Holidays and sustainability in sync Wonderfully walkable mountains An interview about art and home
UP TO THE TOP
And down with a backpack full of experiences
Contributors
Contributors
1 Can tourism really be sustainable? Or is this just an empty phrase? Writer Susanne Pitro was extremely sceptical when she started her research. But 10 interviews, 28 pages of notes and 1,740 words later, she concluded: “Change is definitely happening. It’s inspiring to see just how many people clearly want to do things differently. They are really aware of environmental issues and are putting forward their own ideas to help.”
2 Stefanie Unterthiner has been part of the COR story from its very first issue. Originally on the client side as one of the people who came up with the idea for the magazine, then as a reader and now as part of the editorial team in her new role as project manager. Welcome back! Here’s to many fascinating and beautiful issues together.
3 Mickey Mouse has always been more than “just” a cartoon character. He’s also a symbol of how good wins out in the end. In times like this, graffiti of Mickey Mouse spotted in a place originally built for war is a wonderful symbol of hope. Peace!
Cor. Il cuore. Das Herz. The heart. Traces of the darkness forged at the heart of our region’s turbulent past can still be found in and around Brixen/Bressanone and Klausen/Chiusa. But today, this darkness is diminished by light. The art and culinary delicacies stored in bunkers built for war are a perfect example of this. In this issue, we look back to the past and share some fascinating stories from the present. We focus on living life to the full, while also being mindful of the need to look after our world and each other. Through events big and small. And with heart, understanding and love.
AUTHORS Lisa Maria Gasser, Bettina Gartner, Amy Kadison, Daniela Kahler, Lenz Koppelstätter, Debora Longariva, Judith Niederwanger und Alexander Pichler (Roter Rucksack), Susanne Pitro, Stefanie Unterthiner
PHOTOS Cover photo: Caroline Renzler; Brandnamic (14, 17, 62-63), Edition Raetia (43), Manuel Ferrigato (12), Alex Filz (5, 16, 62-63, 79, 81), Gemeinde Vahrn/Stefan Plank (34-35), Getty Images/Roger Viollet (55), Gitschberg Jochtal (17, 41), Hofburg/Dejaco (81), Julia Hofer (35), Meike Hollnaicher & Thomas Schäfer/Farmfluencers of South Tyrol (20-21), Armin Huber (3), Amy Kadison (67), Tobias Kaser (40-41), Katholisches Sonntagsblatt/Martina Rainer (16), Kellerei Moling (65), KONI Studios (5, 36-37, 76), Manuel Kottersteger (15), Erich Larcher (76), Augustin Lechner (80-81), Michael Messner (79), Alex Moling (8, 32-33), Thomas Monsorno (6), Hannes Niederkofler (18-19, 39, 64-65, 77, 80), Manni Nössing (64), Michael Pezzei (5, 22-30, 79), Benjamin Pfitscher (15, 78), Caroline Renzler (3, 45-48, 50-51, 52-61), Thomas Rötting (14, 35, 79), Roter Rucksack/Judith Niederwanger & Alexander Pichler (82), Rotwild (15), Andre Schönherr (16), Angelika Schwarz (10), Shutterstock (42, 77), Stadtarchiv Brixen/Bestand Archiv Goldenes Kreuz Brixen (69-74), Carmen Stieler (43), Laurenz Stockner (77), Südtiroler Landesmuseum für Volkskunde (43), Tiefrastenhütte (15), Touriseum (71, 74), Unsplash/Anna (21), Marika Unterladstätter (38-39), Vintlerhof (21), Harald Wisthaler (37, 76), Oskar Zingerle (15)
ILLUSTRATIONS
Laura Neuhäuser (4, 66)
TRANSLATIONS AND PROOFREADING
Exlibris (Helene Dorner, Sarah Franzosini, Alison Healey, Debora Longariva, Milena Macaluso, Charlotte Marston, Federica Romanini, Stefanie Unterthiner, The Word Artists)
DRUCK Lanarepro, Lana
Kindly supported
6 So Near Yet So Far Variety is the spice of life
New and Approved
from the region
Clank, Clang, Bang A piece of history 20 Q&A with...
Miriam Zenorini, who runs the first organic social farm in South Tyrol 22 Sustainability Done Right
We investigate how tourism and sustainability can go hand in hand 32 Cycling for Pleasure The evolution of cycling 34 Wonderfully Walkable Four summits and what makes them so special
42 What Our Bodies Need Tips on gathering herbs responsibly
44 Roots Run Deep
An interview with artist Marlies Baumgartner
52 Light in the Dark Three bunkers filled with new life
62 Fane Alm
Place of refuge, cheese-making heritage and film setting
64 A Free Spirit of Winemaking We visit Manni Nössing
66 A Beginner’s Guide to South Tyrol
Part 7: The grace of a beekeeper
67 A Short Dictionary of South Tyrolean
Understand what the locals say
68 Sent with Love
Memories from days gone by
76 Beautiful Things
Products from the region
78 Favourite Spots
Tips for embracing the peace of winter
82 Pyramids in the Forest
The story behind a favourite photo
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So Near Yet So Far
From impressive mountain vistas and forest views to cycling-friendly towns, traditional farmhouse food and breathtaking beauty, our region’s diversity fills us with happiness.
What
view! This is the Peitlerkofel as seen from the window of the Kreuzwiesen Alm mountain lodge –a great place to stop for refreshments on the Dolorama long-distance hiking trail through the Dolomites. Hearty, aromatic and completely moreish cheese is also produced here at 1,924 metres above sea level.
How forward-thinking! Cycling to the station and continuing your journey by train is an excellent alternative to travelling by car. Just like here in Brixen/Bressanone, the whole of South Tyrol is taking steps to make tourism and transport more sustainable. And rightly so!
How magnificent! The church at Neustift Abbey is built in the Romanesque, Late Gothic and southern German Late Baroque styles. Flooded with light, colourful and full of depictions of angels, this sacred space is simply divine.
How delicious! The Törggelen harvest festival is a deeply rooted South Tyrolean tradition, especially in the Eisacktal valley where it originated – and here above Klausen/Chiusa. Locals and visitors of all ages come together to enjoy traditional farmhouse food, young wine, apple juice and the all-important roasted chestnuts.
NEW AND APPROVED
News from the region
This Issue’s Lucky Number: 10 years of the Light & Music Show
LIGHT & MUSIC MEETS FATHER OF DISCO as the Light & Music Show celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2025. The event will once again feature spectacular, immersive light installations projected on the courtyard walls of Hofburg palace in Brixen/Bressanone. To mark the occasion, a brand-new and even more magical show has been commissioned with music composed by award-winning South Tyrolean producer and composer Giorgio Moroder. To help children in need, the anniversary event is being held in partnership with UNICEF Italy and a portion of all ticket sales will be donated to the charity.
Where? Hofburg palace, Brixen. When? 21 November 2025–6 January 2026.
Did You Know That... pear flour is a popular homegrown superfood in Verdings/Verdignes?
RICH IN FIBRE AND ZINC, very low in calories and with 4.5 times the sweetening power of sugar, pear flour is an ideal alternative for nutrition-conscious food lovers. Once an affordable substitute for expensive sugar, pear flour – which is made from an old, local variety of pear called the Ferchbirne – is now a rare delicacy. It’s produced using the same complex process as in the past, which involves gently drying the fruit in several stages before grinding it into flour. The village of Verdings, which is well known for its large number of pear trees, is reviving this culinary tradition. The German-language book “Inser Verdinner Birmehl. Altbewährtes wiederentdeckt” (“Our Verdings Pear Flour. Rediscovering an AgeOld Tradition”; available in Bar Gosser in Verdings) takes an in-depth look at this local superfood and includes some fascinating stories about its origins. It also features a number of recipes you can try at home, including traditional pear flour ravioli, an exquisite pear flour chutney and a sweet curd cheese and pear flour dessert.
Monday:
CYCLING AND YOGA
Take a deep breath – and enjoy the view! Ride your e-bike across the plateau of the Rodenecker and Lüsner Alm mountain pasture and practise some yoga on the Astjoch at 2,194 metres. Far away from all distractions, the rustling of the wind is the only sound you’ll hear as you gaze out at the mountain vista, ground yourself and gain a wonderful sense of inner peace.
Tuesday:
THE WORLD OF BEES
What is the waggle dance? And how is honey extracted from honeycomb? Spend the morning with a beekeeper and find out why bees are so crucial for our ecosystem before tasting their honey for yourself.
Wednesday:
AN EARLY MORNING WALK
Hike up to the Tiefrastenhütte mountain lodge in Terenten/Terento at 2,312 metres while the world is still asleep. As you wander through rolling meadows and gentle woodland, soak up the stillness of daybreak before tucking into a mountain breakfast at the top with views of the of the surrounding peaks.
Spring Awakening
Celebrate spring with a week of revitalising activities to help you blossom and bloom
Thursday:
REVIVE YOUR SENSES
Practise the art of forest bathing in Obervintl/ Vandoies di Sopra. Connect with your surroundings by slowing down and breathing meditatively as you feel the soft moss under your feet, listen to birdsong and take in the scent of the pine trees. Then let yourself be reinvigorated by the waterfall’s refreshing energy.
Friday:
A SEA OF BLOSSOM
Take a guided walk through the orchards in NatzSchabs/Naz-Sciaves as the first shoots of spring emerge. It’s a great way to learn all about apple growing while admiring the delicate pink blossom on the apple trees and breathing in the slightly sweet scent in the air.
+ Check out the “Springtime in South Tyrol” programme for more ways to enjoy spring.
gitschberg-jochtal.com natz-schabs.info
W is for Workation
THE DREAM SCENARIO for all current and aspiring digital nomads, a “workation” (a portmanteau of “work” and “vacation”) is the opportunity to work remotely from a holiday destination for several weeks or even months. The benefits include gaining fresh motivation and inspiration from your surroundings. Plus, once your work is done, it’s time to soak up the culture, go for a bike ride or sip an aperitif in your new local. An ideal base is a hotel specialising in workation experiences that welcomes guests looking for extended stays “and offers an atmosphere conducive to productivity,” says Johanna Huber from Pachers hotel in Neustift/Novacella, which has set up workspaces with power outlets and good lighting in its communal area. Other local options include Hotel Seehof in Natz-Schabs/Naz-Sciaves, where you can work on your laptop in the library or meeting rooms, or Arthotel Lasserhaus in Brixen/Bressanone, which runs a residency project for artists seeking somewhere inspirational to stay.
Alone in the Abbey
When you ring the doorbell at Säben Abbey, you’ll be greeted by FATHER KOSMAS THIELMANN , a chaplain from Heiligenkreuz Abbey near Vienna, who has been living alone here since 1 September 2024. As he explains, “I’ve been appointed as a pilgrim chaplain, not a hermit,” meaning he is on hand to talk to visitors, hear confessions and lead a daily service in the abbey’s chapel. His arrival has brought the over 300-year-old abbey above Klausen/Chiusa back to life for the first time since the Benedictine nuns left three years ago. The abbey’s interior remains closed to the public just as it did in centuries gone by when the nuns lived here in strict seclusion. Father Kosmas is nevertheless happy to receive visitors, just not in winter because it’s impossible to heat the old building. The chaplain, who himself is a former marathon runner, says that anyone who tackles the climb up to this spiritual site needs to enjoy a bit of exercise. He goes into Klausen twice a day to meet with locals. On rare occasions, he uses his small off-road vehicle, which he’s allowed to drive right up to the abbey gates. Everyone else has to complete the last stretch on foot. “Unfortunately, couriers and pizza delivery drivers can’t quite make it all the way to the top,” he says.
klausen.it
Off on an Adventure!
“MUM, ARE WE THERE YET?” Hiking with children can test your patience – but it doesn’t have to be that way! Keep your little ones entertained by whooshing down the giant slide at the Gitschberg Sun Park, interpreting animal tracks with Elf Lili in the dense forest in Vintl/Vandoies or dipping your toes in the ice-cold mountain water at the Kneipp water-treading site in the Altfasstal valley. These are just some of the activities in the new Gitschberg Jochtal/Rio Pusteria adventure book, which gives visitors of all ages the chance to earn medals by collecting stamps at ten stations. All the routes in the book are child-friendly and the nearest playground is marked for each of them. As well as being jam-packed with fun ideas, the book provides useful tips on how to treat nature with respect, what to do when encountering wild animals and which plants and mushrooms can be picked. It also includes exciting puzzles and lots of space for colouring.
Sustainability
Mountain Etiquette
When you’re out and about in the mountains, it’s important to respect other hikers and cyclists, as well as all the grazing animals, wildlife and nature you encounter. Five tips for enjoying the mountains considerately.
Keep the noise down. Shush... Deer and other woodland animals are very sensitive to loud noises and shouting. So keep quiet and stick to the marked paths.
Take your rubbish home. The golden rule in the mountains is to take everything home with you and dispose of it correctly. That way, you keep the natural world clean and help protect it for fellow hikers and cyclists as well as future generations.
Keep your distance. Grazing animals may look cute, but that doesn’t mean they want to be stroked. Take particular care around mother cows, as they have a natural instinct to protect their calves.
Smile at passers-by. Small and simple gestures go a long way and turn personal encounters into happy memories, so have a friendly smile at the ready and stand to one side to let others pass.
Slow down. Getting as quickly as you can from A to B isn’t the way to go in the mountains. Instead, take your time to observe nature, enjoy the moment and discover a sense of inner peace.
Hike along the Milk Trail (Milchsteig) to Fane Alm, marvel at the mountains from the Steinermandl viewing platform or discover the human sundial on the Gitschberg mountain. Whatever route you choose, the adventure book makes family hikes all the more fun.
Anvil in front of the Old Forge’s workbench:
Date: approx. 1850–1920
Size: 95 × 60 cm; approx. 120 kg Material: solid iron
Clank, Clang, Bang
powerful clang rings out through the Old Forge in Lüsen/Luson as the blacksmith’s hammer strikes the iron on the anvil. A second follows, and a third – the rhythmic banging accompanied only by the sound of the bellows blowing air into the charcoal fire. The blacksmith uses a pair of tongs to hold the red-hot iron steady on the anvil, staring at it with a look of intense concentration on his face. Each blow is deliberate and soon the horseshoe is taking shape.
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Outside, it’s freezing cold and the Kaserbach brook is adorned with icicles. But inside, the forge is a hot hive of activity. The blacksmith’s work is piling up as farmer after farmer brings in their horses ready to be reshod. In winter, horseshoes have to be studded every two to three days to prevent the horses from slipping on the ice. It’s a task that requires great care and precision. As darkness sets in, the blacksmith often works late into the night sharpening and repairing the pickaroons needed to work the fields in summer.
For centuries, this scene played out day after day in Lüsen’s Old Forge.
Located just outside the village centre, the forge owes its existence to the fast-flowing water in the neighbouring Kaserbach brook, which was used to power the forge’s heavy machinery, including two large tilt hammers and the bellows. The charcoal for the fire was made from spruce and deciduous wood at the nearby charcoal-burning site.
Today the hammers are silent, the blacksmith’s profession lost to the passage of time. Rows of tongs, spanners, hooks and screw plates neatly arranged on the original workbench remain as a reminder of the building’s past – their black, charcoal-stained colour the only sign that they are from a bygone era.
Old Forge in Lüsen:
+ The forge in Lüsen was first documented in 1253. For almost 750 years, generations of blacksmiths hammered and chiselled away in this farrier and carriage smithy, shoeing horses as well as making and repairing metal tools for woodworkers and wheels for wagons, carts and ploughs. The last blacksmith to work here when the forge closed in 2000 was Alois Ragginer. In 2024, the Old Forge reopened as a museum telling the story of an almost forgotten trade. Located on the Kaserbach brook, the museum can be reached on foot via the Lüsen cultural walking trail. Text —
Q&A with…
Miriam Zenorini, 39, who runs Vintlerhof farm in Brixen/Bressanone, the first organic social farm in South Tyrol
At Vintlerhof, you combine farming with social work. What does this involve exactly? We organise employment integration projects that support up to 16 people at any one time to return to work. Our participants come from different backgrounds and include people with mental health problems or who are recovering from addiction as well as young people experiencing difficulties at school. Some take part for just a few months, while others are with us for several years. In the afternoons, we run animal therapy sessions for children with our donkeys, sheep and rabbits. We also have a forest preschool and farm nursery, where children spend as much of the day outside in nature as possible.
You try to make your farm as environmentally friendly as you can. How do you do that? We stopped using a tractor on our vegetable field two years ago and work the soil by hand instead, although we’re hoping to use horses to help us with this in the future. We also swap our products with neighbouring farms, such as sheep meat for beef. On the farm, we make our food using virtually all our own ingredients. To become even more self-sufficient, we’d like to grow our own sugar beet in the future.
Tending your crops while running a farm shop and offering animal therapy sounds exhausting. How do you recharge? I’ve always been involved in lots of groups and associations and volunteer for several. I also love board games – we have around 600 of them at Vintlerhof!
And when I really want to slow down, I go walking with our donkey Jana. With her, it can take an hour to walk just a short distance, so it’s the perfect way to relax and switch off.
Interview — STEFANIE UNTERTHINER
Photos — MEIKE HOLLNAICHER & THOMAS SCHÄFER / FARMFLUENCERS OF SOUTH TYROL
Interview
A Farmer with a Vision
+ Miriam Zenorini always knew that she wanted to be a farmer. But you can’t be a farmer without a farm, so she initially chose to study social work and social education instead. After her studies, she spent two years in India helping women in a dairy cooperative to learn to read and write. This experience ultimately led her back to her home in South Tyrol, where she became involved in social farming. In 2016, she and her husband, Mirco Postinghel, won a tender to manage Vintlerhof farm with her idea to establish the first organic social farm in South Tyrol. Six years later, Miriam was awarded a grant for female pioneers in sustainable farming in recognition of her commitment to the cause.
vintlerhof.it
The Farmfluencers of South Tyrol project tells the stories of bold farmers who are following their own path and flying the flag for sustainability. Take a look at the video (in Italian with German subtitles).
Is it really possible to have a sustainable holiday in harmony with nature and the environment? The answer is yes! But only if politicians, business leaders and the general public all work together towards the same goal. And if guests and service providers are truly committed to the idea of a circular economy. We investigate how tourism and sustainability can go hand in hand
Interview —
SUSANNE PITRO
Photos —
MICHAEL PEZZEI
Be it organic farming, local supply chains or farmers selling their produce directly to customers, the shift towards sustainability is in full swing in many corners of South
Sustainability Done Right
IIt’s one of those glorious October days when the world is bathed in a warm, golden glow. At Marxenhof farm on the outskirts of Brixen/ Bressanone, 27-year-old farmer Matthias Klammer is busy harvesting his crops. Although summer is long gone, his vegetable garden is still a lush patchwork of green and yellow. Matthias loosens the soil with a wide garden fork, digging out yellow and purple carrots from the ground, followed by cauliflower, green cabbage and savoy cabbage. Behind the fence, a henhouse flap flies open, and the hens dart out, scurrying towards the farmhouse.
Country life doesn’t get more idyllic than here on this organic farm, which until just a few years ago was a traditional South Tyrolean apple farm. Certified as organic since 1999, the farm was previously run as a sideline by Matthias Klammer’s parents, but after his father’s death, Matthias, a graduate in agricultural sciences, decided to take over the business with his partner. The couple agreed that they wanted to make a living from the farm by diversifying. “We were looking for a model that would be financially sustainable as well as socially and environmentally responsible,” explains Matthias. Their solution was to generate a basic level of income from the farm’s four holiday apartments and to make the rest by selling their produce directly to customers. To achieve this, they removed around half of the apple trees to make way for organically grown vegetables and potatoes, which they sell in the farm’s own shop as well as to two food shops and local cafés and restaurants.
For Matthias and much of the tourist industry in South Tyrol and beyond, sustainability is a balancing act between meeting high visitor standards and overcoming everyday challenges. While some businesses
are still concentrating on small measures like e-bikes, others are demonstrating how holidays and eating out can be made sustainable on a larger scale. From organic farming and local supply chains to farmers selling their produce directly to customers, this shift towards sustainability is in full swing across the region. In particular, as businesses are handed down to the next generation, more and more of them are focusing on innovations and developments that are socially and environmentally sustainable.
SUSTAINABILITY is starting to take centre stage, including at the restaurant Fink in Brixen, which is one of Marxenhof’s most loyal buyers. Located in Brixen’s historic arcades just two kilometres from Matthias’s vegetable garden, Fink is a traditional, family-run inn whose fourth-generation owners, husband and wife Florian Fink and Petra Hinteregger, have taken it down a new sustainable path by respectfully renovating the building’s original structure using environmentally friendly, local materials, by upgrading the guest accommodation so that it includes nine suites and a stylish spa, and by introducing a new culinary philosophy. “We have four children so of course we are concerned about what the future holds for them and the wider world,” says Petra. Just a few years after the new owners took over, Fink was awarded a Silver certification from EarthCheck, one of the world’s leading certification groups for sustainable tourism. This certification was the result of Fink’s consistent efforts to review all its operations to ensure they are environmentally and socially responsible, including its purchasing practices, energy policy and decision to close the restaurant two days a week rather than one to improve its staff’s work-life balance.
When Matthias Klammer arrives at the restaurant’s kitchen carrying his delivery of fresh vegetables, his hands still covered in soil, the kitchen staff aren’t always as happy to see him as Florian. The potatoes are small, the carrots come in all shapes and sizes, and there’s too much beetroot. “My staff are always telling me that we don’t run the most efficient of kitchens,” says 41-year-old Florian with a grin as he browns cauliflower florets in a pan. In many restaurant kitchens, even the onions are delivered pre-fried these days. But at Fink, the chefs peel, chop and prepare the ingredients in countless other ways themselves. Any surplus food is pickled or preserved and kitchen waste is kept to a minimum. For example, the
“We have four children and are concerned about what the future holds for them and the wider world.”
Petra Hinteregger at Fink
Located two kilometres from the vegetable garden at Marxenhof farm, Fink in Brixen is a family-run inn whose fourth-generation owners have taken it down a new sustainable path.
kitchen staff fry the peel from Marxenhof’s colourful carrots and use the carrot greens to make pesto. The Fink team are always experimenting with colours and shapes, leaving little room for plain, ordinary dishes.
“The more variety, the better,” says Florian as he delicately arranges the two-tone cauliflower florets on a plate of potato gnocchi. He then finishes off one of the day’s lunchtime dishes with some of the pine needle butter that he prepared in the spring using fresh shoots collected from the forests around Brixen.
Fink’s young chefs refer to their new culinary philosophy as monastic cooking. Instead of focusing on traditional South Tyrolean fare, the cuisine is largely plant-based and features seasonal vegetables from local monasteries and organic farmers. The foundations for this approach were laid by Florian’s mother, Antonia, who managed the kitchen before him. Another of Florian’s biggest inspirations was the medieval polymath Hildegard of Bingen who the restaurant’s diners can thank for the herbal brews served before meals. Unsurprisingly, a meal and overnight stay at the completely refurbished inn comes at a cost. Sustainable options aren’t exactly available at rock-bottom prices, and this is reflected in the cost of the ingredients purchased from the restaurant’s
“The more variety, the better.”
Chef Florian Fink
approximately 40 local suppliers as well as the price of items on the menu. Unfortunately, this does mean that a number of Brixen’s residents now avoid what used to be their good old local inn. “People can decide whether to rebel against it or embrace it, but the fact is that honest sustainability is still a luxury in our current system,” says Petra. She and Florian are nevertheless convinced that their approach is the only way to ensure that their business has a future and that they can get behind it. And the full restaurant shows that the demand is there and growing. →
There’s little room for plain, ordinary dishes here. The cuisine is largely plant-based and features seasonal vegetables from local monasteries and organic farmers.
“Motivating people to join us on this journey takes a lot of small steps and awarenessraising
initiatives.”
Local
politician Brigitte Vallazza
More and more event organisers in South Tyrol take the environment into account, with measures ranging from climate-neutral printing and carefully considered waste management plans to energy-efficiency initiatives and environmentally friendly travel options.
SO WHAT MAKES A DESTINATION SUSTAINABLE and how can businesses be genuinely and proactively sustainable? Incentive schemes, frameworks like the South Tyrolean government’s sustainability strategy, and projects like the South Tyrol Sustainability Label are undoubtedly essential. Most important, however, are the many inspiring individuals who are beginning to rethink practices in their respective fields by striking out in alternative directions and using resources in a way that fosters long-term harmony between the environment, society and the economy. Individuals like local politician Brigitte Vallazza and managing director of the Natz-Schabs/Naz-Sciaves tourism association Karin Suen, who spoke about these very challenges on the Natz village square in front of a huge crown of apples made for the annual Natz-Schabs Apple Festival. Brigitte is the driving force behind the project to turn Natz-Schabs, a village with 3,400 inhabitants, into a KlimaGemeinde (climate community), while Karin has years of experience in organising green events. At the many festivals celebrated on the plateau on the border between the Eisacktal valley and Pustertal valley, food and drink is served to several hundred guests on china plates and in glasses. The tableware is then washed in specially purchased commercial dishwashers. However, for events to be awarded the South Tyrolean government’s Green Event certification, event organisers must do more than simply avoid disposable tableware. To improve their sustainability credentials, more and more South Tyrolean communities are taking the environment into account in their event planning, with measures ranging from climate-neutral printing and carefully considered waste management plans to energyefficiency initiatives and environmentally friendly travel options.
Brigitte and Karin both agree that there are infinite ways to make the world more sustainable if you start looking for them. In the past three years, Brigitte and her committee have embarked on a mission to promote the use of photovoltaics. Solar panels have already been installed on two public buildings and plans are in place to add them to an additional seven buildings, including the new preschool in Schabs. The recently opened nursery is also a certified climate house. In Natz-Schabs, public information campaigns also encourage residents to conserve resources through a wide range of measures including waste separation, flea markets and a map showing all the village’s drinking fountains to reduce the use of plastic bottles. “Motivating people to join us on this journey takes a lot of small steps and awarenessraising initiatives,” says 50-year-old Brigitte. “Imposing rules from above doesn’t work and isn’t accepted.”
Another noteworthy success story is the village’s biketo-work campaign, which has seen 40 e-bikes made available to residents for a service charge. The aim is to inspire workers to leave their car at home and use the new cycle path via Neustift/Novacella to ride the six kilometres to their workplaces in Brixen.
MOBILITY IS A KEY ISSUE in all sustainability drives, especially in alpine regions. A core part of this is encouraging locals as well as the tourists who visit all year round to travel by train, bus or bike instead of by car. The Südtirol Guest Pass is transforming how tourists get around. Joachim Dejaco, managing director of public transport service provider Südtiroler Transportstrukturen AG, says that the number of tourists using buses and trains has increased significantly since the pass was introduced across the province. Each year, the scheme, which gives visitors free bus and train travel, generates 20 million euros, which is invested in public transport across South Tyrol. Accommodation providers invest a lot into the model and also encourage guests to make use of the pass. According to Joachim, this virtuous circle is also improving public transport services for locals. “Thanks to the rising demand, we’re continually expanding our services on many routes.”
DESPITE THIS, the heavy traffic passing through many villages continues to pose a problem. “Our village needs new transport solutions once and for all, and we’re actively contributing suggestions for this as part of the new community development plan,” says Mariano Paris, frowning as he looks out at the cars carving their way through the narrow streets of Feldthurns/ Velturno. By “we”, he means the Feldthurns climate circle – a group of seven engaged citizens who met each other at a presentation on the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals in the village library in 2021 and decided to work together to help their village implement them. →
Across the province, many individual citizens are committed to bringing about positive changes in their local communities by joining forces in climate circles.
It’s not only farmers, businesses, politicians and organisations that are working to transform South Tyrol into a sustainable destination. Across the province, many individual citizens, like Mariano, are committed to bringing about positive changes in their local communities by joining forces in climate circles.
“I’ve always been deeply concerned about the climate and am disappointed that leaders constantly fall very short in helping it,” says library manager Waltraud Marcher Kerschbaumer, another founding member of the Feldthurns climate circle. The group meets once a month, and their ongoing discussions have already proved very fruitful, leading to initiatives such as planting native trees and shrubs on the village square, advising residents on permaculture gardening, a series of articles on the climate in the village newsletter and a community waste collection campaign. The climate circle’s greatest success to date is its project “Frisch, Lokal, Gesund” (“Fresh, Local, Healthy”), which promotes locally grown seasonal produce like chestnuts, pumpkins, celeriac and lettuce by providing a platform for eight local farmers to advertise their crops on a billboard outside the Feldthurns tourist office and in a WhatsApp group.
Although villagers initially took some convincing to get on board with the project, today many of them relish being able to collect fresh organic vegetables from just outside their own front door instead of
having to drive to the supermarket. The opportunity to pick up produce directly from nearby farmers has made residents appreciate their local food growers more than ever. Children are getting involved too by helping out with the harvest and cooking together afterwards. “Citizens are the foundations of change,” says Mariano. “If more and more of us keep working to make our world more sustainable, we’re headed in the right direction.”
This statement applies just as well to all the other players with a vested interest in tourist destinations –from tourism companies and associations to farmers, politicians, administrative officials and, of course, the tourists themselves. Genuine sustainability can be achieved, but it needs lots of us to make the right decisions, be inspired by each other and be bold enough to make change happen together.
Visibly sustainable
The South Tyrol Sustainability Seal identifies destinations, accommodations and restaurants that actively contribute to conscious travel. Get to know which they are and walk with South Tyrol towards a sustainable future.
suedtirol.info/sustainable-holiday
C L ING F O R PL E A ERUS
Once upon a time, holidays were all about eating, drinking and doing as little as possible. But not any more! Or at least not since holidaymakers caught the cycling bug and lazy days were replaced by thrilling mountain rides. Thankfully, a welcome compromise could now finally be emerging
Nicknamed “the locomotive”, legendary Czech long-distance runner Emil Zátopek once said, “Birds fly, fish swim, humans run.” It’s true, some people do run, but these days cycling is undeniably the exercise of choice for many people when they’re in holiday mode. In fact, cyclists have in recent years become a common sight everywhere you look. What on earth possesses them? Today, it seems that a holiday just isn’t a holiday without a daily bike ride – either using pure leg strength or with the help of an e-bike. It’s almost as if people are being hit with a fine from the holiday police if they haven’t clocked up enough kilometres or recorded enough elevation gain on their smartwatch on returning home from their fitness camp... erm... I mean holiday.
Yet, things used to be very different. There have, of course, always been a few fitness fanatics who, before cycling was so in vogue, liked to call themselves mountaineers – those adventurous souls who thought a mountain is more beautiful to behold from its peak than from afar. But they were a rare breed. Yes, believe it or not, there was once a time when people went on holiday to do as little as possible. Holidays were all about eating, drinking and relaxing – not about jumping on your bike or scrambling up mountains. The perfect day was spent eating pasta and dumplings, drinking red wine and sleeping off any second helpings by the pool – not getting a few kilometres under your belt before breakfast. The mountains were there to be marvelled at from the comfort of your lounger – not for scaling. And if, after two weeks, you returned home three kilos heavier, you’d simply tell yourself, no matter – you’d had a well-earned rest and were ready to tackle the daily grind again. But times changed, and more recent holiday trends dictated that no holiday was complete unless you’d managed to cycle off at least three kilos before going back to the chaos of everyday life.
Lately, however, we seem to have changed our way of holidaying yet again and are starting to strike a much-needed healthy balance between full-out relaxation and holidays jam-packed with extreme sport. Cyclists are still riding through gorges and up to mountain passes – but now they’re combining cycling with pleasure by picking a guesthouse, farmhouse inn or wine cellar as their destination. Much better! So instead of defining a good holiday by whether we have gained or lost weight, let’s choose happiness and put the scales to one side. Eagles fly, trout swim, Zátopek runs and holidaymakers cycle like locomotives when they feel like it – but they also indulge in good food and drink and lounge by the pool after their ride. There’s no joy like it. Let’s all cycle for pleasure!
WONDERFULLY WALKABLE
Fancy the thrill of climbing a mountain, but with less risk and only moderate effort?
Read on to discover the recommended summit hikes, with ascents of less than 1,000 metres and no scrambling required
Text — DANIELA KAHLER
HOFER teaches German to adults online. “The face-to-face contact I get from leading hikes in the mountains is the perfect contrast to my teaching work.”
FLORIAN HUBER is a mountain guide alongside his main job as a mechanical engineer. “I’ve always loved spending a lot of time in the mountains. A few of my colleagues were already working as mountain guides, and they inspired me to train to become one too.”
This route is so secluded that you might not pass another person for hours. Starting at the Wieserhof farm near Schalders/Scaleres (1,550 m), the hike initially passes through a serene Swiss stone pine forest. On exiting the forest, continue across gently rolling mountain pastures before following a mountain ridge for two kilometres up to the Karspitze’s summit cross (2,514 m). It’s important to always turn back if bad weather sets in because there is nowhere to shelter on the last section of the route. However, in good weather, you’ll be rewarded with magnificent views of the Pfunderer mountains, Dolomites and Pustertal valley. The hike is especially atmospheric at sunrise. And if you’re craving some human contact after having so much time for reflection on this peaceful hike, why not make a detour to the Zirmaitalm mountain lodge?
JULIA
A summit and a lake KÖNIGSANGER MOUNTAIN AND RADLSEE LAKE
Julia, what are the views like on the way to the summit cross? There are several paths up to the Königsanger’s summit, but the most picturesque starts at Kühhof. The path only stays in the forest for a short distance, so you soon get a good view of the Peitlerkofel, Villnösser Geisler and Schlern peak. The route is especially beautiful in June when the Alpine roses are in flower, painting the landscape a vibrant pink.
After reaching the summit, the path descends to the Radlsee lake. What is there to do here? I often see hikers going for a swim or cooling off in the water, so if you don’t mind the cold and it’s a warm day, you might want to brave a dip in the lake yourself. The water will probably be too chilly to stay in for long though. Every Thursday, the Radlseehütte mountain lodge just above the lake puts on a special dumpling menu featuring traditional speck ham dumplings as well as special creations like salmon and pizza dumplings. The dumplings are served all day, so some locals like to hike to the mountain lodge for dinner after work. In June when the days are long, you can make it there and back in daylight, but otherwise be sure to pack a head torch. And bear in mind that the dumplings sometimes sell out, so don’t set off too late.
THE ROUTE ↓
The hike starts at Kühhof above the mountain village of Latzfons/Lazfons. Begin by following a short section of forest track in the direction of the Klausner Hütte mountain lodge. When you reach a wayside cross, take the path that branches off uphill and follow it through a light coniferous forest for around 1.2 kilometres until it meets hiking trail 14. Follow trail 14 uphill until you exit the forest and reach the Brugger-Schupfe mountain lodge (currently closed) at 2,000 metres. Bear left and continue following trail 14 to the summit of the Muntscheggele (2,154 m), which is clearly marked by a large pile of stones. Then head north along trail 10A, which will take you directly to the top of the Königsanger. After walking for a total of around three hours, you will reach the summit cross at 2,436 metres. To descend, head northeast along trail 7 towards the Radlsee lake and Radlseehütte mountain lodge (2,284 m), both of which are visible from the summit. It’s only around one kilometre to the lake. From here, follow trail 8/10 southwards. Shortly before the Muntscheggele, this trail meets the route you took on the ascent. Retrace your steps downhill until you arrive back at Kühhof.
Start and end point: Kühhof car park (1,560 m) · Summit: Königsangerspitze (2,436 m)
Walking time: 5 hours · Distance: 12 km · Ascent: 964 m · Want to ditch the car? A shuttle bus runs once a week on request from Latzfons or Klausen to Kühhof from mid-May to the end of October.
ANOTHER ROUTE TO TRY:
+ Want to see more mountain lakes?
The Totensee is a small lake located further south near the summit cross of the Villanderer Berg mountain. The hike starts at the Gasser Hütte mountain lodge (1,756 m) on the Villanderer Alm mountain pasture. The route crosses the pasture’s sweeping meadows, past Swiss stone pine and mountain pine forests, to the Totenkirchl (Chapel of the Dead) and Totensee lake. From the lake, you can continue uphill until you reach the summit of the Villanderer Berg mountain (2,509 metres), which offers views of the Eisacktal valley and Dolomites to the east and the Sarntal valley to the west. The route is not technically challenging but requires a good level of fitness.
Hikers often cool off with a dip in the refreshing Radlsee lake.
A summit made for winter hikes ASTJOCH MOUNTAIN 3
Florian, what should readers know about the hike up the Astjoch? The landscape and views are spectacular. The climb up the mountain is ideal for snowshoeing or ski touring, but you can also hike it by following the maintained trail, although this doesn’t quite go all the way to the Astjoch summit. For a longer hike starting from the Zumis car park above Rodeneck/Rodengo, follow the hiking trail all the way up to the Roner Alm mountain lodge on the Rodenecker Alm mountain pasture. Here, you’ll find several other mountain lodges open in winter, so you could choose to hike to one of those instead.
What’s so special about the natural world here in winter? In winter, the landscape constantly changes depending on the condition of the snow. Every time I go out, it looks different. If the snow is still fresh, for example, you can often spot animal tracks left overnight. It’s especially important to be considerate of wildlife during winter by sticking to the designated paths and trails to avoid disturbing hibernating animals. Sunrise hikes are particularly beautiful at this time of year, plus it’s not such a gruelling early-morning start.
THE ROUTE
The winter hike starts at the Zumis car park (1,750 m) above Rodeneck. From here, take the wide winter hiking trail in the direction of the Roner Alm mountain lodge. After a few hundred metres, turn left and follow trail 4 through the forest until you reach the mountain lodge. Then follow trail 2 to the Starkenfeldhütte mountain lodge. Continue along the mountain track as you pass in front of the lodge and walk up and over the hill and head down to the Astalm mountain pasture. Cross the sweeping pastureland and walk south through a small forest of larches and Swiss stone pines for a short distance before heading east. Continue for almost one kilometre (snowshoes are recommended for this section of the route) until you reach the Astjoch summit (2,194 m). The flat summit is popular for its views of the Zillertal Alps, Rieserferner Group, Kronplatz and Dolomites in the Gadertal valley, all of which look close enough to touch. To descend, follow trail 2 along the ridge of the mountain and continue southwest along the maintained trail leading back to the Roner Alm and, from there, the start point.
Start and end point: Zumis car park (1,750 m)
Summit: Astjoch (2,194 m) · Walking time: 3 hours
Distance: 10 km · Ascent: 500 m
The route to the Astjoch is absolutely spectacular.
Whether you’re going on a winter hike or snowshoeing, the landscape constantly changes depending on the condition of the snow.
ANOTHER ROUTE TO TRY:
+ The car park (1,580 m) at the entrance to the Altfasstal valley above Meransen/Maranza is the starting point for a ski tour or snowshoe hike on the little-visited Klein Gitsch mountain (2,262 m). From the car park, follow the maintained winter hiking trail in the direction of the Moserhütte mountain lodge, which you’ll reach in around an hour. Then take trail 6, which leads you over a small hill with a cross and bench. Continue along the mountain ridge over the Grossberg and Rumaul until you reach the summit of the Klein Gitsch.
A summit steeped in history LATZFONS CROSS AND KASSIANSPITZE MOUNTAIN 4
Julia, what’s so special about this hike? The Latzfons Cross has been a pilgrimage site since the 18th century and is the highest in South Tyrol. Every year on the penultimate Saturday in June, churchgoers mark the start of summer by processing up the mountainside from Latzfons carrying a crucifix known as “schwarzer Herrgott” (“Black Christ”). The crucifix is then kept on display throughout the summer in the Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche church. The hike is also worth doing in autumn when the larch forests turn yellow and orange.
Where’s best to stop for refreshments en route? I’d highly recommend the Kaiserschmarrn shredded pancakes that are cooked outside the Klausner Hütte mountain lodge. Saying that, everything the lodge serves up is delicious.
Can the hike be extended into a two-day hike or longer excursion? Yes, the popular Horseshoe Hike (Hufeisentour) passes the Latzfons Cross. This hike is divided into seven one-day stages and runs along the entire length of the Sarntal Alps. Completing the hike (or part of it) requires a good level of fitness and hiking experience.
THE ROUTE
This hike also starts at Kühhof (1,560 m) above Latzfons. Begin by heading northwest along gravel path number 1. Follow the path through the forest and across mountain pastures until you reach the Klausner Hütte mountain lodge (1,920 m). Continue along the same path into the valley and up to the Latzfons Cross, the Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche church and the Latzfonser Kreuz mountain refuge lodge (2,296 m), where you can stop to refuel. From here, follow path 9 across mountain pastures and scree slopes for almost 1.5 kilometres until you reach the Kassianspitze’s summit cross (2,581 m). Here you’ll be rewarded with views of the Dolomites stretching from the Peitlerkofel all the way to the Latemar peaks, as well as a magnificent panorama of the Sarntal Alps. When visibility is good, you can even see the main chain of the Alps. Return along the same route.
ANOTHER ROUTE TO TRY:
Everything tastes delicious at the Klausner Hütte mountain lodge, from the speck ham platter to the Kaiserschmarrn shredded pancakes.
Start and end point: Kühhof car park (1,560 m)
Summit: Kassianspitze (2,581 m) Walking time: 5 hours 30 minutes
Distance: 15 km · Ascent: 1,020 m · Want to ditch the car? A shuttle bus runs once a week on request from Latzfons or Klausen to Kühhof from mid-May to the end of October.
+ Although the Terner Joch (2,405 m) isn’t the highest summit above Terenten/ Terento, it’s still well worth climbing for its breathtaking 360-degree view of the Zillertal Alps and Dolomites. Starting from the Schneeberg mountain car park (1,600 m), the route runs past the Pertinger Alm mountain lodge (open for refreshments) and up to the hike’s first summit cross on the Hühnerspiel (2,064 m), which offers stunning panoramic views. From here, you leave the forest behind and follow the path as it climbs gently along the mountain ridge to the Terner Joch summit. Look out for the Devil’s Stone, a huge boulder in the middle of the forest, which according to legend was placed there by the Devil himself.
“Nature gives us what we need”
Bauern und Doktoren Wie in vielen anderen Ortschaften gab es auch in Lüsen im 18. Jahrhundert keinen Arzt. Von Generation zu Generation übertragenes Wissen und einfach verfügbare Heilmittel aus der Natur hatte daher einen umso wichtigeren Stellenwert. Besonders bekannt für ihre volksmedizinischen Kenntnisse waren die Familie Ragginer. Am Gargitthof in Kleinkarneid praktizierten drei Generationen als Heilkundige. Joseph Ragginer, der erste sogenannte Bauerndoktor, behandelte ab 1780 sowohl Menschen als auch Tiere. Der letzte Vertreter der Dynastie, Sebastian Ragginer (im Bild), praktizierte seine Medizin in ganz Südtirol. Die überlieferten Schriften der Familie gewähren faszinierende Einblicke in vergangene Zeiten. Tipp: Eine Kräuterwanderung in Lüsen gibt tiefe Einblicke in die Naturheilkunde von früher.
Ribwort
Plantago lanceolata
The lowdown on ribwort
• Anti-inflammatory, soothing and boosts the immune system • Especially recommended for wound healing and coughing caused by respiratory illnesses • Can be picked from May to September • Young leaves picked in early summer are most effective
Try it yourself: traditional cough syrup
• 2 handfuls ribwort leaves
• 1 handful fresh spruce shoots
• Sugar
Roughly chop the freshly picked ribwort leaves and spruce shoots. Layer the ingredients into a jam jar as follows: a layer of ribwort leaves, followed by a layer of sugar, then a layer of spruce shoots and finally another layer of sugar. Repeat until the jam jar is full, making sure that the top layer is sugar. Each layer should be around 1 cm thick and be pressed down firmly. Seal the jar tightly and store in the fridge for around four weeks. After this time, pour the finished syrup into small, clean bottles. The syrup can be kept in the fridge for six months. Take 1 teaspoon of the syrup several times a day to relieve dry, violent coughs and hoarseness.
A marigold lotion for skin injuries and primrose sweets for sore throats. In his book “Wickel, Salben und Tinkturen. Das Kräuterwissen der Bauerndoktoren in den Alpen” (“Wickel, Salben und Tinkturen. Das Kräuterwissen der Bauerndoktoren in den Alpen”; published by Edition Raetia, 4th edition, 2024), pharmacist Arnold Achmüller investigates rural medicine and combines old household remedies with the latest research.
Herbal teacher and field guide Carmen Stieler shares her tips on how to treat nature with respect and which herbs to use when
What should people consider when gathering herbs? The most important advice is to only pick what you can confidently identify. Instead of relying on apps, it’s best to do things the traditional way by referring to identification guides or going on a training course. This knowledge is vital because some herbs – like wild garlic and poisonous lily of the valley – look very similar. I also recommend only gathering herbs in unpolluted areas, far away from sprayed fields, building sites and roads. It’s a good idea to put the plants you pick in a cloth bag or basket so that they can breathe.
How can we protect nature while picking herbs? Don’t pull plants from the ground if all you want to use are their flowers. Instead, carefully cut off the flowers using a small penknife or pair of scissors. Pluck leaves from the stem and if you’re picking entire plants, cut them off close to the ground. Also, it’s best to only pick as much as you need so there’s enough left for nature to recover.
What is the best time of year for picking herbs? All year round actually. Nature gives us exactly what our bodies need at different times of the year. In spring, the flowers of fresh plants like nettles and sorrel give us vitamins and health benefits thanks to their bitter properties. Meanwhile, autumn is the ideal time to gather roots and fruit that give us the reserves we need for winter.
What is your favourite herb? And what do you make with it? My favourite herb to pick is St John’s wort, which I use to make an oil or lotion for treating skin injuries and sunburn. I also like picking raspberry, blackberry and strawberry leaves, which I dry and use to make my own special tea blend that can be drunk all year round.
Farmers and doctors
+ Like many other villages, Lüsen/Luson didn’t have a doctor in the 18th century. This meant that knowledge passed down the generations and readily available natural remedies played a vitally important role. In Lüsen, the Ragginer family were especially well known for their knowledge of traditional medicine, with three generations of the family practising the art of healing at Gargitthof farm. Joseph Ragginer, the first of these “farming doctors”, treated both people and animals from 1780. The last member of the dynasty, Sebastian Ragginer (pictured), practised medicine across South Tyrol. The written documents left behind by the family provide fascinating insights into a bygone era. Tip: Go on a herb walk in Lüsen to discover more about natural remedies from the past.
Sebastian Ragginer (pictured with his family) was the last “farming doctor” in Lüsen before his death in 1899. Items from his estate are on display in the South Tyrolean Folklore Museum in Dietenheim/Teodone.
“WHERE YOU COME FROM RUNS THROUGH YOUR VEINS”
Artist Marlies Baumgartner creates artwork at her own unique pace. We talk to her about art and home, how painting helps her to slow down and what it’s like to live in a mountain lodge with no electricity
Interview
LISA MARIA GASSER
Photos
CAROLINE RENZLER
Marlies Baumgartner (30) lives and works in Vahrn/Varna in her studio and in her family’s cheese shop DEGUST on the floor below. She first studied art at the Cademia art school in Urtijëi/Ortisei in 2009. After gaining a Maestro d’Arte and her school-leaving qualifications, she completed a three-year degree course in visual arts and painting at the Libera Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence, which included a student exchange at the SFA Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas (USA).
“I CRAVE THE SENSE OF SECURITY INSTILLED IN ME BY NATURE AND THE MOUNTAINS.”
Marlies, why do you paint?
MARLIES BAUMGARTNER: For me, painting is the best way of expressing myself in this world. I’m a visual person, so I need art to explore the issues that are important to me.
How did you get into art?
I’ve always felt an urge to express myself creatively and loved painting as a child.
What do you remember about your first paintings?
I have this really clear memory of drawing women’s dresses in different woodcoloured shades. In fact, my childhood dream was to become a dressmaker. I’ve also always loved experimenting with materials. I had a wow moment early on when I used watercolours over wax crayons to paint a poppy field and the paint ran everywhere. It was magical to see how differently the soluble paints reacted with each other to create some surprising and haphazard effects.
You could have become a dressmaker and continued painting as a hobby. But instead you enrolled at the art school in Urtijëi/Ortisei.
That was the best decision I could have made – and I made it by completely following my instincts. Just like my decision to study in Florence after finishing school. I’ve always gone with my gut where painting is concerned.
South Tyrol is often portrayed as an insular place with little appetite for new influences and fresh ideas. Is there a place for your art and creativity in the Eisacktal valley and beyond?
I think there is. Both the South Tyrolean Artists Association and the small galleries in the region are a hive of activity. South Tyrol is no Berlin of course, but I don’t think it needs to be.
What are the benefits of being based in South Tyrol?
What I particularly love about South Tyrol is that nature is right there on your doorstep. We live in a time of endless possibilities, which is both a huge blessing and a huge challenge. When anything seems possible, it’s all too easy to lose sight of what really matters. That’s why I feel more at home in a smaller community, where it’s easier to share ideas with others.
“HOME IS MORE THAN JUST A PHYSICAL LOCATION. IT’S LOTS OF SMALL SENSATIONS.”
What’s your impression of the young art scene in and around Brixen/Bressanone?
Art is becoming increasingly important to both my generation and people younger than me. Many occupations require creativity so being creative is often no longer seen as a completely unprofitable endeavour. People are working together, including across generations, to plan new initiatives and projects.
Are artists and their art shaped by the place where they are based?
Your current location undoubtedly has an impact on you, but you’re still the same person wherever you are. I saw this firsthand while studying in Florence. My fellow students came from across Italy and each chose to explore very different topics, applying their own approaches and ways of working. This exciting experience taught me so much and showed me, for the first time, the true meaning of roots; how where you come from runs through your veins and always shines through in your work. It’s no coincidence that throughout the history of art different art movements have always been tied to specific places.
How are you shaped by your roots?
I crave the sense of security instilled in me by the natural landscapes and mountains where I grew up. They’re an intrinsic part of me. When I was in Florence, I felt compelled to recapture something of the place I’d left behind so chose to explore the territory of South Tyrol in my work. Painting is such a primal instinct that an artist’s origins arguably always form the basis of their work.
By origins do you mean the place that an artist calls home?
Home is more than just a physical location. It’s all the small sensations – smells, tastes and sounds – that enter your soul and make you feel safe and secure. I feel safe whenever it’s warm, for example. Or whenever I’m surrounded by greenery.
How do you feel when faced with a blank canvas?
Sometimes I know exactly what I’m going to do and sometimes I have absolutely no idea. After working on a very structured piece that I’ve planned and created from sketches, I often feel a need to use the leftover paint to create something completely free and instinctive. That way, my figurative art gives birth to something more abstract. →
Does it also help you to slow down?
Definitely. My paintings comprise a series of red, green and blue dashes that symbolise the pixels on a screen. I add these dashes one by one at the same pace as my beating heart – in deliberate and stark contrast to the increasing speed at which the world is moving.
Is your heartbeat the only rhythm that accompanies you as you paint?
I usually need complete silence so that I can fully focus, listen to myself and work at my own pace. Silence turns painting into a form of meditation and makes it easier for me to hear my own thoughts. Sometimes I also use electronic or soft, melodic music to set a beat for me as I paint.
How much self-confidence do you need to paint a piece without a plan?
For me, it’s more a matter of respect. I don’t want to waste any material. I create my best spontaneous pieces on canvases that I haven’t prepared well and have shredded up over the years. These materials aren’t perfect and have become heavily creased over time, so this takes away my fear of painting something without a plan.
Fear plays a role in your recent works, in which you explore screens and our relationship with them.
For several years now, I’ve been delving into the question of why we aren’t satisfied with just ourselves and our surroundings, and why we’re constantly pushing to expand the boundaries of our world. The moon and the universe are no longer enough, so now we’re turning to the digital world. It’s the perfect antidote to our sense of claustrophobia because it seems infinite. But what will happen if we keep outsourcing more and more of our skills to the digital world? I want to explore the answers to these questions in my work, while also portraying humanity’s claustrophobia.
How do you avoid feeling overwhelmed by the sense of anxiety evident in your art?
The feeling of unease leaves me as soon as I have externalised it on the canvas. Painting is actually a form of release.
You’ve been dancing since you were a child, so music and the feeling of being in tune with your own body are also important to you outside of painting. Dance has been a huge part of my life for a long time, particularly expressive, improvised and contemporary dance styles. Dance gives me a lot of energy and always recharges me when I’m exhausted.
Exhausted from painting?
Yes, painting can be exhausting. It uses a lot of energy. But I know deep down that I need to paint. Whenever I’m not painting, I have a strong sense that something is missing. Happily, these days, I manage to dedicate more time to it.
You also work with your parents and sister Antonia in your family’s cheese shop DEGUST, which has been refining cheese for over thirty years. I love good ingredients and food so I really enjoy working for the business. I’m mainly involved in selling products behind the counter, organising tastings and doing creative work. The social contact is a much-needed contrast to painting, which is usually a very solitary and intense experience.
Do cheese and art have anything in common?
Cheese is a work of art in itself – a perfect interaction between nature, animals and people in a coming together of all life on earth. Cheese is also a product with enormous character that – like art – boasts a world of different shapes, colours, structures and hallmarks.
Where do you gain inspiration for your paintings?
I’m often inspired by small things like leftover paint or materials, a walk, a conversation or a space where I’ve exhibited my work.
Do you ever dream of living in a large city?
I love the hustle and bustle of city life and the many diverse sources of inspiration it brings. That’s why I seriously considered moving to an even larger city after leaving Florence. Lockdown made me rethink and I found my place in South Tyrol.
How did you deal with everything coming to a standstill during the pandemic?
It allowed me to focus more intensively on my art and to make it an integral part of my everyday life. It also gave me the chance to live completely off-grid with my partner, Felix, in a rustic mountain lodge on a remote pasture without any electricity or phone signal. This ended up being one of the best experiences of my life so far.
Was it challenging?
At first, the slow pace of life made me feel very anxious. To cook, we had to gather wood and light a fire. But we ended up spending our days in a way people no longer do – living according to the natural rhythm of our bodies, outside, in the forest and at one with nature. It was during this time that I realised I wanted to be here after all, in the place where I grew up. It’s where I belong.
Read more about Hansi Baumgartner and the DEGUST cheese bunker on
“FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, I’VE BEEN DELVING INTO THE QUESTION OF WHY WE AREN’T SATISFIED WITH JUST OURSELVES AND OUR SURROUNDINGS.”
Light in the Dark
Constructed during some of Europe’s darkest days, the military bunkers around Brixen/Bressanone stood empty for many years, but now they are filled with life. We visit three of them and discover treasure troves of wine, cheese and even art
In the end, bunkers speak less of an empire’s power than of its fear of disappearing.
after Paul Virilio Bunker archéologie 1975
The two dictators posed as friends. In front of the cameras at least, Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini were statesmanlike, presenting a united front. But behind the scenes, the Italian prime minister was sceptical about whether Hitler would abide by all the pacts and alliances they had made. Distrust prevailed, resulting in Mussolini – or Il Duce (“The Leader”) as he liked to call himself – constructing hundreds of bunkers along the main chain of the Alps, Italy’s natural northern border. In South Tyrol alone, there were around 440 of them. The defensive line became known as the Vallo Alpino or Alpine Wall. Blasted into the rock, disguised as farmhouses or built in the shape of concrete blocks, the bunkers have stood the test of time. Today, many are in private ownership, their metre-thick walls now, in some cases, home to culinary delights and works of art rather than soldiers and ammunition. We visit three sites where history has taken a turn for the better.
Text — BETTINA GARTNER
Photo — CAROLINE RENZLER
“Our aim with the exhibition is to delve into the three typical chapters in the story of the South Tyrolean bunkers in lots of different ways,” says Esther
Erlacher, curator of the Bunkered exhibition at the Franzensfeste fortress.
A tank in a fortress is hardly a surprising sight. But what if we told you the tank was pink? That’s exactly what you’ll find at the Franzensfeste fortress, a stronghold built almost 200 years ago to protect the Habsburg Empire’s North-South Route. Soft, upholstered and shaped like a sofa, the pink tank is designed for relaxation rather than aggression.
It’s the final exhibit on display at the Bunkered exhibition, which opened its doors three years ago and tells the story of South Tyrol’s Alpine Wall. The exhibition is housed in the Franzensfeste’s underground casemates. The most fortified part of the fortress, these vaulted rooms are enclosed by metre-thick granite walls, some clad with brickwork.
The entrance to the exhibition is marked by an enormous paper aeroplane made from painted white steel. It’s positioned to look as if it has landed there by chance and is a clear indication that the exhibition is about art as well as history.
“Our aim with the exhibition is to delve into the three typical chapters in the story of the South Tyrolean bunkers in lots of different ways,” says Esther Erlacher, one of the exhibition’s curators. Three? Esther nods. “Firstly, the construction of the bunkers in the late 1930s and early 1940s; secondly, their recommissioning and armament during the Cold War; and finally, their present-day use.”
The exhibition extends across eight rooms and explores an array of fascinating facts and stories presented on heated information boards that help warm up the cold space. Visitors can also marvel at a model of the bunker, which includes its sleeping quarters, first-aid posts and water supply station, as well as at the graffiti evoking the time in decades gone by when young people partied in the bunkers and let their creativity run wild.
Mussolini’s defensive wall was mockingly nicknamed the “linea non mi fido” (“the line of mistrust”). The construction work kept Italian companies very busy, while also giving the German secret service plenty to do. Espionage records suggest that the Germans were more than likely aware of what the Italian dictator was up to on the border.
The Second World War ultimately put a stop to the bunker construction boom, as workers and materials were needed elsewhere. But this didn’t spell the end for the Alpine Wall as a defensive structure. When the world was in the grip of the Cold War, the situation in eastern South Tyrol was particularly tense, with NATO storing nuclear missiles on a base set up in Natz/Naz, a village around ten kilometres from Franzensfeste. During this time, Mussolini’s bunkers were used to store ammunition and hold military exercises to ensure that the West were ready to respond if the Soviets were to march through the Pustertal valley from the East. One of the gun slits in the exhibition provides a poignant reminder of what such action would have meant for the local population. When you look through it, you’ll see your reflection in a mirror. This signifies how no matter who you attack, you’ll always hurt yourself in the process. →
Some places are made for spine-chilling stories. Stories that will strike fear into the hearts of adults as well as children. The black colossus of concrete rising up between the trees in the forest above Mühlbach/Rio di Pusteria is one of those places. A place where instead of windows, there are only gun slits for shooting the enemy.
A staggering number of bunkers were built along the Alpine Wall in all shapes and sizes. The bunker in Mühlbach is monstrous. It looks compact from the outside, but inside it’s a maze of narrow, winding passageways. On entering, we’re met by a pungent smell. A greeting from hell? No, the opposite in fact. As we turn the corner, it’s like walking into heaven – at least for anyone who loves cheese. Our eyes feast on the wooden shelves filled with red-smear cheese, sheep’s cheese and semi-hard cheese sitting alongside rounds of mountain cheese the size of wagon wheels. The cheese is stored upright like stacks of flat bread. “It’s been maturing here for three years,” says Hansi Baumgartner, tapping gently on the thick patina that has formed on the rind of one of the mountain cheeses.
Hansi, who was born in 1961, is the owner of DEGUST, a cheese shop in Vahrn/Varna known for its deliciously refined cheese. Whisky, herbs and hay all lend a distinguished taste to his products, as does the bunker’s unique climate. The bunker is damp and cool with a constant temperature, making it the perfect place for refining cheese. “The rind must stay damp so it can breathe,” explains Hansi.
The cheese connoisseur used to play in the Alpine Wall’s bunkers as a child. Years later, when he decided that he wanted to store his products in the unique atmosphere offered by a bunker, he leased the bunker above Mühlbach from the nearby Strasshof farm. With its many small cubbyhole-like rooms, the bunker’s architecture is ideal for keeping cheese families separate so that microorganisms, yeasts and moulds don’t mix.
It’s as if the bunker was designed especially to provide a designated space for each type of cheese. Hard cheese is stored near the exits and air ducts, where the temperatures are between 12 and 14 degrees Celsius, while soft cheese is kept in cooler corners of the bunker at 8 to 10 degrees Celsius to prevent the enzymes from working too quickly.
Hansi has used different flooring and colours to give each of the rooms in the bunker a different look, but one thing they all have in common are the copper strips running along the walls. “Because cheese vats are traditionally made from copper,” he explains.
The labyrinth of cheese extends across two floors. It’s hard to imagine that soldiers were once holed up here –without a modern ventilation system (which was only installed by the current tenant) or the reassurance that they’d soon be able to leave and warm up. The ammunition once stored here is now a distant memory. Today, a designated caretaker enters the bunker every other day to check on the cheese, turn the cheese wheels and rub a special brine into some of them. This leaves a strong, ammonia-like smell in the bunker, but also gives the cheese its distinctive taste. →
Soldiers were once holed up in the bunker in Mühlbach, but today Hansi Baumgartner has transformed it into a two-storey labyrinth of cheese.
Every day, thousands of cars zoom past the Lanz service station on Pustertaler Strasse just outside Brixen. Hundreds of visitors stop here daily to stretch their legs and drink an espresso. What few of them know is that traces of a darker wartime past can be found just a few steps away in the form of an underground bunker hidden away in the hillside. Stretching some 200 metres into the rock, the bunker is part of the Alpine Wall built by Mussolini in the late 1930s.
These defences were designed to be hidden from the enemy, disguised as castle ruins, barns or parts of the landscape. “Here’s one of the entrances,” says Matthias Lanz, 46, pointing to an inconspicuous spot in the shrubbery, the rockface protruding slightly behind it. We ask whether the entrance can still be opened.
“Not any more,” says Matthias, who owns both the service station and bunker. “The military filled in or bricked up all six entrances.” This was for safety reasons and perhaps also to extinguish the memory of a mammoth yet ultimately pointless project.
The bunkers, which were built to defend Italy against a possible attack from Hitler, were never used and were eventually abandoned by the Italian military in the 1990s. The South Tyrolean government placed 20 of them under preservation orders and sold others to private owners. Matthias’s father successfully bid for the bunker next to what is now the family’s service station.
As well as running the service station, Matthias sells South Tyrolean specialities. Over ten years ago, he came up with the idea to make his own wine – a Riesling called Julian after his eldest son – and store it in the bunker. To make space for the wine barrels, he had the original defensive bunker extended. An architect designed a new entranceway with an elegant iron door and imposing porch and a construction company blasted a hole through the original narrow entrance, securing the granite using steel grating and sprayed concrete.
Although the vault that opens out behind the entranceway is large enough to hold dozens of wine barrels, we can only see a handful. What became of Matthias’s vision? Where are the wine bottles he was planning to store in the bunker?
The answer soon becomes apparent as we continue along the straight corridors leading further underground. The bunker comprises nine rooms and in one of them, we spot what we’re looking for: around 1,000 bottles of wine lined up on racks. But then comes the hard truth. “They’re no longer for sale,” says Matthias.
On closer inspection, it becomes clear why. The labels are flecked with dark spots, making the writing difficult to read. The telltale signs of mould, which has taken hold during the long storage period. “It’s simply too damp in here,” explains Matthias. “The humidity is 70 percent in winter and 90 percent in summer.” In an attempt to get the problem under control, a few bottles are wrapped in cling film, but the battle seems lost. So, instead of wine, Matthias is now looking at new ideas for how to use the bunker, including turning it into an atmospheric venue for weddings and light installations. Matthias is open to anything, “as long as the bunker is never used for its original purpose again”.
Matthias Lanz’s underground bunker stretches around 200 metres into the rock. It may soon be used as a venue for weddings or light installations.
Fane Alm
With its chapel and cluster of over 40 wooden cottages and hay barns, the idyllic hamlet of Fane Alm is the perfect film setting.
Nestled high on a pasture in the Pfunderer mountains at 1,740 metres above sea level, Fane Alm/ Malga Fane is an idyllic Alpine village. We discover more about this picturesque spot at the end of the Valler Tal valley, which has held a magical allure for centuries
A journey into the past
A visit to Fane Alm is like stepping back in time. The Alpine village is a cluster of over 40 small wooden cottages and hay barns, their traditional shingle-covered roofs still weighted down with stones. Alpine villages with this many buildings are a rare sight in South Tyrol. In days gone by, the entire population of Vals/ Valles would move up to Fane Alm every summer to work, but today it is a popular destination for hikers all year round.
A safe haven high in the mountains
A place of refuge or a hospital for the sick? Many fantastical stories are told about Fane Alm during times of plague and cholera. It’s unclear whether the valley’s inhabitants fled to the mountain pasture to escape disease or whether the site was used as a hospital for the sick. Although there is no historical evidence either way, we do know that Fane Alm was cut off at this time and was only connected by an accessible road in 1968.
A woman with a vision
Fane Alm’s understated mountain chapel dates back to 1898. It was commissioned by Helene Masl following the death of her brother Franz. Although building a chapel was no easy feat for an unmarried woman at that time, Masl was determined to put her plan into action, right down to the very last detail. At her request, the bells for the chapel were even made in Ljubljana, before being transported to Mühlbach/Rio di Pusteria by train.
Strong cheese-making heritage
Fresh milk has been made into delicious mountain cheese and butter at Fane Alm since the 16th century. As a seal of quality, the cheese wheels at that time bore the coat of arms of the Lords of Wolkenstein. Today, the dairy farmer turns around 1,000 litres of milk into premium products every day between mid-June and mid-September.
Impressive film setting
Fane Alm’s unique architecture attracts filmmakers as well as day trippers. In autumn 2022, renowned Italian director Giorgio Diritti spent three weeks shooting his film Lubo in Fane Alm, transforming it into the Swiss village where the main character did his military service. Lubo was later shortlisted for the Golden Lion at the 2023 Venice International Film Festival.
Farewell to summer
Fane Alm is a a place steeped in tradition. While some customs have long been forgotten, others are still kept alive today. One special tradition sees local herders adorned with bells parade into the valley to cheers and celebrations. Held on the Wednesday before the animals are officially herded down from the mountains for winter, the custom celebrates the animals’ good health and marks the end of summer on the pasture.
+ Tip: Fane Alm is an ideal starting point for exploring the Pfunderer mountains. A hike up the Wilde Kreuzspitze (3,135 metres above sea level) before refuelling with a Brettljause meat and cheese board comes highly recommended.
A Free Spirit of Winemaking
Manni Nössing is a pioneer of the independent winemaking scene. His first wine was a sensation, despite him being a virtual novice when he made it. We discover moreabout this free spirit, who sees wine as a rich part of South Tyrolean culture
Text — LENZ KOPPELSTÄTTER
THROUGH HIS FARMHOUSE WINDOW, winemaker Manni Nössing looks out across his grapevines and beyond to his hometown of Brixen/Bressanone in the valley below. It’s a beautifully sunny day and the sky is a brilliant blue. Next to the window hangs a black and white photo of how the farm once looked. At first glance, it seems like nothing has changed since the now 53-year-old was running around here as a young boy – but that’s far from the case.
Some years ago, a crop of young, freespirited winemakers were causing a stir in South Tyrol, breaking away from the traditional wineries and daring to do it alone by carving out their own niches with a focus on quality. In the Eisacktal valley, Manni was one of these pioneers and certainly one of the most free-spirited among them. He’s always been that way in everything he’s done – from skiing on the Plose to partying in Brixen’s nightspots. In fact, those who remember partying with Manni in his younger days say that it was quite an experience!
Farmers often live by the motto “work hard, play hard”, and Manni was no exception. He’d always helped out on his parents’ farm, Hoandlhof, looking after the pig and three cows, tending the apple, plum and pear trees, picking fruit, and giving it to the fruit dealer when he came by. Back then, the street sweeper also liked to drop in to drink a glass (or bottle) of the farm’s homemade wine with Manni’s father, Franz. But with all the mowing, hay baling and animals, there wasn’t much time to make wine. Then the day came for Manni to take over from his parents. He had a good think about the future and concluded that keeping livestock, planting crops and growing grapes was getting more and more challenging. So instead, he decided to try his hand at making the red wine Blauer Zweigelt – a bold move in a region dominated by white wine. He pressed a few barrels’ worth, and when the South Tyrolean wine community tried it, they were amazed. It was quite something!
This initial success back in 1999 got Manni thinking that he could perhaps make a name for himself in the wine world. But what he didn’t want was to keep delivering everything to the winery at Neustift Abbey. If he was going to grow grapes, he wanted to make the wine himself. Cutting ties with the church in an episcopal town like Brixen was certainly another bold move. But Manni didn’t care about that. He wanted to be free to follow his own path. And that’s exactly what he did. He toured wine regions, especially Piedmont, where he kept returning to the famous wine villages of Barolo and Barbaresco. Here, he visited local farmers, accompanied them into the vineyards and asked them how they had been doing this and that for generations.
Free-spirited. Close to nature. Down to earth.
He began growing Sylvaner, MüllerThurgau, Veltliner, Riesling and Kerner grapes in sandy, barren soils on steep slopes at 500 to 900 metres above sea level. From these, he made his trademark wines that are fresh, full of character and true to his roots, while also reflecting his unique, idealistic style and approach.
Manni – who quickly became known as “Mr Kerner” for his wines of the same variety – has now been in business for a good 20 years. Today, he sells his wine worldwide, and people from all corners of the globe come to see first-hand where this rebel from the Eisacktal valley practises his craft. His legacy has helped transform the local wine sector, and the Eisacktal valley is now home to numerous other independent vineyards, including Kuenhof, Köfererhof, Strasserhof and Taschlerhof. He understands the grit needed to make wine and has stayed loyal to his farming heritage. “You can still smell the cowshed on me. I haven’t forgotten my roots,” he says with pride.
Headstrong and down to earth with a deep connection to his homeland, Manni’s not a huge fan of the new trend for perfumed wine. What about Instagram? “I don’t need it,” he says. But he clearly has an eye for true beauty; the labels on his wine bottles are decorated with paintings by globally acclaimed South Tyrolean artist Robert Pan. Evening has now fallen. Down in the valley, the lights of Brixen twinkle in the darkness. Manni still likes to party. But he does it differently these days. He celebrates wine as a valuable part of South Tyrolean culture by holding book launches, art exhibitions and intimate concerts on his farm. And he always raises a glass (or three!) to mark the occasion.
F
LIKE FIZZY
What does sparkling wine from the Eisacktal valley taste like?
Fizzy and full of character! The Eisacktal valley is well known for its white wine, but in recent years some winemakers have also turned their hands to sparkling wine. The combination of the Alpine climate, noticeable shifts in temperature between day and night, and mineral-rich soils full of slate and quartz gives the base wine from which the sparkling wine is made an exceptional freshness and elegance. Unlike champagne, which can only be produced in the Champagne region of France and is made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier, sparkling wine from the Eisacktal valley is made using local grapes like the Sylvaner. This variety boasts a clear fruitiness and precise acidity, making it the perfect base for sparkling wine. Zero dosage or pas dosé sparkling wine is also currently in demand. This purist variety is made without any added sugar and is stripped right back to allow the grapes, terroir and winemaker’s handicraft to shine through.
Stefan Donà 34, from Girlan/Cornaiano, winemaker at the Kellerei Eisacktal winery
Wineries around Brixen
A Beginner’s Guide to South Tyrol
PART 7:
The grace of a beekeeper
ost people run away from swarms of bees. I chase them. It’s a warm May evening and I’m running across lawns, bounding through rush-hour streets swelling with traffic before I deadend in the parking lot behind the church. The swarm of bees I’m chasing disappears over the roofs of the surrounding buildings. I promptly spin around and begin retracing my steps. Above the sound of my own heartbeat and the wind in my ears, I hear someone call out behind me in German dialect ‘Sein des deine Bienen?!’ (‘Are those your bees?!’) Realising the question was for me, I shout a quick ‘Jo!’ (‘Yes!’) over my shoulder, not missing a step as I continue barrelling down the drive in a race to nowhere. Well actually, ideally to the other side of the buildings and church, where the swarm of bees are hopefully settling into a tree in a not-tootough-to-reach location. Could I be so lucky…?
Perhaps this would be the moment to tell you how I
It doesn’t take long to start feeling brave enough to not wear the bee suit – it’s so hot in there. A pair of comfortable jeans and a long-sleeve shirt were my outfit of choice after not too long, with the trade-off being that they’re pretty ineffective as protective gear. Especially in the springtime, when initial hive visits are an unwelcomed disruption to the ladies after a quiet winter. My bees are particularly fond of the back of the head as a point for target practice. But all the stingers in my bee boxes could not sway me from my love for the craft.
My optimism fades on the other side of the buildings and church, where I find the swarm at a mid-air standstill above a traffic circle. Somewhere at the centre of that cloud of tens of thousands of bees is a single queen, guiding the every movement of her colony. ‘Pick a tree, your highness’, I think as I stare up into the rippling mass. After a few minutes of indecisive buzzing, the swarm settles in a Judas tree in the garden next to the church. I walk to the garden gate looking up at the bee ball, lock and bolt
‘Muasch du do eini?’ (‘Need to get in there?’) My fleeting encounter from earlier has caught up with me. Turns out this man is the groundskeeper, the keeper of the chunky keychain for the church and garden. My hero. An unlocked gate and the prompt arrival of my beekeeping partner is followed by two hours atop a shed roof and crawling around in the Judas tree with bees and twigs weaving themselves into my hair. A true vision of grace…? Not particularly. But we did manage to get the swarm.
Amy Kadison
An enologist by day and writer in the afterhours. Born in the US, she arrived in South Tyrol in 2016 for a thesis and stayed for the mountains. She has lived in five countries and earned two MScs in Zoology and Wine Production. In this column, she explores her inner South Tyrolean – and how she came to be.
Instagram @amy.kadison
A Short Dictionary of South Tyrolean
Understand what the locals say
Zöberscht obm
[ˈt səɪbʁʃtˌoʊbm]
If someone asks you how you spent your day, you might say that you were “zöberscht obm”. This word translates as “way up high”, but it doesn’t mean you were up on the mountain pasture (which can be reached by cable car if your legs don’t feel up to the climb). It means you went right to the summit cross, enjoyed the panoramic views and entered your name into the summit book.
Schluckizzer
[ˈʃlʊkɪt sʁ]
If you enjoy a glass or two of South Tyrolean sparkling wine, you might end up with “Schluckizzer” or hiccups – that annoying affliction you get when your diaphragm contracts suddenly and your vocal cords close to stop more air coming in. In some parts, they’re also called “Schnackler” from the verb “abschnackeln” (“to shake off”) because they can really shake you up. How can you stop them? Breathe in deeply and hold your breath or, as the South Tyrolean superstition suggests, ask someone to make you jump.
Schwamml
[ˈʃvaml]
In South Tyrol, mushrooms and fungi are known collectively as “Schwammln”. “Schwammlsuchen” (“mushroom hunting”) is a popular South Tyrolean pastime akin to a meditative walk
Sent with Love
Handwritten postcards are a wonderful visual reminder of the past. With their personal dedications and anecdotes, they awaken feelings of nostalgia and provide quirky little insights into holidays and everyday life in days gone by
A glimpse of the past – Regensburger Allee in Brixen/Bressanone (with Villa Adele on the left and the start of the old town on the right) was once named after Archduke Eugen, an important general in the Habsburg Empire.
Words unspoken
DATE: 1911
What do you do if you don’t have enough time to say all you need to? Before the age of WhatsApp, email and phone calls, sending a postcard was your only option. The writer of these lines expresses his regret at his abrupt departure: “In my haste to get to the train station the other day, I very impolitely failed to say goodbye. By the time I’d noticed that you’d gone, you were too far away for me to turn back. Please forgive me. I’d love to spend more time with you. Sending my best wishes.” Luckily for our sender, post was delivered extremely quickly back then, often several times a day. He could therefore be certain that his apology would soon reach the married couple who owned the pharmacy and to whom he was writing.
PICTURE: Hofburg palace in Brixen
The truth of the matter
Postcards weren’t always written to send greetings from the writer’s travels. Sometimes, they had very little to do with holidaying at all and were instead used as a means to communicate frankly with somebody or even express feelings of upset or displeasure. For example, this postcard’s sender wrote: “If you choose to brazenly put yourself at risk like this or, worse, actively seek out danger, it will serve you right if you fall into the trap! This is my sincere belief.” Let’s just hope that this postcard’s recipient ultimately decided against the risk being spoken of.
PICTURE: Hahnberg Castle in Brixen DATE: 1902
Writing while you wait
What better moment to write a postcard than while waiting for a train? Franzensfeste/Fortezza train station lies at the intersection between the train lines from north to south and east to west, so there have always been plenty of passengers waiting here for their connecting train. On the postcard above, a mother and father are writing to their daughter in the Austrian city of Graz to tell her that they are on their way to Brixen/Bressanone to visit a count, whose name is unfortunately illegible. They add that they will be back in Mühlbach/Rio di Pusteria in the afternoon. On the postcard below, a daughter is writing to her mother to tell her that she missed her train: “Dear mother, I missed the local train so had to take the express train instead. Everything’s okay. Beautiful weather here.” She adds “written on the train” as an explanation for her slightly scrawly handwriting and signs off “With love”.
PICTURE: Franzensfeste, train station and bridge DATE: 1895 and 1890–1900
Holiday greetings
The world’s first postcards were introduced in Austria-Hungary on 1 October 1869 and were known as “correspondence cards”. As prices dropped during the late 19th century, postcards became a popular means of communication – especially among holidaymakers. This postcard features a picture of Brixen’s renowned Hotel Elephant, which dates back to 1551. Its senders enjoyed their time at the hotel so much that they decided to extend their stay: “Dear Edi, we received your card. We’re well and we hope you are too. We’ll arrive around the 20th August because we want to stay here for the prize draw taking place on the 17th.”
PICTURE: Hotel Elephant, Brixen; Villa Mayr, Vahrn/Varna
DATE: 1924
Messages from the front line
Postcards were often used for propaganda purposes during the First and Second World Wars to spread negative images of the enemy and portray young men as valiant heroes. More positively, they were also used by soldiers to send messages home from the front and by families to share news with their loved ones. On this postcard, a young man at school in Innsbruck writes to his mother in South Tyrol with the following request: “Dear Mother, as you know, Italy has declared war on us. Can you please write to me as often as you can, if possible every two to three days, so I know how you are? I’ll also write to you regularly.”
PICTURE: The interior of the Goldener Adler guesthouse in Brixen
DATE: 1915
DATE: 1897
Rest and relaxation
In 1890, Dr Otto von Guggenberg founded his spa centre of the same name in Brixen. From then on, this elegant property on the bank of the Rienz river welcomed countless guests looking to escape the stress of everyday life. The senders of this postcard – all originally from Brixen – also spent a relaxing, but above all entertaining time here. As the card reads: “We’re sitting here so happily together. I’m in such a daze that my mind’s gone blank.”
PICTURE: Dr Guggenberg spa centre
Christmas wishes
Despite the dark times through which he was living, the young sender of this postcard hadn’t forgotten his manners when he dutifully wrote to his godmother on 19th December during the depths of the First World War: “With the holy season of Christmas approaching, I thought I’d write you a few lines. I’m very well and I hope you’re all well too. I wish you a very happy Christmas.” In stark contrast to the message, the picture on the postcard is not at all Christmassy. In fact, the flowering horse chestnut trees in the Rappanlagen garden in Brixen evoke feelings of summer.
PICTURE: Rappanlagen garden in Brixen
DATE: 1915
Lively conversations
The sending of postcards has declined dramatically since the 2000s, having been superseded by email, text message and later social media. However, previously postcards were used as a means of lively two-way conversations, with one card swiftly following another. In this case, two holidaymakers in Klausen are replying to their friend in the Austrian city of Dornbirn: “Dear Bergmann, we were delighted to receive your card today. We take it that you’re well.” They round off their message by saying that they’ll toast his health with a “special tipple”.
PICTURE: Parish church in Klausen/Chiusa, Capuchin church, Säben Abbey, Gerstein Castle, Untere Gasse lane in Klausen
DATE: 1897
Beautiful Things
Products from the region
❶ New life for old boots
Have the soles or seams on your favourite hiking boots seen better days? At Delmonego shoe shop in Klausen/Chiusa, fifth-generation cobbler Nora Delmonego gives footwear a new lease of life. As well as being sustainable, her repair service saves customers from the often-painful process of breaking in new hiking boots. Just send over a photo on WhatsApp and you’ll receive an estimate of the costs and how long the repair will take. PS: Nora is also an expert at repairing broken heels, zips and leather bags. New soles for hiking boots, €70–100.
❷ Delicious red juice Refreshingly tart with delicate notes of rhubarb, Epfl Roat from Waldharthof farm in Raas/Rasa is no typical apple juice. It gets its beautiful red colour from the Baya Marisa apples from which it is made. This rare, old variety of apple has red flesh running all the way through it, and its flowers are a vibrant pink. With its wellbalanced acidity and fresh flavour, Epfl Roat goes perfectly with savoury dishes. It’s also a delightfully tangy aperitif for balmy summer evenings. 700 ml bottle, €3.50.
waldharthof.it
❸ Toothpaste made by bees
A beekeeper who makes toothpaste isn’t something you see every day. While honey is not exactly known for being good for your teeth, propolis (or bee glue) is scientifically proven to have antibacterial and antiviral effects. Bees use this mixture of resin, wax, essential oils and more to seal their hives and keep them free from bacteria. Beekeeper Erich Larcher from Vahrn/Varna uses propolis to make cosmetics and personal care products. His toothpaste is produced from natural medicinal clay and contains mint and sage in addition to propolis, so you can enjoy naturally clean teeth and long-lasting freshness. 50 ml tube, €11.90.
larcher-honigprodukte.it
❹ Copper art
❺ Delicious rounds of tangy cheese
Cheese sommelier Johannes Hinteregger turns fresh raw milk into hard cheese and cream cheese at the Kreuzwiesen Alm mountain lodge above Lüsen/Luson at 1,924 metres. He leaves his cheese wheels to mature for up to 36 months until they develop their distinctive hearty, aromatic flavour. If you’re looking for a traditional cheese with exceptional flavour, Johannes recommends trying his Ziggokas. A strong sour milk cheese with a curd-like centre, it’s the region’s oldest cheese and is truly one of a kind. All the cheeses bear the Roter Hahn (Red Rooster) quality seal. Mountain cheese from €23.80 per kilogramme.
kreuzwiesenalm.com
❻ Delicate crayfish
Herbert Weger from Obervintl/ Vandoies di Sopra is the only crayfish farmer in South Tyrol. He started out rearing fish, but today he runs a sustainable farming project with a focus on biodiversity and the important role crayfish play in maintaining the ecological balance and improving the health of ponds and rivers. Herbert’s crayfish are used to make exquisite dishes in the region’s top restaurants, including the Ansitz Steinbock in Villanders/Villandro.
In his workshop in St. Andrä/ S. Andrea above Brixen/Bressanone, artist blacksmith Laurenz Stockner turns copper into art by crafting unique bowls from raw copper extracted from nearby Prettau/Predoi. He processes the copper into copper sheets in his own self-built furnace. It’s a complex task that takes weeks to complete, but the finished pieces stand out for the stunning contrast between their delicate shape and bold colours. Laurenz has received several renowned awards for his bowls, including the Bavarian State Prize. One-off pieces, price available on request.
laurenz.it
❼ Late-harvest fruit
Rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, Cornelian cherries ripen in late autumn, often after the first frosts. Frötscherhof farm in Mellaun/Meluno above Brixen/Bressanone turns this delicious, rare fruit into jam. The cherries have very little flesh so each one is painstakingly destoned by hand. The jam’s sweet yet tart flavour is reminiscent of currants, making it the perfect accompaniment for breakfast or cheeseboards. The farm’s mini kiwi and organic blackberry jams are also absolutely delicious. 220 g jar, from €5.20.
froetscherhof.com
Stillness all around
The shorter days of winter are the perfect time to retreat, relax and enjoy a slower pace of life. We share our tips for making the most of this peaceful time of year
① A winter wonderland
During his travels through Italy in 1494, Albrecht Dürer was so inspired by the local landscape that he stopped to draw Klausen/Chiusa. He later used this drawing as the inspiration for his copper engraving Nemesis (The Great Fortune). Today, you can sit in the exact spot where the artist made his sketch. Known as Dürerstein (Dürer’s Stone), it offers spectacular views across the town. The walk to the stone is especially beautiful in winter when Klausen is blanketed in snow, painting the small artists’ town in a completely new light.
klausen.it
Starting point: Parish church in Klausen
Walking time: approx. 30 minutes
② Soft spiritual sounds
In the early hours of the morning, while Brixen/Bressanone still sleeps under a blanket of darkness, the town’s Baroque cathedral is already flooded with warm candlelight. On each day of Advent, the Rorate Mass is held here at 6:30am on the dot. Accompanied by various musical performances that resonate through the cathedral’s nave, this early-morning service is a meditative and spiritual way to start the day and celebrate this special season.
brixnerdom.com
③ Gently flickering flames
What could be more magical than a torchlit walk on a winter’s night? The air is crisp and clear, the silence broken only by footsteps crunching through the snow. Stars twinkle in the sky, while the flickering flames of the torches give the landscape a warm, soft glow. The torchlit walk in Natz/Naz takes place every Tuesday from January to March and offers a unique way to explore the local apple orchards and forests. The walk starts on Natz village square.
natz-schabs.info
Other ideas for
winter nights: Full Moon Dinner on the Rodenecker and Lüsner Alm mountain pasture or evening ski tours in Gitschberg Jochtal/ Rio Pusteria
④ Wintery walks
There’s no better feeling than breathing in the crisp, refreshing air on a winter’s walk through the forest. The snow muffles even the slightest of sounds, leaving only a magical silence. Ice crystals glisten on the branches and the low-lying sun casts an orange light over the trees, lending the forest a mystical beauty unique to the colder months. We recommend hiking to Freienbühel/Colle Libero in Afers/ Eores, where a small forest chapel sits atop a hill surrounded by trees. plose.org
⑤ An enchanting forest
Want to experience Christmas past? During its Tearna Advent celebrations, the village of Terenten/Terento recreates rural Christmas customs and traditions on each of the four weekends of Advent. Take part in biscuit baking sessions for children, browse the rustic huts selling homemade specialities and enjoy atmospheric brass band music. Plus, don’t miss out on visiting the Stockner Waldile forest, where strings of twinkling lights bathe the trees in a magical glow and a storyteller brings fairytales to life around a campfire.
gitschberg-jochtal.com
+ Other idyllic and intimate Christmas markets: S’Adventliachtl in Natz/Naz, Klausner Gassl Advent in Klausen/Chiusa
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White snow bathed in golden light. A sunset hike in winter is the perfect opportunity to marvel at nature’s beautiful colours.
⑥ Scenes from the past
Once the residence of the town’s prince-bishops, Hofburg palace in Brixen/Bressanone is today home to an impressive crib collection featuring elaborate recreations of Biblical scenes. The extensive exhibits on show originate from Brixen, Tyrol, Naples and Sicily and are crafted from various materials, including wax, paper, terracotta, ivory and clay. In addition to traditional Christmas cribs telling the story of the nativity, the exhibition includes an Easter crib portraying the crucifixion of Jesus and a crib comprising some 5,000 figures depicting over 50 Biblical events.
hofburg.it
THE LOCAL MAGAZINE
A visit to the Stockner Waldile forest is a highlight of Tearna Advent. Here you can eat biscuits and admire the huge nativity scene before listening to fairytales around a campfire.
Pyramids in the Forest
South Tyrolean photo bloggers Judith Niederwanger and Alexander Pichler tell the story behind one of their favourite photos
Afew years ago, we visited the village of Terenten/Terento to explore the old mills along the aptly named Terner Mills Trail (Mühlenweg). It was a beautiful summer’s day and we were excited to find out more about these historic buildings, some of which have stood for 500 years. But shortly after setting off from Terenten, we came across a remarkable sight that stopped us in our tracks. Towering above the trees and shrubs on the hillside in front of us were some astonishing rock formations.
Known as earth pyramids, these fascinating, imposing towers of rock are the result of a landslide triggered by a violent storm in 1837. The Terner Bach stream washed away a huge amount of the resulting debris, destroying a number of the surrounding houses in the process. Over time, the remaining rock was shaped by the elements to form bizarre natural pillars with striking capstones that continue to be reshaped by wind and rain today. The best place to admire – and photograph – the earth pyramids is from a viewing platform.
An easy, family-friendly walk takes you directly to the earth pyramids. From the car park in Terenten village centre, simply follow trail 2 towards the Mills Trail (Mühlenweg) and you’ll reach the earth pyramids in around 25 minutes. The route runs through a thick spruce forest and passes seven historic mills, so there’s plenty to see along the way. After crossing the stream at the last mill, take Panoramic Trail (Panoramaweg) 1 back to the village. Alternatively, you can reach the earth pyramids by following the Nature and Culture Path (Natur- und Kulturpfad), which also starts at the village car park and leads to the Pichnermoos biotope.
Judith Niederwanger and Alexander Pichler run a successful hiking and photography blog called “Roter Rucksack” (German for “red backpack”). Their Facebook page of the same name has over 25,000 likes and they have racked up 19,000 followers on Instagram. In 2023, they released their second German-language book (Klick dein Wanderglück! published by Raetia), which presents 45 new hikes and photo spots in South Tyrol.
