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Western Sarntal Alps
Plateau - Hafling-Meran 2000 - Tschöggelberg. The Sarntal Alps with the Ifinger and Hirzer mountains are the heart of South Tyrol with the western part taking in the Passer and Etsch rivers and is therefore an ideal hiking area of the Meran region. On the wide porphyry plateau, stretching from the Naifjoch as far as Jenesien above Bozen, known as Tschöggelberg, there are pretty mountain villages such as Hafling and Vöran that can be reached by cable car or road. Higher up there are thick woods that make way for extensive mountain meadows and pastures. It is an ideal area for the family to relax and hike. A particular advantage of this area is the small differences in altitude. There are numerous inns and mountain cabins where you can eat, drink and spend the night.
Hike along the 'Haflinger Höhenweg' (High Path)
The all-round view makes this hike over the Haflinger high meadows especially rewarding. It is easy in every respect even if you have to be careful to watch your bearings in some places. Route: take the Ifinger-Seilbahn (cable car) (Seilbahn Meran 2000) from Naif near Meran and hike on to the Meraner Hütte (1960m). From there the broad, later narrower, path no. 4 with little difference in altitude leads over the blossoming Haflinger meadows southwards to Auenjoch (1926m). It is a fantastic hike with fantastic views. Here you turn right on to path no. 2 for Vöraner Alm (1873m) and continue on path no. 2 (do not take path no.11A on the left!) down through beautiful woods moderately steep to Hafling (1290m). From there take a bus down to Naif, your starting point. Difference in altitude: High Path to Auenjoch 160m, descent from Auenjoch to Hafling 640m. Time needed altogether approx. 5-6 hours. Best time of the year: mid-June to mid-October
Schreibmaschienenmuseum (Typewriter museum) Peter Mitterhofer
In the centre of Partschins. There are about 100 typewriters of every kind to be seen. The Sonnenberger Panoramaweg, leading along the slope to the village of Naturns, begins here. The Partschins waterfall above the village is South Tyrol's largest waterfall.
Hike through apple orchard with sampling.
This event of the tourism office is very popular. It is a short walk with an apple producer through the orchards. The farmer tells you how he 'raises' and looks after his apple trees. At the end there is a sampling of the different kinds of apple and some tips for an orchard at home.
Passeier Valley museum and Andreas Hofer's birthplace
At Sandwirt, just before St. Leonhard, two museums are now combined. Once an open-air museum with ancient historic buildings and everything that goes with this. In the birthplace of Andreas Hofer there is the museum devoted to Tyrol's freedom fighters. There is a small museum to be seen with private objects, furniture and documents from the time of Tyrol's struggle for freedom with Napoleon's troops. The events of 1809 and the solemn promise of 1796 can be seen in the memorial chapel. Haflinger horses are also bred at Sandhof. The walk along the Passer river is also very beautiful.
Women's museum "Evelyn Ortner" in Meran.
"Women through the ages". This small museum offers a portrayal of the history of women during the last 200 years as seen from their point of view. There are plenty of visual aids that depict the cultural and everyday story of women. It can be found under the Meraner Lauben (arcades). The promenades and walks are a speciality of Meran. The wildly romantic Gilfschlucht with its poetic verses on the park benches and the famous Tappeinerweg (Tappeiner promenade) from where you can see the roofs of Meran as you walk through the Mediterranean flora.
Bauernmuseum in Völlan (Völlan Museum of Farm Life) and a hike to St. Hippolyth
Völlan is somewhat higher than Lana. A priest has gathered together some tools and farming implements from everyday life on the farm... Völlan is also the starting point for many hikes. Directly below the museum a signpost shows the way to the small church of St. Hippolyth. You can take a gentle walk through woods and over meadows to the small church of St. Hippolyth, built in 1340 and already earlier a pre-historic cultural site. Up here you have a view of the whole of Etschtal from Meran to Bozen. Apart from the steep hill to the church the walk is easy. You can also take the longer option via Völlaner Badl.
Schloss Tirol and Brunnenburg
It is a comfortable 30 minute walk from the centre of Dorf Tirol to the dynastic castle of the counts of Tirol. Immediately at the beginning of the walk and somewhat lower there is the Agricultural Museum – Brunnenburg Castle. Halfway there is the snack bar "Sandgruberhof" with its fantastic view of Meran and Algund. Schloss Tirol accommodates exhibitions and events (medieval soirées) all the time. Immediately below the castle there is the centre for birds or prey Schloss Tirol. There is an excellently laid-out nature trail where visitors are given a fascinating insight into the life of birds of prey as important members of the cycle of nature. The purpose of the bird clinic is to cure injured birds and release them again into the wild. There are demonstration of birds flying at 11.15 am and 4.15 pm.
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