Hut check Seiser Alm: winter holidays for connoisseurs
What are the arguments for turning your back on Swiss winter sports resorts and checking out alternatives abroad? The price level? The friendliness? The range of slopes? Or the culinary delights? Admittedly, as a passionate visitor to the mountain pub, I regularly get weak at the prospect of good food.
And this explains why we drive across beautiful snow-covered landscapes on the northern side of the Alps in the best snow conditions and finally spend a winter weekend on the spring-like Alpe di Siusi in South Tyrol. On the other hand, the snow is only of secondary importance to us anyway – our mission: to test out as many alpine pastures and huts as possible. We have definitely arrived at the right place for this on the Alpe di Siusi.
Box seat on the Alpe di Siusi
The Alpe di Siusi is located 25 kilometres north of Bolzano in the middle of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Dolomites” and can be reached most quickly from Switzerland via Innsbruck / Brenner. The alpine landscape stretches at altitudes of 1,600 – 2,4000 m above sea level between Castelrotto and Val Gardena and is considered the largest high alpine pasture in Europe with an area of over 50 km2. After we have successfully mastered the winding road from Castelrotto up to Compaccio, we are greeted by an unexpected expanse. The vastness of the Alpe di Siusi guarantees not only countless kilometres of pistes and cross-country ski trails, but also many hours of sunshine.
Just as we reach our destination, the sun says goodbye with a colorful spectacle behind the Sciliar. A foretaste of the fantastic atmospheres that await us in the next few days. With the chosen accommodation, however, we have also really hit a jackpot in terms of panoramic location.
The Vitalpina Hotel Icaro is located right next to the ski slope on a hill opposite the Dolomites chain and offers a wonderful panoramic view from the Sassolungo Group to the Sciliar. The hotel has only 22 rooms and suites and is run as a family business. A wonderful base for a gourmet weekend on the Alpe di Siusi. From here we can enjoy the panorama from the first to the last minute.
With snowshoes to the Mahlknechthütte
Another plus point of the Icaros is the varied guest program. The Sattler family offers their guests four to five guided seasonal excursions and activities per week as an inclusive service. In the winter months, the program also includes various snowshoe hikes.
After watching the Alpe di Siusi wake up in the morning and having a proper breakfast, we set off on a snowshoe tour to the Mahlknecht hut together with host and hiking guide Alexander Sattler. The tour takes us across the Alpe di Siusi to the Dolomites on the opposite side. The sun is shining from a cloudless sky, a mild breeze is blowing and somehow it feels like sun skiing is already the order of the day. On the way, we learn that on the Alpe di Siusi there are traditionally always two huts together – one for hay (in which people used to sleep) and a smaller cooking hut. We are on the road quickly and forego a stop at the Laranzer Schwaige, which is a stopover halfway to the Mahlknecht hut, in favor of the running rhythm.
After a two-hour ascent, we reach the Mahlknechthütte punctually at lunchtime, where we taste the delicious Buchteln on the recommendation of Alexander Sattler. The great thing about the snowshoe tour to the Mahlknechthütte is that the sweaty ascent and the fine hut food are followed by a rapid toboggan run. The three-kilometre-long toboggan run down to the Tirler starts directly at the Mahlknechthütte. For a small fee, toboggans can be rented here for the descent. And at the end of the toboggan run, the Tirler Alm awaits you with an inviting sun terrace and hearty snack platter.
P.S. Did you count? A snowshoe tour: three huts in one fell swoop!
Aperitivo at the Sanon Hut
And as if that wasn’t enough, shortly before sunset we make our way to the Sanon hut, which is connected to the Hotel Icaro via a winter hiking trail (about 20 minutes on foot). As a side dish to the platter, the Sanon hut offers us the most kitschy sunset.
Hot chocolate at the Ritsch Schwaige
While we were on the road with snowshoes on the first day, today we follow the winter hiking trails. The starting point is again the Hotel Icaro and the first stop for refreshments follows after just 15 minutes. The Ritsch Schwaige is located right next to the starting point of the beginner’s trail of the same name and is therefore a popular meeting place among cross-country skiers. We take a short stop here and order a hot chocolate.
Legendary Gostner Schwaige & the best dumplings
Anyone who deals with the places to stop for refreshments on the Alpe di Siusi will hardly be able to avoid one institution. The Gostner Schwaige is one of the top alpine pastures in the region. If you want to get a table here at lunchtime without waiting, it’s better to call at least one day in advance and reserve a spot. When the weather is nice, there are plenty of terrace seats – but when the weather is bad, it can quickly get crowded. The Gostner Schwaige enjoys great popularity, and rightly so. The menu includes a lot of homemade specialties with our own alpine products. The food not only tastes good, but is also served in a tasteful way.
Detour to the Tschötsch Alm
After lunch in the Gostner Schwaige, we continue along the winter hiking trail in the direction of Compaccio. From here, two paths lead to our third hut stop of the day: Either you follow the winter hiking trail uphill until you reach the Tschötsch Alm after a good hour, or you take the cable car up to the Bullaccia and hike (or toboggan) downhill from there. The Bullaccia cable car is open to pedestrians and you can buy the tickets for the ascent directly from the cable car (cost single ticket ascent: 4 euros). Once at the top of the Bullaccia, it is worth following the path to the left in the direction of “Engelsrast”. The short ascent leads us to a viewpoint that guarantees almost a 360° view over the Alpe di Siusi. Unfortunately, it has clouded in the meantime, but the panorama is no less impressive.
A good 15 minutes later we reach the beautifully situated Tschötsch Alm. We have carefully held back in the Gostner Schwaige and now help ourselves to the obligatory Kaiserschmarrn.
Later, on the way back, we take stock: two days, seven huts – I would think that was indeed an enjoyable weekend!
Extrip for foodies: Furschermühle
Die Seiser Alm befindet sich in einem Landschaftsschutzgebiet mit beschränkten Zufahrtsmöglichkeiten. Für den Individualverkehr ist die Zufahrt zwischen 9:00 Uhr – 17:00 Uhr gesperrt (davon ausgenommen sind Hotelgäste am Anreise- und Abreisetag). Nach 17:00 Uhr sind Fahrten möglich, was einem erlaubt, einen Abstecher in die umliegenden Ortschaften zu unternehmen. Wer Lust auf einen Abend in einem besonderen Ambiente hat, dem kann ich ein Abendessen in der Furschermühle in Seis am Schlern empfehlen. Ein Kleinod vor dramatischer Kulisse (die wir leider nicht einfangen konnten, da es viel zu dunkel war, um die Kulisse des Schlern hinter der Mühle zu erahnen – aber ihr könnt euch ja bei Gelegenheit mit eigenen Augen überzeugen).
Praktische Tipps für dein Genusswochenende auf der Seiser Alm
- Die Anreise Zürich – Seiser Alm dauert mit den öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln rund 7 Stunden. Mit dem Auto erreicht ihr die Seiser Alm in gut 4.5 Stunden. Bei der Anfahrt auf die Seiser Alm ist bei der Forststation in St. Valentin die Sonderfahrerlaubnis zu besorgen.
- Die Kosten für die Übernachtung im Hotel Icaro sind abhängig von der jeweiligen Saison. In den Wintermonaten starten die Preise für eine Übernachtung inkl. Halpension bei 154 Euro pro Person.
- Die Seiser Alm ist über eine Busverbindung ab Saltria an die legendäre Sellaronda angeschlossen.
Hinweis: diese Reise wurde von der IDM Südtirol unterstützt. Wie immer sind alle Meinungen und Eindrücke die unseren.
Leave a Reply