The Bruneck Castle was once the summer resi­dence of the prince-bishops. Today, it houses the Messner Moun­tain Museum Ripa. Reinhold Messner dedi­cates his museum in Bruneck to the moun­tain popu­lations of the world and to their cul­tures, which, in contrast with urban life, is based on taking per­sonal respon­si­bili­ty, renoun­cing consume­rism, and hel­ping neigh­bours.

In the Dolomites, there are two truly spec­tacular ski routes. The Sella­ronda and the Tour degli Alpini. Even South Tyroleans want to have a go at them at least once a year for their extra­ordi­nary beauty. The Sella­ronda crosses the four Dolomite passes around the Sella Group. It cros­ses the Ladin valleys Alta Badia, Val Gardena, Arabba and Val di Fassa. The “Gebirgs­jäger­tour”, also known as “Tour degli Alpini”, winds its way be­neath the walls of the fa­mous Dolo­mite peaks Civetta, Monte Pelmo and Tofana. The de­scent from Lagazuoi to Armentarola is parti­cularly fasci­nating. These are two un­forget­table tours in the snowy para­dise of the Dolomites!

There’s nothing more fun than sled­ding! And one of the most beauti­ful sled­ding paths in Val Pusteria is not far from us. In Rio Bianco, or Weißenbach, in the Aurina Valley, you can leave from the car park be­hind the ath­letic field and walk for one hour to reach an alti­tude of 1,700 metres. Here, you will arrive at the ro­man­tic “Innerhofer Alm” cottage, which, from its gor­geous po­sition, offers deli­cious tradi­tional cuisine. You can also choose the “Marxegger” or “Pircher Alm” cot­tages: all of them have sleds for hire! A true expe­rience of winter fun amidst a snowy landscape!
Innerhofer Alm: Phone: 347/1392452

This mountain in Bruneck is consid­ered the number one ski­ing moun­tain in South Tyrol. It’s well-known for its extre­mely long and wide slopes and for its modern ski lifts. You can use the 120 kilo­metres of slopes to reach the valley on three dif­ferent sides: in Bruneck, Valdaora, or San Vigilio. A quarter of the slopes are marked as “black”, such as the Silvester, which you can see from your apart­ment. On the moun­tain, you have a 360-degree view of the rocky walls of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Don’t just watch bi­athletes, try it your­selves! In the Biathlon for­tress in Anter­selva, where the World Cup is held every year and the Biathlon World Champion­ships have been held nume­rous times, you can learn to cross-country ski with expe­rienced in­struc­tors. You will learn it in the blink of an eye, during an adven­turous week of biathlon or private les­sons. Alter­natively, you can simply enjoy the many beauti­ful cross-country skiing tracks.

Lake Braies is a must-see for all tourists in South Tyrol. The idyllic, dream­like sce­nery of the Braies Dolomites, the moun­tain lake, and the his­toric hotel has be­come the most photo­graphed land­scape in South Tyrol. Even in winter, Lake Braies is a hot­spot, where newly­weds like to take pic­tures on the snow in light cloth­ing. The light refrac­tions on the lake are an un­deni­able sight in the right weather condi­tions. There are no strolls more beauti­ful than this one!

The Prato Piazza is a magi­cal Dolomitic pla­teau at 2,000 metres above sea level, surroun­ded by the ma­jestic peaks of Vallandro and Hohen Gaisl. Let your­self be led by the alpine guide Michaela Egarter. She will take you to the Strudelkopf, the highest point at 2,300 metres, on tour­ing skis or snow­shoes. From here, enjoy a one-of-a-kind pano­rama with a view of the famous Tre Cime.
Michaela Egarter, alpine guide: +39 348/7095665

If you are expe­rienced and in good shape, you can try, even on snow­shoes, the world-famous Tre Cime, a symbol of the UNESCO World Natural Heri­tage Site. The start­ing point is the wild and roman­tic Fiscalina Valley near Sesto. You can walk comfort­ably on the cleared winter hiking trail to the Fondovalle hut. From here, enter the Altenstein Valley. The wonderful hike leads over the Cima Una peak to the “Dreizinnen­hütte”, or the “Tre Cime Hut”, at 2,300 metres (closed in winter). After a 3.5-hour walk, you will be re­ward­ed with a fantas­tic view of the north face of the Tre Cime. The return trail goes via the same path. This tour on snow is one of the most beauti­ful in the Dolomites. Don't forget your ava­lanche equip­ment or let your­self be led by the moun­tain guides Michaela Egarter or Christoph Hainz.
Michaela Egarter, alpine guide: +39 348/7095665

Cross-country skiing is the health­iest winter sport! This is be­cause it trains the entire body as well as the immune sys­tem. In Rein in Taufers, you can walk among red spruce and pine trees, on one of South Tyrol’s longest high-alti­tude cross-coun­try ski­ing tracks with views of the mas­sive gla­ciers of the Rieser­ferner Group. The diffi­culty level varies from easy to chal­leng­ing. Let your cross-coun­try skiing instruc­tors teach you the per­fect technique so that your tour can be less strenu­ous!