Schnalstal Valley

Powder snow, sun and relaxation. No long waits at the lifts, the slopes are perfectly prepared and never overrun: this is our forte! Hiking along the winter trails off-piste, you will discover much that is authentic and pristine, something that is very rare these days in this form.
There is a soothing silence in the winter forest, the crunching under foot is repetitive, taking on a meditative rhythm, you feel the winter chill on your face and a pleasant feeling of warmth and activity flows through your limbs. Walking and hiking through a winter landscape has a very special effect on body, soul and spirit. Once the senses are sharpened, you discover many things in nature that make each trip so unique: Deep tracks in the snow, the babbling of water beneath the frozen ice layer over the river or the dazzling sun splitting the tree tops.
Breathe in the cold, clear glacier air, sense and experience the warmth of the people. Mountain Inns, wine taverns, restaurants and ski lodges provide an opportunity to take a break and are known for their hospitality. Such moments turn into images and memories that have a beneficial impact on your day-to-day life.

The Schnalstal Valley is a wild and unspoiled valley that extends from the village of Naturno/Naturns with its fruit orchards and vineyards beneath Juval Castle to the picturesque and imposing glaciers at the valley head. The Schnalstal Valley has few local inhabitants but is home to numerous rare Alpine animals, making it the perfect location for a peaceful holiday in nature, below the high glaciers and peaks of the Texelgruppe mountain range. On the way to Mount Similaun is the discovery place of the famous 5000-year old ice mummy, Oetzi. The Schnalstal Valley is also a popular destination for winter sports. Ski enthusiasts will find glacier slopes that remain open until may.

The Schnalstal Valley stretches from apple orchards at the valley’s entrance to the mighty glaciers at the head of the valley. Between them, steep mountains project into the sky. Dense larch forests extend up to 2,600m a.s.l.; centuries-old farmhouses bear witness to the formerly meager everyday rural life in this secluded valley. Only upon construction of the Schnalstal Glacier Cable Car in 1972 did modern tourism arrive in the area.

To its 1,300 inhabitants, Schnalstal Valley includes the sunny village of Monte S. Caterina/Katharinaberg, the Pfossental Valley and the village of Certosa/Karthaus in a former convent, the peaceful village of Madonna di Senales/Unser Frau, the hamlet of Vernago/Vernagt and the ski village of Maso Corto/Kurzras. Schnalstal Valley is the least populated valley in South Tyrol. It offers peace and originality in a high alpine mountain landscape.