Music Weeks Merano

On August 23th the popular Music Weeks Merano will take place in the heart of the famous health resort in South Tyrol. By now this classical event belongs to the most important ones in Italy. 

The Music Weeks Merano are an important and singular music event especially for lovers of classical and symphonic music. It has become one of the most popular music festivals throughout Italy and Europe. The festival takes on its stages soloists and orchestras from all over the world, it’s the 26^th edition of the event. 

Under the direction of Andreas Cappello it became more and more important and popular, the health resort Merano offers a singular atmosphere for this kind of festival as it provides elegant and famous buildings like the kurhaus with its kursaal and Pavilion de Fleur, distinguished by a singular architecture from the old Danube Monarchy. Here some information about the area: www.vacations-south-tyrol.com/info_merano_dintorni.html

The South Tyrolean knight’s festival

This is a singular medieval revival, which takes place from 24^th till 26^th of August in the famous Churburg Castle in Val Venosta.

During this popular medieval event in Val Venosta there will be offered a lot of entertainment such as interesting knight’s tournaments, fire shows, music from medieval musicians, a medieval market, processions or flight performances with falcons. These are only some of the several shows taking place in Churburg Castle at the knight’s festival. 

People can furthermore enjoy medieval culinary specialities and dishes. Kids can enjoy activities like: archery, pony trekking, they can even listen to adventurous stories about knights and princesses in the Middle Ages. 

Moreover the Churburg Castle in Val Venosta offers a special atmosfere itself, as it is the most popular castle of South Tyrol, there is a private and well- preserved armory, there are furthermore a lot of other things to see on this nearby 500 years old castle. Here you can find some information about the region: www.vacations-south-tyrol.com/info_val_venosta.html

The famous Spatzen Open Air at Kastelruth

On 8^th and 9^th of June the small town Kastelruth situated in the Dolomites becomes the stage for a popoluar event - the famous Spatzen Open Air. As usual there are expected a lot of fans during this weekend!

At the beginning of June there will take place the popoluar Spatzen Open Air at Kastelruth. The Kastelruther Spatzen are a very popular folk music band from South Tyrol, their fan base is mainly german, however they have fans from all over the world. Normally they are on the way for giving concerts in many different countries, but two times per year the band- members turn back to their hometown, Kastelruth. 

In this time they give two popular concerts at Kastelruth, first the Spatzen Open Air in the month of June and second the great Kastelruther Spatzenfest in autumn, which represents the biggest tend festival of Europe and has numerous visitors same as the Open Air.  Don’t miss this special event at June, you can inform yourself at the Tourist Office of Schlern Kastelruth. More information about the area of the Dolomites under: 

http://www.vacations-south-tyrol.com/info_alpe_di_siusi.html

La Villa, a mountain resort in Alta Badia

La Villa is an ideal mountain resort to spend your summer and winter holidays … discover the many sport activities available here!

This mountain resort lies at 1433 metres of altitude, near the Fanes-Sennes-Braies and Puez-Odle natural parks. It offers hiking itineraries all year round; moreover, the famous Gran Risa ski race, one of the most famous Ski World Cup competitions, takes place here. The arrival line is downtown!

La Villa is also included in the famous “Dolomiti Superski” skizone, the biggest and most modern ski zone in the world. The symbol of La Villa is Castel Colz; this castle is now a luxury hotel in South Tyrol, around which there are many Ladin legends.

Book your Italy holidays at La Villa even in summer; this mountain resort is a good idea for family holidays under the sign of nature, gastronomy and sports. Visit the two natural parks nearby, the Fanes-Sennes Braies natural park and the Puez-Odle natural park, with the wonderful “Pale Mountains” landscapes in the background.

You can count on many hiking trips for every level of physical training; the best-trained guests can experiment the “vias ferratas” near La Villa: Piz da Lec, Vallon, Tridentina and much more. The first times you face a “via ferrata” you’d better be accompanied by an expert Alpine guide, discovering new landscapes and itineraries. You can obtain all the necessary information at the Alta Badia Alpinism School. The fans of history can explore many open air museums; many of them tell the story of the Great War on the Italian front, fought in Alta Badia.

The famous Alpe di Siusi- a wonderful place

Exploring a natural paradise in the heart of an UNESCO world heritage…

Since 2009 the Dolomites are a part of the UNESCO world heritage and offer a singular landscape and mountain world, the Alpe di Siusi South Tyrol is situated in the heart of this famous mountain treasure. It represents the highest alpine plateau of Europe and it’s surface measures 57 km², it’s a wonderful place and a real hiking paradise. In every season of the year the area offers a large assortment of leisure activities as for example hiking, climbing, Nordic Walking, Horseback- riding, mountain biking or skiing and cross- country skiing in winter. The Alpe di Siusi village is composed by three small hamlets called Saltiria, Compaccia and Piz, they are characterized by old an traditional farms embedded in the picturesque alpin landscape. In Compaccia you can find also the modern Alpe Siusi funicular, as the Alpe is connected to the near Val Gardena, another mountain paradise belonging to the Italian Dolomites. 

The western part of the Alpe di Siusi belongs to the famous Sciliar – Catinaccio Nature park which was established in 1975, the Catinaccio area became part of it in 2003. The Catinaccio area is also a real hiking eldorado, it is called the “kingdom of king Laurin”, a legend says that a dwarf king governed the area and that the red rock bankes- becoming red only in the dust- are his accursed rose garden. The Alpe di Siusi has some famous peaks as for example the Sciliar, which is the most popular and one of South Tyrols emblems. The Alpe is situated on a hight of 1800 to 2950 and afford more than 300 alpine huts and rest stops during a wonderful hiking tour,  the Alpe belongs to the minicipial area of Castelrotto, there are two other picturesque townships in the area: Siusi and Fié allo Sciliar. 

In summer the Alpe di Siusi offers countless trails and hiking tours, a rich and multitude flora and fauna is waiting in the area. In winter guests can explore the area on skiers and also on cross – country skiers, there are 60 km of cross- country ski trails and modern lift facilities, perfect for a skiing holiday in the Dolomites. Here you can experience nature up to close and discover a wonderful nature protection area in South Tyrol…

The mountain area Catinaccio Latemar and its legends

The legend about Catinaccio and king Laurin

The famous Catinaccio mountain massif is also called the “Rosengarten” or the Rose Garden, this because the rock faces in the sunset often appear in a wonderful red coloring and represent a popular photo motif. There exists a fascinating legend about this mountain group also named “the kingdom of king Laurin”, the legend tells about king Laurin, who was a powerful dwarf living inside the Catinaccio. He lived inside the mountains where he conserved a great treasure, he also possessed a magic hood, which permitted him to become invisible.

The dwarf also possessed a wonderful rose garden, which was protected by a silk golden wire, the roses bloomed throughout the whole year.His rose garden was his most precious treasure and nobody should enter in it. In the neighboured castle there lived a beautiful princess, princess Simhild, king Laurin felt in love with her and used his magic cap to abduct her and to bring her in his kingdom, so Simhild had to live in the midst of King Laurin’s unmeasurable treasures together with him, she was very sad and full of homesickness.

So her brother Dietleib called the king of the Goths Dietrich of Bern, who came to help him, together with some knights they broke the silk wire and trampled king Laurin’s precious rose garden. King Laurin came on his small white steed and fighted with him, at the end Dietrich won the fight and enchained the dwarf, he delivered the princess and brought her back to her brother. After that king Laurin spoke out a spell, which implied that the Rose Garden should never blossom again, nor at day nor at night, but he forgot the twilight. And so the palid mountain walls glows red only in the sunset.

A fascinating Natural monument: the „Three Peaks“ in Alta Pusteria

Visiting one of the most popular photo motifs of the Dolomites…

The “Three Peaks” are a characteristic landmark of the famous and popular Dolomites in Italy. They belong to the Sesto Dolomites, which represent a real hiking- and climbing paradise in the holiday- area Alta Pusteria. Since 2009 the Dolomites belong to the “UNESCO World Natural Heritage”, because of their singular natural beauty. The “Three Peaks” incorporate three imposing mountain obelisks and belong to the popular “Sesto Dolomite” nature park in South Tyrol. 

2,999 metres is the hight of the “Grand Peak”, the others- the “Western and the Small Peak” adapt theirselves to its flanks. The Hotels in the Dolomites offer the perfect atmosphere four your holidays in Italy. These are surly a world- famous natural monument and a great destination especially for hikers and expert climbers, for seeing the “Three Peaks” up close you can choose for example the toll road via Misurina until reaching the Auronzo hut, after about an hour walk you’ll reach the fascinating mountain formation in the heart of the Dolomites, they belong to the municipial area of Dobbiaco. They represent a breathtaking photo motif during your hiking holidays in the South Tyrolean mountain- world.