The Holiday area Ahrntal valley- a portrait of the villages

The market town Sand in Taufers/Campo Tures, considered the center of the “Ahrntal”, comprehends the five suburbs Mühlen in Taufers/Molini di Tures, Kematen/Caminata, Ahornach/Acereto, Rein in Taufers/Rio di Tures and Drittelsand/Costa di Tures.
Innovation is an important issue here. In: 2008 Sand in Taufers/Campo Tures won the European award for village renewal.
The attractions are the Taufers Castle, the Reinbach waterfalls, the parish museum, the nature park house and the mineral museum.
In the summer will take place the popular feast “Tauferer Straßenküche” and the concerts in the context of the „musiKultur Taufers“. The South Tyrolean ski and hiking area Speikboden is just a few minutes away.

The small village of Ahornach-Acereto that is drenched in sun is located above Campo Tures and is known to many because of the South Tyrolean-Südtiroler Hans Kammerlander, who grew up and still makes his home here. Its own majestic local mountain, the Picco Palù-Großer Moosstock, also known as the Moosnock, is the destination of many mountaineers and rewards those who scale it with a breathtaking view of the entire Valle di Tures and the main ridge of the Alps. Also very well known is the mountain farmhouse that is built between two cliffs, “Kofler zwischen den Wänden”.

Enjoy the idyllic panorama in Kasern/Casere, and stop by the guesthouse rich in tradition. Stop also in the numerous alpine pastures and alpine huts around. Also the little legendary church of Holy Spirit has its own stories to tell. You can find a fascinating nature park landscape, where water, snow and air are still existing in fantastic quality.

Kematen-Caminata lies on the banks of the picturesque chapel of St. Walburg and its villagescape is characterized by farms, farmhouses and by the water: glaciers, lakes, rivers. Close to the village are the Reinbach-Waterfalls, which can easily be reached by foot. This favorite excursion destination offers an imposing natural drama of cascades over 25 meters (80 feet) in height. During the warm part of the year, the tiny water droplets swirling through the air are pleasantly refreshing.

Lappach-Lappago is the last village in the Mühlwaldertal-Valle di Selva dei Molini. The emerald-green Lago di Neves-Neves Stausee lake is located at the end of the valley and is the starting point for numerous hikes and high-elevation tours. The Rifugio Ponte di Ghiaccio-Edelrauthütte and the Rifugio Porro-Chemnitzer Hütte are the best known Alpine refuges in the hiking area. There are popular bases for longer tours. There is a museum in the center of Lappago that is devoted to the subject of water. The institution with the name “The Magic of Water” houses all kinds of interesting information about the properties of the most valuable of elements.

Many wonderful bike trails and hikes start from Luttach/Lutago. Amazing is the crib museum „Maranatha” in Luttach/Lutago, which shows one of the biggest and suggestive crib expositions in Europe, and the nearby carving atelier of Lukas Troi, where you can observe him doing his work.

The village of Mühlen in Taufers/Molini di Tures is small but fascinating, and with its shops, cafes, and restaurants, it offers everything that could be needed for a carefree stay. In addition, it is enticing with its lovely hiking trails and sports facilities. One festive culinary highlight is the Kathreinemarkt, a traditional market that is held every year in November.

The Mühlwalder Valley is reached via the village of Mühlen in Taufers-Molini di Tures. This "valley of the water" is characterized by its farm culture. Beautiful immaculate farmhouses and flowering meadows shape the landscape on both sides of the slopes. A variety of thematic paths offer the opportunity to get better acquainted with the valley. Children above all will enjoy the "Snow & Fun Tamarix" Family Park, at which various winter sports can be tried out.

Prettau/Predoi is the northernmost municipality in South Tyrol. Its history is closely-linked to the copper mining. The mining museum is worth seeing. Asthmatics and allergy sufferers will rejoice because of the gallery which guarantees a holiday without health troubles. Since a hundred years the village is known for its bobbin.

Rein in Taufers-Riva di Tures has a great deal to offer winter sports enthusiasts: it is possible to cut the first curves right on the village ski run with its own lift directly in the village. In the valley, there is a top-quality cross country skiing trail with varying degrees of difficulty, making Rein in Taufers-Riva di Tures the Nordic skiing stronghold of South Tyrol-Südtirol. The summer hiking area offers numerous trails, shelters and pastures, and there are some high mountains, like Hochgall or Schneebiger Nock, which are ideal for climbers.

Steinhaus/Cadipietra is the main place of the municipality Ahrntal/Valle Aurina and with the mine museum in the „grain box“, the onetime food store of the mine in Prettau/Predoi, has a particular attraction to offer.
With the South Tyrolean ski and hike resort Klausberg the village offers a lot of recreational activities as the Klausberg-Flitzer, water world for children and much more. A wonderful hiking destination is i.e. the lake Klausse.

The presbytery of the gothic church, built on a hill, shows two paintings of the priest painter Oberkofler. In 2003 a fountain, hewn in a huge boulder, has been sunk near the church. The statue of artist’s Jakob Oberhollenzer looks in the direction of Santiago de Compostela to remind wanderers that the north-south trail led through this valley.

Visitors are fascinated by the baroque church, considered one of the most beautiful in the province. Famous inhabitants of this village were the Oberkofler brothers. Joseph Georg Oberkofler (*1889) had built up a reputation as poet, Johann Baptist (*1895) was known as priest painter. His are the frescoes in the cemetery arcades of St. Johann/S. Giovanni. The mineral museum invites to a very special tour. Just admire the various crystals of the Ahrntal valley mountains and the most beautiful “Bergkristalwindl” in the world.

The village, with its church placed visible on a mountain slope, is the ideal starting point for hikes and mountain tours. The considerable farms in the surroundings are particularly beautiful.

From Luttach/Lutago passing a little side valley you reach Weißenbach/Rio Bianco that lies solitary in the basin. The church from the 16th century has a wonderful winged altar. The sledge run is a real highlight, but before you race down the slope you should stop off at one of the three alpine huts and reward yourself after the ascent with a traditional delicious dish (Pressknödel). In the summer the three health paths – the exercise, herb and Kneipp path – invite to leisurely hikes.