as Vatina; in 1242 as Fatena, and in 1371 as Phætena.

The area is, for the most part, devoted to agriculture: fruit growing in the plains and viticulture on the sunny slopes of Monte di Mezzo, in particular in the Campi al Lago area, which, like the entire eastern shore of Lake Caldaro, belongs to the municipality of Vadena. Here lies the Laimburg Research and Agricultural and Forestry Experimentation Center which houses the famous “Felsenkeller” rock cellar (open to the public only on special occasions).

Also worth seeing are the ruins of Castelchiaro on Monte di Mezzo, above the town of Campi al Lago, which overlook Lake Caldaro from above. Considered one of the largest in South Tyrol and one of the warmest bathing lakes in the Alps, it is the ideal destination for water sport enthusiasts. Windsurfing, sailing, swimming, rowing or pedal boating, and fishing are some of the activities that can be enjoyed. The walk or bike ride around the lake is also a must do activity. In winter, the frozen waters give way to a beautiful skating rink.

Vadena also offers a lot to two-wheel enthusiasts: it is crossed, in fact, by the Adige Cycle Path that leads to Lake Caldaro, Bolzano, Merano, or Trento. The tours with e-bikes or city bikes in the valley between wine cellars and apple orchards are also great fun; real peace of mind especially in spring.

For those who love walking, however, the nearby mountain of Laives, Montelargo, presents itself as a dense network of paths waiting to be discovered. For the more trained, the Alta Via di Laives is ideal. A compulsory stop is the Titschenwarte viewpoint: a unique panorama of the Sciliar, the Catinaccio and the Latemar.

In winter you can ski in the nearby ski areas of Val Gardena, Alpe di Siusi, Obereggen and Latemar, Carezza, and Corno del Renon; snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and ski touring are also available.