Sights and attractions in South Tyrol’s south

The legendary Leuchtenburg ruins are one of the most famous sights around Kaltern. The castle was built in the 13^th century and was the location of the court of Kaltern for a long time. Today the ruin is a popular destination for excursions and a landmark of Lake Caldaro.

It sits high above Eppan, on steep rock faces at 636m: Hocheppan Castle. Here you can enjoy a fantastic view over Val d’ Adige/Etschtal, Oltradige/Überetsch, and the Bolzano basin as well as over wide vineyards to the Dolomites and the Ötztal Alps. The castle was built in 1130 by Count Ulrich II and was already one of the most important fortifications in South Tyrol. The pentagonal keep towers 23m into the air.
Our tip: Go on a castle hike and let yourself be enchanted!

Experience a piece of South Tyrolean history and culture on the local mountain of Kaltern, the Mendola/Mendel. Because of the fresh and clean air, European aristocracy enjoyed holidaying on the Mendola/Mendel mountain and used the steepest and longest funicular railway in Europe for a comfortable journey to reach the top. Opened in 1903, it was long regarded as a marvel of technology and even today it still impresses with a gradient of 64%, a length of 2.4km, and a difference in altitude of 850 metres in 12 minutes. The Mendola/Mendel funicular railway should definitely be on your list of top sights around Kaltern and Eppan.
Tip: our hotel Das Badl is only 5 minutes’ walk from the funicular railway.

The ice holes are a real natural phenomenon. The cold air areas can be explained by the principle of the wind tube: Cold air between zero and nine degrees Celsius permanently flows out of the crevasse system, both in summer and winter. You can find out how to get to the ice holes here.

Where else: The South Tyrolean Wine Museum must be located in the most famous winegrowing region of South Tyrol. Numerous exhibits form a true highlight and vividly bring home the history and significance of wine in the region. Impressive wine presses, drinking vessels and carrying containers, wine barrels, and winemaking machinery – all this and more can be seen at the exhibition. In addition, there are educational stories about wine, where you will gain insights into the tasks of a “Saltner” as the “guardian of the vineyards”.

Six exhibitions in six South Tyrolean locations – welcome to the Messner Mountain Museums! Mountaineering legend Reinhold Messner has dedicated an entire museum project to his high mountain experiences in unusual locations. MMM Firmian is located not far from Ansitz Angerburg, at Sigmundskron Castle. You can reach it on a leisurely hike.

There are old houses everywhere, and of course new ones as well. But creating a sensitive transition, a symbiosis of old and new, is something special. In the town centre of Kaltern am See, not far from hotel Das Badl, the 16^th century traditional Oltradige/Überetsch construction style with loggias, mullioned windows, and alcoves can be seen everywhere. Here, heritage is kept alive; but contemporary architecture is permitted – some structures even have an international reputation!

Take a leisurely stroll and shop in Bolzano! Walk under the arcades, admire the romantic facades, and pay a visit to the numerous museums. The highlight: Ötzi the glacier mummy in the South Tyrolean Museum of Archaeology!