Barbian: Churches, Waterfalls and Hikes
Accommodation in Barbian
Churches and Chapels
The parish church of Saint James the Elder in Barbiano has been documented since 1378. It was remodelled in the Gothic style and consecrated in 1472. Inside, there is a copy of the Crucifixion of Wechselburg, twelve apostle windows, a rose window above the main entrance, as well as several wooden sculptures from the 16th and 17th centuries.
The Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre is located below the road from Ponte Gardena to Barbiano, near the “Wohlaufhof” farm, and has a simple Baroque altar. The chapel was probably built in the 17th century in connection with a Way of the Cross; the three crosses along the path also commemorate the Way of the Cross.
In Dreikirchen, the Church of Saint Gertraud was first mentioned in 1237. The chancel of the Church of Saint Nicholas in Dreikirchen is richly decorated with frescoes. The Church of Saint Magdalene in Dreikirchen, built towards the end of the 15th century, is a Late Gothic church and is now without frescoes. It is the largest of the three churches in Dreikirchen.
Waterfalls and Circular Hike
The lower waterfall of Barbiano is 85 metres high and the highest of the waterfall series. From the last waterfall tier in Barbiano, a wonderfully rugged path leads to the upper waterfall. This means that a separate section of trail lies between the two waterfall tiers and should be taken into account when planning the hike.
The “Waterfall Dreikirchen Loop 2” circular hike leads from the village centre of Barbian to the two waterfalls of Barbiano. Via Katzenleiter, Kasserol and Stangen, the loop continues to Briol and Bad Dreikirchen. In addition to the waterfalls, you should therefore also plan for the steep and narrow sections later in the route.
Guided Activities in Barbian
At the pine oil distillery on the Barbian Alpine pasture, free guided tours are offered every Wednesday from 10:00 to 16:30 from 20 May to 28 October 2026. A tour lasts 20 minutes. At the organic herb garden at the “Oberpalwitterhof” in Barbian, 50 different herbs are cultivated according to organic guidelines. The guided herb garden walk at “Kreitla” lasts one hour.
The Barbian plum is the focus of the guided plum excursion. The guided plum excursion in Barbian is an easy to moderately difficult hike with a walking time of approximately 3.5 hours. It starts at 10:00 in front of the Barbian tourist information office. The time formats therefore range from the 20-minute guided tour to the longer hike with around three and a half hours of walking.
Practical Information
Some steep and narrow sections, particularly at the Upper Waterfall and on the Katzenleiter, require sure footing and suitable footwear. You should allow sufficient time and plan to wear sturdy footwear for these sections of the waterfall loop. Bus route 346 connects Klausen, Waidbruck and Barbian and can be taken into account when planning your journey.
Further destinations for your travel planning: Feldthurns, Brixen, Natz-Schabs, Villanders, Meransen, Rodeneck, Klausen, Lüsen.
To the overarching travel overview: Eisack Valley.
