Val Senales in Italy has lots to offer in terms of nature, culture, and history. Whether it’s an ancient farm, a proud castle, a mysterious reservoir, or an abandoned monastery: the idyllic Val Senales valley is a gem in the Alps where time seems to stand still. Have you ever visited the Ötzi museum archeoParc in Val Senales? The Iceman Ötzi Peak? Or one of the charming little villages? There are numerous sights to discover during your glacier holiday. We have summarised the most beautiful ones for you on this page.
The small, idyllic mountain village of Monte Santa Caterina/Katharinaberg with its beautiful farms and the majestic parish church, which sits like an eagle’s nest on a rock, lies in the middle of lush green meadows. There once was a castle here, which was demolished by the Carthusians in 1350. What remains is the old castle tower, which now serves as a bell tower.
The remains of a fortified circular wall still surround the small village of Certosa/Karthaus, where the former Carthusian monastery Monte degli Angeli/Allerengelberg stands, which was abandoned in 1782. Today, you can visit the abbey, the grotto, the prior house, the monastery kitchen, the monastery gate, and the church of St. Anna.
Old farms characterise the townscape of Madonna di Senales/Unser Frau. The history of this well-known place of pilgrimage dates back to 1304. In the largest village of Val Senales, you can find the Ötzi museum archeoParc Val Senales, an open-air museum which revolves around Ötzi the Iceman. It is open from the beginning of April to the beginning of November.
Eight farmsteads and a church have disappeared into the water of the Vernago/Vernagt reservoir, which was built in the 1950s. When the water level is low, you can still see the bell tower of the old church rising out of the lake. A beautiful circular hiking trail leads around the emerald green lake, which is also very popular for fishing.
Surrounded by impressive three-thousand-metre peaks, Maso Corto/Kurzras is the oldest village in Val Senales, Italy. Only the little church at the entrance to the village and the Kurzhof, the home of Leo Gurschler, who was in charge of the development of the glacier ski area, bear witness to the town’s ancient history. From there, the glacier cable car will take you up to the Glacier Hotel Grawand.
The Iceman Ötzi Peak in Val Senales is a highlight on the glacier: a whopping 126 peaks over 3,000 m are spread out before your eyes when you venture out on the panoramic platform at high altitude. To do this, you don’t even need alpine equipment or much endurance, since the Iceman Ötzi Peak is located directly at the mountain station of the glacier cable car. You can reach it in just a few minutes via a secure steel stair – and it’s totally worth a visit!
