PANKRAZ / SAN PANCRAZIO

The first village of Val d’Ultimo is also the first you meet coming from Lana. It is the largest village in the valley. San Pancrazio is small, but nice: here too you can discover the most authentic South Tyrolean traditions. The  church with its majestic 56-metre-high bell tower and Castel d’Ultimo (Eschenlohe Schlosse) are worth a visit. The castle can be reached by a 5 km long nature trail that starts directly from the village.

For another easy hike, the lake of San Pancrazio is the ideal place! From here you can also reach Merano 2000 with a 2-hour hike.

Ph © IDM Alto Adige Frieder Blickle

SANKT WALBURG / SANTA VALBURGA

Santa Valburga is the second village in Val d’Ultimo and is the main town and the centre of the municipality of Ultimo.

The charming village stretches over a valley step from where you can enjoy a wonderful view of Lake Zoccolo and the surrounding mountains up to the glaciers of the Ortles.

In Santa Valburga you can visit the 14th century  church, but if you prefer the layman you can always refresh yourself at the Santa Valburga beach, with a view of Vedetta Alta and Il Sasso.

At the end of the artificial lake of Zoccolo, only a few kilometres away, stands the locality of Pracupola with its pretty little church.

In autumn the traditional sheep market of Pracupola turns to S. Valburga. During the lamb weeks, lamb specialities can be enjoyed in the valley’s restaurants.

SAINT NIKOLAUS / SAN NICOLÒ 

The last two villages (San Nicolò and Santa Gertrude) are part of the so-called “Alta Val d’Ultimo”. San Nicolò is a popular summer destination in a quiet location.

If you are looking for enigmas or messages from the past, we recommend a detour to the “Thurnerhof”, an ancient defence tower with mysterious subjects carved on the walls, to which it has not yet been possible to give an interpretation.

For more information on the history of the valley, don’t miss the Val D’Ultimo Museum.

SANKT GERTRAUD / SANTA GERTRUDE

Santa Gertrude is the last village in Val d’Ultimo. It is the ideal starting point for numerous mountain hikes to Val Martello and Val di Rabbi, in the eastern Cevedale Group.

The small church, perched on a hill, dates back to the 14th century, from which you can enjoy an enchanting view of the Rio Valsura Valley.

From the village a road leads to Fontana Bianca, in the heart of the highest mountains of Val d’Ultimo.

In the Lahner Säge Visitor Centre, fascinating computer animations guarantee access to the most hidden secrets of the forest.

Just before Santa Gertrude stands the most impressive natural monument in the province of Bolzano: the thousand-year-old larches, whose circumferences reach 8.2 meters and rise up to 28 meters. Real giants!

Ph © Marco De Cesero

The Val d’Ultimo offers its own ski area. Successful and efficient, varied and fun: the Schwemmalm. But not only this, Val d’Ultimo has a lot to offer to those who love nature, in its wild landscapes and immersed in silence.

Ski touring on the Orecchio della Lepre, or Cima degli Olmi, Cima Stübele, Cima Trenta or Cima Sternai. A bit difficult to choose…

Cross-country skiing in the panoramic track that from Pracupola crosses the villages of Santa Gertrude and San Nicolò for a tour of 25 km.

In summer the Val d’Ultimo becomes the starting point for many hikes, some of which are also suitable for children. One that we recommend is the hike to the Gaulschluch Gorge, near Lana, at the end of the valley. A natural beauty easily reachable by all, where you can admire steep cliffs of porphyry, gneiss and granite. Over the years, the Valsura stream has carved out this gorge, which every summer becomes a small natural refuge from the heat of the season.

From Pracupola starts the Alta Via della Val d’Ultimo, a route of several days that will take you to face the altitudes of the area with breathtaking views.

Fascinating and that will leave your children speechless is the path of the larch trees, starting from Santa Gertrude.

For trekking, however, do not forget that this valley is part of the Stelvio National Park, with the peaks of the Ortles group all to conquer!

The refuges of this valley are authentic jewels, the farmsteads show off their traditional shingle roof and in every respectable restaurant you can taste the typical dishes of South Tyrol. Remember, however, to make the “Paarl” a typical wholemeal bread, which you will find here in Val d’Ultimo.

Ph © IDM Alto Adige Alex Filz

SCHWEMMALM

The Val d’Ultimo ski area is located above Pracupola (Kuppelwies), a locality of Santa Valburga, and can be reached by a comfortable cableway that takes you up to 2150 metres. Families and skiers in search of the perfect slope will find the ideal conditions for a skiing holiday. In the middle of the ski area there are ski schools, a baby slope and a snow kindergarten. For the rest, 25 kilometres of slopes are waiting for all skiers and snowboarders to enjoy themselves!

With the Ortler ski pass, in addition to skiing at the Schwemmalm, you can also vary in 14 other ski resorts in the area.

In summer, the Schwemmalm is the ideal place for various routes, including the Fontana Bianca or malga in malga. There are numerous refreshment points, where you can taste the typical delicacies of Val d’Ultimo.

ADVICE

History lover? The combination of history and trekking is soon served: leave from Malga Schwemmalm and reach the Brez Pass, which connected Bavaria with Italy in Napoleonic times: in memory of this you will find two border stones with “B” and “I”.

Ph © IDM Alto Adige Frieder Blickle