Via Claudia Augusta
Tyrol
informs

Some time ago the German Via Claudia Augusta cyclist Holger Nacken published a book that tells how he travelled the Via Claudia Augusta with friends. Now there is also a similar book by two young Italians in love, who got carried away by the Via Claudia Augusta and humorously report about their journey. Author Gacomo Chimera. Both books in the virtual booklanden here on the homepage, which is currently under construction, and can be ordered in relevant online book platforms.

Via Claudia Augusta Italia received today the "Italian Green Road Award 2018" at Cosmobike Verona. Thanks to the Municipality of Lagundo and Councillor Cesare d'Eredità for the nomination.

On October 19 + 20, the historical symposium "Via Claudia Augusta" will take place in Ehrenberg near Reutte / Tyrol with interesting contributions from German, Italian and Austrian experts.

To the program

The Hafner family from Augsburg recently traveled the Via Claudia Augusta, with a cargo bike, as one meets them more and more in cities. With a load wheel one can transport, as the name says, also correct loads. You can also use them to do bigger shopping and they help to reduce motorized traffic. During the special bicycle journey, on the traces of the Romans over the alps, the 3jhrige Benedikt took place in the loading space of the load wheel, which moved father Damian. Wife Claudia and 10-year-old Cassandra accompanied them on conventional bikes. Even the two Tiroler of passports mastered the 4 from own Kraft. It was an exciting and beautiful adventure, draws the family father balance. A Bravo of the Via Claudia Augusta! From you too?

Years ago, a first group of Brazilians flew to Germany on their bikes and cycled in the footsteps of the Romans across the Alps, to Altino near Venice. They were so enthusiastic that they started advertising the Via Claudia Augusta at home. Since then, Brazil has been in the top 10 of the ranking of countries with the most visitors on our website every year and every year several hundred Brazilians cycle the Via Claudia Augusta. A group sent us this picture from Nauders am Reschenpass.

As a result of restoration work on the Forggensee dam, the water level of the reservoir between Füssen and Rosshaupten (Bavaria) remains lower for longer than in other years. The Roman roadway of the Via Claudia Augusta, which lies at the bottom of the reservoir, is therefore still visible and even accessible. How long is not clear. So go there quickly and have a look!

These days a group of the Via Claudia Augusta Bavaria met in Ehrenberg for an archaeological excursion between the hermitage and the forest rest. Representatives of all the communities along the Roman road corridor in Bavaria, between the Danube and the border with Tyrol, were invited to gradually get to know the Via Claudia Augusta better, but also to network.

All this can also be read in the newly printed annual report "Via Claudia Augusta 2017/2018".

Six years ago Franz Panwinkler read about the Via Claudia Augusta cycle route in a daily newspaper. Unfortunately, he found no one to accompany him. So he decided to tackle the tour alone. "I'm already 76 now," smiles the sprightly Upper Austrian, who has had an artificial hip joint for eight years. Already from March of last year on he cycled regularly and organised his cycling tour at the same time. His life partner brought him to the start, to Donauwörth. Then he set off on his own, almost as far as the Alps on the first day. For Panwinkler it was clear from the start that he would not be using a shuttle. "I wanted to get every metre under my own steam." Even rain and thunderstorms could not stop him.  On average, the daily stages totalled 100 kilometres. To sum up: a unique and unforgettable experience.

In July, an international jury tasted 100 of the best wines of the Via Claudia Augusta in the Roman Museum in Augsburg and awarded the best from each wine region a gold medal. The winners from the Merano region, the Pfeifhofers from the Zollweghof organic winery in Lana, now celebrated their "Gold" with friends in the Brückenkopf Museum in Algund. The award-winning strong, fruity white wine "Goldraut" Souvignier Gris was also enjoyed by the numerous well-wishers, including several sommeliers who explained the special features of the wine. Winegrower Franz Pfeifhofer told about the care of the rare fungus-resistant grape variety Souvignier Gris. Algund's mayor, Ulrich Gamper, was pleased that the celebration took place at the Museum Brückenkopf, which is intended to be a bridge between people and their cultures and in this case a bridge for the wine culture.

Journalists regularly travel along the Via Claudia Augusta to learn about and report on the route linking Europe, its regions, places and special features. But when journalists take the time to travel the entire Via Claudia Augusta, it is something special. At the moment Eva Firzlaff from the German public service broadcaster WDR (Westdeutscher Rundfunk) is cycling the entire cycle route from the Danube to Ostiglia on the River Po in 12 days, accompanied by a guide. She then processes her impressions into an episode of a regular radio programme in which special regions or routes are presented. In addition, Eva Firzlaff always discovers themes for new episodes during her travels. We wish you good weather and many lasting impressions.

The Via Claudia Augusta is always surprising. On 13 May, in Montebelluna (Treviso), in the presence of the mayor Prof. Maurizio Favero, the Posmon Archaeological Garden was inaugurated. On the site there are pre-Roman and Roman sites that bear witness to a great past and are just waiting to be excavated and protected. Among others, two Roman buildings (2nd half of the 1st and 2nd century) built with material from the area: One was probably used as a dwelling, while the other was probably a smithy for the production and repair of small iron parts. In the forge workshop a "raised" forge was discovered, which enabled the blacksmith to work standing up, thus opening the way to the modern forge. It is the first time in Italy that such a smithy has been documented.

Are you also one of those who don't hide behind the stove when winter comes? Do you feel like discovering new and special things during Advent? Then why not take a pre-Christmas tour along the Via Claudia Augusta across the Alps? The regions and places along the way have a special charm during the Advent season. Numerous Advent markets are waiting to be discovered - large ones such as those in the Town Hall Square in Augsburg, in Walther von der Vogelweide Square in Bolzano, in the picturesque old towns of Trento and Verona or in the lagoon city of Venice, and more contemplative ones in the smaller towns and villages. Towns and lively shopping areas invite you to go shopping before Christmas. Wines and other culinary specialities for the holidays are also available from the farm. In between, rich kitchens and cosy restaurants invite you to stop for a bite to eat.

The Roman museum of the former provincial capital of Augsburg (Augusta Vindelicum) is actually located in the former Dominican church. Due to static problems in the substructure, however, exhibition operations there had to be suspended in 2013. Until the reopening of the renovated church building, part of the second largest archaeological collection in Bavaria can be seen in the Tuscan columned hall of the former Augsburg armoury. Museum director Manfred Hahn has come up with something special for the specially designed exhibition: All the exhibits on display are apparently placed in "relocation boxes", which visitors are allowed to look into. The successful Roman exhibition should not be missed. But we are also looking forward to the "new" Roman Museum Augsburg, for which the active team around Manfred Hahn will certainly come up with something special again. The exhibition is already ready to move again.

In 2012 the historical association of the city of Landsberg am Lech (Bavaria) travelled in 4 days from Trento along the Via Claudia Augusta over the Adige Valley, the Vinschgau, the Resia and Fernpass back to Landsberg. In 2014, the "Via Claudia Augusta Altinate" from Altino near Venice to Trento was on the programme in 5 days, taking in the Strada del Prosecco or the Feltrino. A few days ago the group finally travelled the "Via Claudia Augusta Padana" from Ostiglia to Trento in 5 days and experienced the Po, Roman Verona, Valpolicella and the silk city of Rovereto, among others. We would be pleased to work out tailor-made tours for you, which, like the historical association Landsberg am Lech, will provide you with enthusiasm. A large part of their 2nd and 3rd trips were already booked before the complete programme was ready.

The Laurentiuskirche on the prominent mountain hill above the centre of Imst is based on an early Christian church and is thus the oldest known part of the town, which already existed as the "Oppidum Humiste" when the Romans moved over the Alps and was probably the most important settlement along the Via Claudia Augusta between Füssen and Meran. In July the contemplative little church comes to life 3 times with music: On 7th July with the world music accordionist Manfred Leuchter & the Scottish guitarist Ian Melrose. On 15 July the Modern String Quartet will bring life to the Laurentiuskirche. On 21 July the Tyrolean ensemble VocalCube will perform classical vocal polyphony from the late 16th century.

Journalist Petra Sobinger and her 11-year-old son Tim have already done some cycling tours together, but the first cross-alpine cycle route is a special challenge. This time they also have Blia, their son's girlfriend, with them and the three of them want to cycle the Via Claudia Augusta relatively quickly - from Donauwörth across the Alps to Altino near Venice, 700 km in 10 days. "If necessary, we can take the pass shuttles here and there and let ourselves be taken up there", says the ambitious mother, but she is sure that the young people will not be bothered. In the end they want to enjoy the lagoon and the sea for a few more days. On Whit Monday the 3 started and are well prepared, as the photo from the Donauwörth station shows.

The Gottstein industrialist family has relocated the production plant from the Tyrolean district town of Imst to a nearby industrial area. They have set themselves an ambitious and exciting goal for the vacated area. It is to become a centre for handcrafted quality products, in which historical and modern production can be experienced at first hand, and where handcrafted products can be seen and appreciated and also purchased. There is already a shop with trendy alpine fashion in one building. Another will house a market with food specialities of the Via Claudia Augusta from the Adriatic Sea and the Po Valley to the Danube. An innovation centre for housing 2.0 is also planned. Interested parties can register at

ch.tschaikner@viaclaudia.org.

A communion, as it might have been eaten there 2000 years ago, was recently tasted in a former small tavern in San Donà, above the city of Trento. Not far from the monastery, the historic route of the Via Claudia Augusta ascended from the Adige Valley, up the slope, into the Valsugana. Dishes from the period when the old road was built are a particularly charming way of getting to know "Europe's cultural axis". Like some innkeepers along the Via Claudia Augusta, hobby chef Gianni Civtillo was inspired by history. He seasoned exclusively with "Garum" and herbs. Although the native Venezuelan comes from the same continent as tomatoes, potatoes, corn, ... he did not use any of them, because all this only came to Europe in the wake of Columbus' voyage of discovery.

Eleven years ago, the musical of the "fairytale king" Ludwig II was premiered in the Festspielhaus Füssen on the banks of the Forggen lake. From 11 August to 4 September 2016 it will return to the stage. The performance at the original location with a direct view of Neuschwanstein is a very special experience.

In addition, a completely new format will celebrate its premiere with "The Swan Prince". 9 times the musical ship "MS Füssen" goes on an evening cruise on Lake Forggen between 30 July and 23 August at the original location. The audience sits them in the middle of the dramatic events. In scenes on the shore Ludwig's myths and legends come to life.

For several years now, the Facebook page "Friends of the ... / amici della ... Via Claudia Augusta" has been available for several years now. It provides interested people and guests of the Via Claudia Augusta with news about the Via Claudia Augusta from the Danube to the Adriatic Sea and the Po Valley. The friends come from Germany, Italy, Austria, but also from many other countries. 

The municipality of Algund in South Tyrol was the first capital of the Via Claudia Augusta for one year in 2014. The motto of the numerous activities and festivities was "2000 years of Emperor Augustus". The Facebook page "Via Claudia Augusta 2014" was also created.

Now the two sides are becoming one, which should develop even more strength and win and connect friends for the Via Claudia Augusta.