Val di Funes / Villnöss & surroundings - A paradise in the Dolomites

Picture–postcard views

A hotspot for photographers. A setting for some memorable adventures.
A paradise for hiking and climbing. In other words: an enchanting place.

Mountains stretching into the distance, an unspoiled setting, traditional villages - although it’s close to Chiusa and Bressanone, Funes has a genuine, idyllic atmosphere.
Located right in the centre of the Natural Park, the area around the 3,000-metre high crags of the Odle Group is a real paradise for hikers, mountaineers, climbing enthusiasts, skiers, ski mountaineers, snowshoe hikers, and e-bike and mountain bike riders.
The municipality of Funes in the Dolomites includes the villages of Tiso, San Valentino, San Giacomo, Colle, San Pietro and Santa Maddalena. Our Guest House is in San Pietro.

Odle Group in winter

What makes Funes special

1

The extraordinary natural scenery

The Val di Funes has some very photogenic sights. The best known are the church of Santa Maddalena, the symbol of the municipality, and the little church of San Giovanni in Ranui. If you follow the Adolf-Munkel trail, you get very close to the Odle Group. We advise you to do this wearing snowshoes! 

2

The Odle Group of the Val di Funes

The Odle Group, also known as the "Odle Peaks", or as the "Odles" in Ladin, are within the Puez-Odle Nature Park and the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites site. Further information about their splendid geology, flora and fauna is available at the Nature Park Visitor Centre in Santa Madalena.

3

Our community's honorary citizen

Just like the Odle Group, he's practically a legend in Funes: we're talking about the world-famous mountaineer, Reinhold Messner, who was originally from here.

The Val di Funes sheep
4

Famous animals

The Val di Funes sheep with black eye-patches is the oldest breed of sheep in South Tyrol. It would have become extinct without the efforts of a group of sheep-farmers, including Günther Pernthaler's grandfather. Günther Pernthaler has worked tenaciously to preserve the cultural status of the spectacled Val di Funes sheep, and has come to be known as "the sheep whisperer". Every year in October, the restaurants of Funes offer a range of sheep and lamb specialities. You can also go hiking with Günther. It really is worth doing! 

5

The giants of Pitschefört

Legend has it that some giants once lived on the "Pitscheförter Ebene", a plateau behind Santa Maddalena, all of them headless, except for one with three heads. They owned a flock of sheep that grazed on the grassy slopes while the giants played with gold skittles and balls. The locals paid the giants a lot of respect, because they were wealthy, distinguished gentlemen. They say that the gold skittles are still buried somewhere up in the mountains ...

6

The Geodes of Tiso

The Geodes of Tiso each measure about 20 cm, and from the outside they may seem quite ordinary. But if you cut into the stone shell, you reveal a sparking array of quartz and amethyst crystals, arranged in geometric rings. The Geodes of Tiso were first mentioned in the mid 19th century. The Geodes can be seen at the Tiso Mineral Museum, together with the remarkable mineral collection of its founder, Paul Fischnaller. If you book in advance, you can also go in search of geodes ...

7

The Trametsch ski slope

Do you enjoy the excitement of skiing down long slopes? Then you'll be delighted with the Plose ski area and its Trametsch slope, which at 9 km is the longest downhill run in South Tyrol! And what's the icing on the cake? It involves a 1,400-metre change in altitude. Here's what you'll find: a wonderful skiing adventure, with spectacular views! 

Geislerspitzen