Bruneck – what springs to mind when you think of our town? Probably the medieval Stadtgasse, the imposing Bruneck Castle and many more sights that are worth exploring. And there are plenty of other rewarding places waiting to be discovered beyond the town walls too. Six districts – Reischach, St. Georgen, Stegen, Dietenheim-Aufhofen, Luns and Amaten – are part of the municipal area of Bruneck and show our holiday region off from a different angle. As do the peaceful villages around and about: Percha, St. Lorenzen, Pfalzen, Gais and Uttenheim. Each of them is also well worth a visit. Maybe even more than one.
When it comes to sport and leisure, Reischach is the place to be. Its location is something of a give-away. Two kilometres from Bruneck, Reischach is situated right by the valley station of the gondola up to the Kronplatz. Which means that all you have to do is jump into a gondola and up to skiing and hiking paradise. And there are plenty of sporting activities down in the valley too. At Reischach Sport Park you’ll find football pitches and tennis courts, a riding stables, a golf course and, in winter, cross-country skiing tracks and an ice rink. You can relax right next door too, in the Cron4 sauna and bathing complex.
St. Georgen borders Bruneck directly and lies at the entrance to the Tauferer Ahrntal valley. It is peaceful, contemplative and idyllic here. This is especially the case on the banks of the river Ahr, where there is a lovely river beach and a spacious park where you can sunbathe. And if you are keen on walking and hiking, you will find just what you are looking for in the unspoilt natural landscape. When you are out and about, it is well worthwhile keeping your eyes open. St. Georgen has one of the oldest settlement histories in the Puster Valley and is not lacking in traces of the past.
Stegen starts where the town of Bruneck stops. The little village is, so to speak, a suburb of Bruneck and joins directly on to the picturesque old town in the west. Stegen is mentioned in the records as long ago as 1000 AD, as a bridge settlement with Roman origins. The word “Steg” (bridge) in the village’s name is also suggestive of this. Once a year – always in autumn – the biggest market in the entire Alpine region takes place in Stegen. And what’s on offer there has to be seen to be believed.
Dietenheim is situated in the broad valley bottom north-east of Bruneck. The stately residence, Mair am Hof, which is the symbol and headquarters of the Museum of Folk Traditions, can be seen from miles around. Everything that you ever wanted to know about South Tyrol’s rural culture can be found out here. Lively and up close. There’s lots of culture and history to be found in Aufhofen too. A couple of sunny meadows and fields further along, this idyllic parish with its old village square and an even older parish church, will bewitch you.
Hiking trails, natural spectacles, lifts – in Percha you are in the right place if you like to have everything within easy reach on your holidays. In this sunny village, 4 km to the east of Bruneck, not only are there lovely cycling and hiking trails right outside your door, but also extremely impressive earth pyramids. And even the Kronplatz is just a stone’s throw away from Percha. Or more precisely, a trip on the modern gondola lift. And how practical that the valley station is connected directly to the railway station!
First of all: if you love history, then you won’t be disappointed by St. Lorenzen. This is because settlement history was written in the small village at the mouth of the Gadertal Valley. And it left impressive traces behind. Finds from the Ice Age and Roman period bear witness to the fact that St. Lorenzen was once an important Roman road station. Want to find out more? Then why not drop into the Mansio Sebatum museum? Once there you are sure to see why the ancient Romans liked it so much.
Where is Pfalzen? Where the sun smiles from the skies from early until late! Thanks to its optimal southern exposure, this village north-west of Bruneck has made it into the top 5 sunniest places in the Pustertal Valley. And it’s worth exploiting this advantage to the full on a hike or walk. High up in the Pfunders mountains or down on the shores of the Issinger Weiher lake. Or right next door, in South Tyrol’s largest climbing park.
Do you prefer nature or culture? In Gais you don’t have to choose. Not only do this idyllic little village and its districts of Tesselberg, Mühlbach and Uttenheim have plenty to offer in terms of landscape, they also have lots of historic and cultural attributes too. Imposing castles, for example, such as Kehlburg Castle and Neuhaus Castle. The oldest parish church in Tyrol. And a unique Fire Helmet Museum with helmets from all over the world. All you have to do is decide where to head first!