Via Claudia Augusta - die alte Römerstraße, Bayern, Tirol, Südtirol, Italien: Adige/Etsch Valley

Bayern Tirol Etschtal bis Trento Trento-Altino Trento-Ostiglia Impressum Kontakt

Route description for "Adige Etsch Valley up to Trento" stretch

We include on the following pages a brief description of the "Adige / Etsch Valley up to Trento" stretch of the Via Claudia Augusta with their special features and accommodation as you continue your journey from north to south along the Via Claudia Augusta. Although you have to scroll somewhat you can also print out the entire stretch of route at once. You can use the introductory menu to skip directly to each segment.

Spring has particularly many colours, along the Via Claudia Augusta

Donauwoerth

Augsburg

Lech

Landsberg am Lech

Lech

Schongau

Rosshaupten am Forggensee

Rieden am Forggensee

Fuessen

Schwangau

Naturparkregion Reutte

Tiroler Zugspitz Arena

Tarrenz / Imst

Imst

Mils bei Imst

TirolWest

Tiroler Oberland

Reschenpass / Passo Resia

Glurns / Glorenza

Schlanders / Silandro

Algund / Lagundo

Marling / Marlengo

Kaltern am See

Kalterer See

Kaltern am See

Leifers / Laives

San Michele / Piana Rotaliana

Piana Rotaliana

Zambana / Piana Rotaliana

Valsugana

Lagorai

Feltre

Strada del Prosecco

Treviso

Roncade

Fiume Sile

Adria / Mare Adriatico

Where it is when how warm.

Send us your pictures of the Via Claudia from all four seasons. The best photos will be featured on our website advertising the Via Claudia Augusta. If your picture is chosen, you will be credited on our website.

... to plan your cycle tour or long-distance hike, to sample what awaits you on your stagecoach journey, to see, where the historic Via Claudia Augusta ran or to find out where you can try out Roman cuisine.

Adige/Etsch Valley to Trento - Apples an wine gardens

A continuous descent sets in from the well-known tower in Lake Reschen.The Adige valley shaped by orchards and vineyards will also enchant you with its beautiful towns and villages and many castles and fortresses.

Vinschgau from the Reschen Pass to Laas

The name Vinschgau (Ital: Val Venosta) is derived from the Rhaetian Venostes tribe, who inhabited the region, at the time the Romans were extending their empire over the Alps. Geographically speaking, the Vinschgau begins just outside Nauders and ends at Töll, at the upper edge of the striking terrace just outside Merano. The administrative district of the same name begins at the Austrian-Italian border at the top of the pass.

The route continues for a short distance across a plateau beside Lake Reschen/Lago di Resia and Lake Haider/Lago della Muta. It then descends quite steeply to Mals/Malles before becoming a gentler slope. Towering above the route on the western side is Kloster Marienberg/Abbazia Monte Maria. Of special interest also are the striking Tartscher Bichl/Col di Tarces circular mound between Malls and middle age town Glurns/Glorenza. The latter town boasts a fine, fully preserved wall. Towering above Schluderns/Sluderno is Churburg Castle, home to Europe's largest private collection of suits of armour. Further to the west and even higher up on the Ganglegg lay a prehistoric settlement, where a number of dwellings have been rebuilt. After Schlanders/Silandro, the main town in the Vinschgau, comes Laas/Lasa, famous for its white marble. The whole village is paved with this sought-after stone.

Accomodations in Vinschgau from the Reschen Pass to Laas

geared towards meeting the needs of cyclists and hikers as well as other Via Claudia travellers.

at least one dish as it was 2,000 years ago on the menu.

I-VII The price categories in the advertisements below should provide a rough idea of the price range and are quoted per person and night for a double room:
I = < EUR 15,- II = EUR 15 - 23,- III = EUR 23 - 30,- IV = EUR 30 - 35,-
V = EUR 35 - 50,- VI = EUR 50 - 70,- VII > EUR 70,-.

A list of all businesses along the route, from the Danube to the Adriatic Sea. They are geared towards meeting the needs of Via Claudia Augusta travellers. To download and print out. Also available at all well-equipped information points along the route.

Vinschgau from Schlanders as far as Töll

Even before you get to Schlanders, you will encounter the extensive apple orchards of South Tyrol. These cover large parts of the valley. A large share of Europe's apples ripen in these parts. This part of the route is dominated by apple orchards. The orchards are irrigated and it can sometimes happen that travellers on the Via Claudia get a dousing - a welcome relief in the summer months. The route continues gently, but steadily downhill as far as Töll/Tel, geographically the end of the Vinschgau.

Beside the route lie Schloss Goldrain/Castel Coldrano, nowadays a conference centre, and also Schloss Kastelbell/Castelbello where there is a permanent exhibition about the Via Claudia Augusta. The St. Prokulus Church and Museum bring back to life 1,500 years of history. And then comes Rabland/Rabla, and the village where one of only two genuine, original milestones for the Via Claudia Augusta have been found. It can now be admired in Bolzano City Museum but a replica is kept in Rabland.

Accomodations in Vinschgau from Schlanders to Töll

geared towards meeting the needs of cyclists and hikers as well as other Via Claudia travellers.

Merano and surrounding area

We then head down from the Töll/Tel terrace as far as Meran/Merano, which even in Roman times was an important settlement and junction. The area around Merano benefits from a very favourable climate. Thriving here are palm trees and other plants, which hint of warmer Mediterranean climes.

Although the route initially follows the outskirts of Merano, few can resist taking a detour into the fascinating town centre with its arcaded alleys. Merano's Municipal Museum, housed in the former Hotel Roter Adler is worth a visit, as are the exotically-stocked, Mediterranean gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle. In Dorf Tirol/Tirolo, way above Merano, stands Tirol Castle, the former residence of the counts of Tyrol. After Merano, the route heads south hugging the western slope of the Etsch/Adige valley. After all those apple orchards in Vinschgau, you really should pay a visit to the South Tyrolean Fruit Growing Museum in Lana. South of Merano sees the start of the densest collection of castles in Europe.

Accomodations from Algund to Bozen

geared towards meeting the needs of cyclists and hikers as well as other Via Claudia travellers.

Bolzano and the villages on the southern South Tyrolean Adige

North of Bolzano the route splits into

variant 1 which follows the Adige on the valley floor and
variant 2 through the well-known wine-growing villages in the somewhat higher Upper Adige region (next segment)

Variant 1 takes us to the western outskirts of the South Tyrolean capital Bolzano that is best traversed along the Eisack. The city at the crossing point of the Adige and Eisack valleys was already a major hub and populated in Roman times. After Bolzano the Eisack flows into the Adige. The villages south of Bolzano are historically very much shaped by the Adige which is navigable after this point. Above all Neumarkt as the chief town in the district and Salorno, located at the linguistic frontier and in the narrow Salurner Klause section of the valley, were historically important.

Beside the route above Bolzano is Reinhold Messner's Mountain Museum, known in short as MMM Firmian. One essential stop in Bolzano is the Municipal Museum, where one of the two genuine Via Claudia milestones is displayed. Another major attraction here, though, is the South Tyrol Archeological Museum, where the now world-famous ice-man, popularly known as Ötzi, has his own gallery. Beside the wine road lie not just picturesque vineyards, but also the Kaltern Wine Museum. After passing the Kalterer See/Lago di Caldaro, the next destination is Neumarkt/Egna, where the only genuine Roman way station in South Tyrol, Endidae, was situated. Then comes the border town of Salurn/Salorno.

Accomodations in Bozen and in southern South Tyrol

geared towards meeting the needs of cyclists and hikers as well as other Via Claudia travellers.

Through the well-known wine-growing villages

North of Bolzano the route splits into

variant 1 which follows the Adige on the valley floor and
variant 2 through the well-known wine-growing villages in the somewhat higher Upper Adige region (next segment)

Variant 2 initially climbs up to the Upper Adige and the wine-growing villages of the extended municipality of Eppan. The most renowned wine-growing villages of Kaltern am See and Tramin, which is famous for its Gewürztraminer grapes, then follow. However, the somewhat less well-known picturesque wine-growing resorts in the south – Kurtatsch, Margreid and Kurtinig – also have their charm.

Accomodations in Eppan, Kaltern and Tramin

geared towards meeting the needs of cyclists and hikers as well as other Via Claudia travellers.

The Rotaliano plain and Trento

Adjoining northern Trentino, where the River Noce joins the Adige, is the Rotaliana plain, a wine-producing region and home of the red Teroldego grape. The principal town is Mezzocorona, which was a settlement in Roman times. In San Micchele, on the other side of the valley, is Trentino's viticulture "centre of excellence". Passing through Lavis, the route finally reaches the provincial capital of Trento, also an important road junction in Roman times.

We now continue through the extensive vineyards of the Rotaliana plain and on to its centre, Mezzocorrona. We then cross to the other side of the valley to St Michele and continue either beside the River Adige or along gently-sloping, vine-covered hillsides as the route heads south via Lavis to Trento. Once on the Rotaliana plain, you may feel drawn to the Cittadella del Vino, a wine "capital", very much associated with the production, storage and sale of local produce. A number of fascinating, archaeological excavations of Roman sites have taken place in Mezzocorrona and these are well worth a visit. San Micchele all'Adige is home to the Trentino Folk Museum. As the route continues southwards, you may fancy calling in at one of the many interesting vineyards on the gently-sloping hillsides. Then finally comes Trento, where sites of historic interest include the underground Roman Tridentum beneath the cathedral square, numerous Renaissance houses and the Buonconsiglio Castle.