Valle Isarco - Bressanone and environs. Active holidays all the year round

Valle Isarco stretches from Barbiano to Fortezza forming an extremely heterogeneous landscape: never-ending vineyards and orchards covering the valley floor, meadows and pastures on wonderful sunny plateaus, tight woods and chestnuts groves and the imposing mountains with their glaciers and beautiful lakes. Small villages and bigger towns are perfectly integrated in the natural landscape, and they are often overlooked by imposing castles and monasteries, giving the valley a romantic charm.

This valley can be discovered through many itineraries on foot, by mountain bike or riding a horse. The themed paths are particularly interesting: they wind along the valley floor and on the plateaus, thus being also suitable for the less trained hikers. Here are some examples: the Ketschnweg (sweet chestnut) trail, from Varna to Castel Roncolo, the Didactical trail in Zannes in Val di Funes, in the Puez Odle Nature Park, and the Way of St. James, from Prato Dava in Alta Pusteria to Passo del Brennero.
There are also many itineraries in the height and climbing routes: the most beautiful can be found in Val di Fundres and in Val di Fleres, such as the Adolf Munkler Weg, at the foot of the majestic Odle group, or the Dolomite High route nr. 2, from Bressanone to Feltre.
Valle Isarco boasts the broadest net of Nordic walking trails in the whole South Tyrol: the Nordic Fitness Sport Park, with 100 km itineraries, as well as many mountain bike trails, such as the bike track from Passo del Brennero to Bolzano.
Anyway, these are not the only summer sport you can do: you can choose among paragliding, tennis, horse-riding, fishing, rafting, golf and many more.

There are as much as three ski areas in Valle Isarco: Plose - Bressanone, Jochtal - Valles and Gitschberg - Maranza. They are ideal for families and for those wanting to ski freely, far away from the crowded slopes of the big resorts, and they offer the opportunity to do many winter sports: downhill run, cross-country skiing, snowboard and ski mountaineering, sledging and snowshoeing, as well as romantic horse-sled tours.
The plateaus are perfect for cross-country skiers, with many trails on Alpe di Villandro and Alpe di Rodengo.

If you want to discover the culture, art and history of this land, you can visit the imposing Rodengo Castle, the fortress in Fortezza, the beautiful abbey in Novacella near Bressanone and the Convent of Sabiona in Chiusa.
There are also many interesting museums, such as the Diocesan Museum and the Pharmacy museum in Bressanone, the Mineralogical Museum in Tiso and the Loden Museum in Vandoies.

This valley is called the "valley of taste": in fact, you will find many specialties and local products delighting your palate, such as apples, chestnuts and wine. The traditional Törggelen festival is well-known and celebrated in the whole area: in this occasion, the participants can taste the new wine, eating chestnuts and other typical dishes. There are plenty of gastronomic events: Fine Cuisine Festival, Sunnseitn Apple-week,Speck festival and Chestnut Weeks are only some examples.
Don't forget the famous white wines from Valle Isarco: the fruity Sylvaner, the floral Müller Thurgau, the rich Gewürztraminer and the strong and aromatic Kerner.