Puster Valley between the Dolomites, circular trails and mountain culture

Winter and mountains

MMM Corones is not accessible by car. You can reach the summit plateau of Kronplatz by cable car or on foot. At MMM Ripa, you can gain insights into the everyday life, rituals, religions and economic systems of 25 mountain peoples. The Room of Mirrors at LUMEN displays authentic and rare objects from the world of mountain photography while also exploring the mountains’ special atmosphere in an artistic and poetic way.

Nature

Three Peaks Nature Park is part of the Europe-wide Natura 2000 network of protected areas. It extends across the municipalities of Dobbiaco, Sesto and San Candido and is bordered by the Puster Valley to the north. The Three Peaks Nature Park visitor centre presents the geological and geomorphological features of the Dolomites in the Upper Puster Valley through texts, images, video installations and animations.

Lake Braies lies at the end of the Braies Valley, a side valley of the Puster Valley, in Fanes-Sennes-Prags Nature Park and within the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site. The summit of Cornetto di Confine is located in the immediate surroundings of the Puster Valley. The mountains of Pfannhorn and Toblacher Pfannhorn, as well as the summit of Hochgruben, are also located in the area surrounding the Puster Valley.

Further destinations: Issing, Vintl, Wengen, Pfalzen, Mühlwald, Kiens, Stern, Gsies, Floronzo, Innichen, Terenten, Percha, Abtei, Sexten, Kolfuschg, Rasen-Antholz, Welsberg-Taisten, Toblach, Sankt Martin In Thurn, Bruneck, Olang, Luttach, Mühlen In Taufers, Sand In Taufers, Sankt Lorenzen, Enneberg, Niederdorf and Gais.

Trails and activities

The circular trail around Lake Braies is approximately 3.5 km long and can be completed in about one and a half hours. The lake can be reached by bus route 442 from Dobbiaco or Villabassa. During the very busy summer months, access to the valley and bus use may be regulated, meaning that an online reservation may be required.

The Upper Puster Valley High Trail combines Alpine views and the observation of red deer and chamois with traces of the First World War and evidence of the history of mountaineering. At the historic pile-dwelling site on Lake Braies, rowboats can be rented during the months when it is open.

Olperl's Mountain World on Mount Helm offers a 1.5 km circular trail. It begins at the children’s farm, with its animals, and leads to 10 stations about local wild animals. The site also includes the highest barefoot trail in the Dolomites. The Three Peaks circuit begins at the Auronzo Hut at an altitude of 2,320 metres and initially follows Trail No. 101 towards the Lavaredo Hut at 2,344 metres.

Culture and history

The Mansio Sebatum Museum focuses in particular on the development of the Roman road station Mansio Sebatum towards the end of the 1st century AD. Archaeological finds, as well as multimedia and interactive installations, convey this history. Across three floors, the museum tells the settlement history of the Roman road station Mansio Sebatum in the Puster Valley area.

DoloMythos presents the Dolomites and the story of their formation in the historic Villa Wachtler. The exhibitions include Megachirella wachtleri, fossilized worlds, the Conturines cave bears, the development of plant life and crystal worlds.

The Resti del Castello Sant'Uberto ruins are located in the wider regional area surrounding the Puster Valley. The Weiherburg Castle, the Batterie Corazzate di Col Vidal fortification and Forte Alto di Col Vidal are also located there.

The bunker of the Bunker Museum was built between 1938 and 1942 as part of the Toblach defensive barrier and was used from 1950 within the framework of NATO defence plans against the Warsaw Pact.

To the main travel overview: South Tyrol.