Upper Vinschgau – Where the sky kisses the mountains

☀️ Summer activities – high-altitude adventures

The Upper Vinschgau Valley is a paradise for mountaineers, hikers and cyclists, with over 1,000 kilometres of marked hiking trails.

Popular summer activities:

• Mountaineering: Classics such as the Ortler (3,905 m), the Weisskugel (3,739 m), Similaun (3,599 m) or Wildspitze (3,768 m)
  
• Via Claudia Augusta: 80 km cycle path from Mals over the Reschen Pass to Austria – one of the most beautiful cycle paths in the Alps
  
• Mountain biking: Over 600 km of MTB trails, including the Uina Gorge Three Countries Tour
  
• Kitesurfing & windsurfing: On Lake Reschen – one of the best surfing spots in the Alps with constant winds
  
• Paragliding: Tandem flights from Watles or Haideralm
  
• Glacier tours: Guided tours on the Ortler Glacier and to the Payer Hut
  
• Themed trails: The Langtaufers glacier trail or the Mals cultural trail
  
• Fishing: In mountain lakes and streams (with a South Tyrolean fishing licence)

❄️ Winter activities – guaranteed snow & powder snow

In winter, the Upper Vinschgau Valley transforms into a paradise for winter sports enthusiasts, with guaranteed snow until spring. ⛷️

Ski resorts:

• Watles ski resort: 18 kilometres of slopes at Watles (2,557 m) – small, family-friendly ski resort near Mals
  
• Schöneben-Haideralm ski resort: Connected ski resort with 30 kilometres of slopes on the Swiss border
  
• Sulden am Ortler ski resort: 44 kilometres of slopes (1,900-3,250 m) – South Tyrol's highest ski resort with glacier skiing
  
  Cross-country trails:
  
• Cross-country skiing: A cross-country skiing paradise with over 150 kilometres of groomed trails
  
• Langtauferer Loipe: 18 kilometres through the wild and romantic Langtauferer Valley
  
• Reschensee trail: 15 km circular trail around the frozen Reschensee lake – a unique experience at the sunken church tower
  
  Other winter highlights:
  
• Ski touring: A paradise for ski tourers with countless routes such as Piz Sesvenna (3,204 m) or Zwölferspitze (3,491 m)
  
• Snowshoeing: Guided tours in the Stelvio National Park
  
• Winter hiking: Over 80 km of cleared winter hiking trails
  
• Ice skating: Natural ice rink on Lake Reschen – ice skating right next to the sunken church tower
  
• Tobogganing: Several natural toboggan runs, including the 5 km long Watles toboggan run
  
• Horse-drawn sleigh rides: Romantic excursions through the snow-covered Langtauferer Valley
  
• Ice climbing: Frozen waterfalls in the Suldental Valley

🏔️ Natural highlights – high alpine beauty

The Upper Vinschgau Valley inspires visitors with its impressive mountain scenery and wealth of natural gems. The legendary Lake Reschen with its sunken church tower, the idyllic Lake Haidersee and the mighty Stelvio National Park with the Ortler massif invite you to marvel and explore. Whether in the wild valleys of Langtaufers and Sulden or on the sun-kissed slopes of the Vinschger Sonnenberge 🌄 – here you can experience South Tyrol's nature at its most beautiful. A special highlight is the high-altitude Lake Plamort at the Reschen Pass – a place that invites you to pause and enjoy.

🏛️ Culture & sights – monasteries, castles & history

The Upper Vinschgau Valley looks back on a rich history and is home to significant cultural treasures.

Cultural highlights:

• Marienberg Monastery in Burgeis – the highest Benedictine monastery in Europe (1,340 m), founded in 1150, with Romanesque frescoes
  
• Churburg Castle near Schluderns – one of the best-preserved castles in South Tyrol with the largest armoury in Europe (over 50 suits of armour)
  
• Glorenza/Glurns – the smallest town in South Tyrol, completely preserved medieval town walls, picturesque old town
  
• The Reschenpass Museum – history of the sunken village and the reservoir
  
• Stilfserjoch: Italy's highest passable Alpine pass (2,758 m) with 48 hairpin bends – spectacular pass road
  
• The Churburg Museum – weapon collection and historical rooms
  
• The Vinschger Museum in Schluderns – regional history and customs
  
• The Finstermünz Fortress – historic border crossing to Austria

🏘️ Towns & villages – Places of interest in Upper Vinschgau

• Mals/Malles: Main town with 5,000 inhabitants, three Romanesque churches, shopping facilities
  
• Glurns/Glorenza: Smallest town in South Tyrol (900 inhabitants), completely preserved town walls
  
• Graun: Village on Lake Reschen with its sunken church tower
  
• Sulden: Mountaineering village at the foot of the Ortler (1,900 m)
  
• Taufers im Münstertal: Gateway to Switzerland, historic village
  
• Burgeis: Monastery village with Marienberg
  
• Schluderns: Village with Churburg Castle