This is where the Castelfeder region scores: holiday inspiration (not only) for South Tyrol fans

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Merano, Bolzano, Alpe di Siusi, Lake Caldaro – have you seen it all? Then this blog post is just right for you. In the following lines, South Tyrol fans (and all those who would like to become one) can expect a concentrated load of fresh inspiration from the Castelfeder holiday region.

The region around the holiday villages of Ora, Montan, Egna and Salorno, south of Bolzano, can still be described as an “insider tip”. Here in the south of South Tyrol, between the Monte Corno Nature Park and the sun-drenched vineyards, you will find everything we love about South Tyrol: impressive natural landscapes, magnificent views, delicious wines, pretty villages and charming people.

The Castelfeder holiday region at a glance

The Castelfeder holiday region is named after the striking hill of the same name, which rises between the villages of Neumarkt, Ora and Montan and whose old wall foundations point to an ancient fortification. The village of Egna was already a flourishing trading centre in the Middle Ages. Today, Egna is the cultural and economic hub of the South Tyrolean lowlands. Bolzano, Caldaro and Termeno are in the immediate vicinity. With its location on the South Tyrolean Wine Road and the extensive and definitely not overcrowded network of hiking and cycling routes in and around the Trudener Horn Nature Park, the villages of the Castelfeder region offer the ideal base for a short break.

The journey from Zurich to Neumarkt/Egna takes around 7.5 (train) to 4.5 (car) hours, depending on the means of transport. In order to be more flexible on site, we organized a rental car and were on the road with it. The sights and places to stay mentioned below can also be reached by public transport (bus). A good overview of the stops and timetable connections can be found on the südtirolmobil website.

So, and now I’ll show you with which attractions the Castelfeder holiday region was able to score with me.

The Bletterbach Gorge – on the trail of the origin of the Dolomites

First on the agenda is a visit to the GEOPARC Bletterbach. To do this, we follow a winding road from Egna to the heights of the Regglberg low mountain range plateau high above the Adige Valley. Soon the striking Aldino Weisshorn shows us the way at the end of the valley of the deeply incised Bletterbach Gorge. At the foot of the Weisshorn is the GEOPARC Bletterbach, which is part of the serial UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites. In contrast to the Three Peaks, Sciliar-Catinaccio or Fanes-Sennes-Braies, the GEOPARC Bletterbach is not widely known and does not attract crowds of tourists.

This is partly due to the fact that the Bletterbach Gorge fascinates less with impressive mountain scenery than with the insight into the interior of the mountain world and makes the structure of the Dolomites visible. The starting point for individual or guided hikes through the gorge is at the visitor centre in Aldino. It is open from the end of April to the end of October. In winter, access to the gorge remains closed. Admission to the gorge costs 6 euros for adults and includes admission to the exhibition of the visitor center in Aldino and the GEO Museum in Radein, as well as the free rental of a helmet for a safe hike through the gorge.

For me, the detour into the gorge accompanied by Geopark guide Werner Putzer is one of my most impressive nature experiences in South Tyrol. From the visitor centre, we descended through a sparse fir forest in the direction of “Taubenleck” and from there hiked along the GEO trail between imposing rhyolite towers upstream to the “Butterloch waterfall”. The gorge circular hike took about three hours.

The trails are signposted at the visitor center. Depending on the weather, access to the gorge may remain closed (risk of falling rocks or debris flows). Participation in timed themed hikes costs 24 euros (regular price). If you are enthusiastic about geology and are traveling as a family or in a small group (up to a maximum of 10 people), then it is worth booking a personal tour in my opinion (cost 170 to 210 euros depending on the time frame). Further information can be found here: Entrance fees

A box seat in Oberradein

The Bletterbach Gorge is also crossed by the European long-distance hiking trail E5 on the Aldino – Oberradein stage. If you follow this up the slope at the level of Taubenleck on the opposite side of the gorge, you will be guided purposefully to our first overnight stop. We check in for the first night at the historic traditional Hotel Zirmerhof.

The ancient farmhouse, which has been accommodating guests since the end of the 19th century, is located in an enviable location high above the South Tyrolean lowlands. The view is to die for! A retreat par excellence is offered by the new suites, which are located in the shingle-roofed chalets in front of the main house. But the rooms in the main house, which are steeped in history, also have their charm. You are looking for an oasis of peace close to nature; Reading, hiking, letting your gaze wander – voilà, then the Zirmerhof is a “match”.

Alone in the open field – hiking in the Monte Corno Nature Park

The next morning, another bright and beautiful autumn day awaits us. Perfect for exploring the hiking trails of the Monte Corno Nature Park. For this purpose, we have arranged to meet Lukas Varesco, hiking guide and managing director of the Castelfeder holiday region, in the village centre of Montan. From here we follow the signposted hiking trail no. 4 first through open pastureland, then past vineyards and later through a loosely planted pine forest uphill to the Cisloner Alm. Due to its location and the sub-Mediterranean climate zone, the Monte Corno Nature Park is considered to be the most species-rich in South Tyrol in terms of flora. This diversity is also evident on our hiking route. Here and there, however, we also catch one or two great views through the thicket into the South Tyrolean lowlands.

While we didn’t meet anyone on the ascent, the sun terrace of the Cisloner Alm is well visited on this Saturday afternoon. No wonder – in this wonderful October weather. The detour to the alpine pasture is also very popular with bikers. Most of them cycle from Trodena up to the alpine pasture. After a fine lunch refreshment, we head back down the valley to Montan. Particularly impressive are the vantage points with a view over Lake Caldaro and the 14-kilometre-long wooded Mitterberg, which separates the South Tyrolean lowlands from the Oltradige mountains.

A beautiful, approximately 11.5-kilometre-long hiking circuit, which offers a good 800 crisp metres of altitude on the ascent. You can see the detailed route of our circular hike from Montan to the Cisloner Alm and back on Sentres.

The first Albergo Diffuso in South Tyrol – or how to bring life to the village

For the next two nights we check in at the Ela Living Albergo Diffuso in the middle of the historic center of Egna Park. The concept of Albergo Diffuso was introduced in various small, historic villages in Italy from the 1980s onwards to counteract emigration and revitalise the centres. I have known the concept since our stay at the Relais del Maro in Borgomaro, Liguria. In Egna, the course was set for the first “Streuhotel” in South Tyrol in 2018. One of the co-initiators was former mayor Horst Pichler. The facilitation of an Albergo Diffuso was part of a comprehensive package of measures intended to contribute to a sustainable revitalization of the city center.

Just over a year after the legal framework for the implementation of an Albergo Diffusos was created at the state level (in the sense of a pilot), an investor/hotel operator was found in Ioana Cires. In the meantime, it manages 18 different design apartments scattered at four locations in the historic centre of Neumarkt. We are accommodated in the apartment “Enjoy” directly above the arcades of Andreas-Hofer-Strasse. At the beginning of 2021, Ioana Cires also took over the operation of the “Black Eagle“. If the bar had not been taken over and – in addition to its actual function as a bar and meeting place for the local population – converted into a reception and breakfast restaurant, then Neumarkt would probably have lost a “pub” by now.

The location of the apartments is ideal for those who want to spend a few days exploring the Castelfeder holiday region as well as the villages and wine cellars along the South Tyrolean Wine Road.

From Egna to San Lugano – by bike along the Fiemme Valley Railway

Neumarkt also offers a great base for extended bike tours. The popular cross-border cycle route “Via Claudia Augusta” (also known as the Adige Valley Cycle Path), which leads from Resia through South Tyrol to Verona, 300 kilometres away, passes Egna. Another popular regional cycle route follows the route of the former Fiemme Valley Railway at the northern entrance to Neumarkt. The 50-kilometre-long route leads from Ora to Val di Fiemme, which is already part of Trentino.

Under the expert guidance of Roberto Mich, who runs the “E-Bike-Dreams” bike rental service in the village centre of Egna, we take a close look at a route variation of the Fiemme Valley Railway cycle path. At Roberto, you can rent first-class e-bikes on a daily basis, which make exploring the hilly terrain of the Castelfeder region really fun. Our tour takes us from Neumarkt via Pinzon over the Glen Viaduct to Glen and from there continue following the road to Truden. At Mühlen we build a spontaneous extra detour to the panoramic mountain inn Dorfner in our round.

Then we continue cross-country from Trodena towards Kaltenbrunn, from where we cycle back towards Neumarkt following the railway line. Only a few meters away from the bike course is the Gsteigerhof. A classic court tavern, where hearty Törggelen menus are also served in autumn.

Taste fine wines on the South Tyrolean Wine Road

Another hobbyhorse of the Castelfeder region are the Pinot Noir growing areas, which are among the best locations in Italy. One way to immerse yourself in the world of Pinot Noir is the theme trail of the same name. You can choose between a day hike or three half-day tours. Tizian Visintin from the Tenuta Kollerhof in Mazon, for example, will be happy to guide interested guests individually through the wine cellar of the family business by appointment and also offers tastings and wine sales from the farm.

If you are already in the area, then I would recommend you – in addition to a tour on the Fiemme Valley Railway cycle path – also a bike tour along the southern wine cycle route from Egna via Salorno and Cortaccia to Tramin. This is how you make the bow stroke from Pinot Noir to Gewürztraminer and back. And if your stomach growls on the way, then we recommend a stop at the Alte Post restaurant in Tramin. In the wine bar you can not only choose from an impressive number of South Tyrolean wines at unbeatable prices (this perception has been confirmed to me by my South Tyrolean colleagues), but also really good food is served!

And if you’re looking for a good tip for a bite to eat in Neumarkt, then the Piazzetta restaurant in the Old Town Hall is a solid choice.

Has your wanderlust for South Tyrol been awakened? If so, here are more regional tips. Further information about Castelfeder can also be found on the website of the holiday region as well as on the official website of South Tyrol Tourism.