Mühlbach and its surroundings

777m above sea level | at the entrance to Val Pusteria/Pustertal | first recorded in the 11th century as ‘Mulibah’ | best known for the Mühlbacher Klause, documented in 1269 | close to the Vals valley and the Fane Alm

Mühlbach lies at the entrance to the Val Pusteria/Pustertal and was first documented in the mid-11th century. Back then the village still went by the name "Mulibah", which evolved over the years into the place name we know today. Its landmark is the historic Mühlbacher Klause, a former valley and road barrier dating from the 13th century.

The oldest surviving document relating to the Mühlbacher Klause is dated 12 January 1269. This deed was drawn up by Count Friedrich von Rodank. The Klause served as a barrier across the valley and the road, and was used at the time to levy tolls.

The original toll table (or toll stone) can still be seen today. Having spent many years in the old cemetery, the granite table has now been returned to the history-steeped Mühlbacher Klause.

The area around Mühlbach has a great deal to offer visitors and guests alike. Meransen, for instance, is just a few minutes away by cable car from Mühlbach. The Val di Valles/Valsertal, with its charming farmsteads and the alpine hamlet of Fane Alm, is also within easy reach. All in all, the surroundings of Mühlbach are criss-crossed with countless walking trails up to the mountain pastures, guaranteeing a holiday that is South Tyrolean through and through.

Tyrol's oldest town | first mentioned in 901 as “Prish”a" | a 15-minute bus ride from Mühlbach | sights: Brixen Cathedral, the baroque cathedral square, the medieval old town with its arcades and the Bishop's Palace

Art, culture, and history hold an important place in Brixen’s old town. Brixen is Tyrol's oldest town, first mentioned in records in 901 as “Prihsna”. With the building of Brixen Cathedral, the parish church and the Bishop’s Palace, the settlement gradually grew into a town, which was encircled by walls around 1150.

For centuries Brixen was an influential seat of prince-bishops and a bridge between southern Germany and northern Italy. Although the Renaissance left important traces here, it was above all the baroque period that shaped the town and its architecture. The opening of the Brenner Railway in 1867 saw Brixen develop into a spa town in southern Tyrol. The First World War brought hard times, with the town serving as a garrison and military hospital, and fascism and the Second World War brought further great suffering.

Brixen’s remarkable cathedral square, its many sacred buildings, the expansive listed medieval old town, the arcades and the crenellated lanes, together with museum treasures, craft traditions and archaeological gems, all make Brixen a town of culture. Modern cafés and excellent restaurants, appealing shops and entertaining events mean there is something for everyone in Brixen's old town.

The heart of the Val Pusteria/Pustertal | 838 m above sea level | 11,000 inhabitants | 30 minutes away by train | Kronplatz, a mountain for skiing and walking | sights: the Stadtgasse, Bruneck Castle with MMM Ripa, and the Rienzbräu brewery

Bruneck is the vibrant heart of the Val Pusteria/Pustertal. The town on the River Rienz lies at 838 m above sea level and has around 18,000 inhabitants. Its local mountain is Mt Plan de Corones/Kronplatz, which towers above the town and draws visitors up onto its slopes in summer and winter alike.

A stroll through the picturesque Stadtgasse alley, with its colourful façades and charming shops, is as much a part of Bruneck as an ice cream on the sleek, modern town hall square, which offers plenty of spots to sit and linger. Cafés and restaurants serving Italian specialities and hearty Tyrolean home cooking round off the culinary offering – all that’s missing is a cool beer at the Rienzbräu brewery.

The town on the Rienz has plenty to offer culturally too, and its theatre programme in particular is well worth a look. Further variety comes in the form of the Odeon cinema, the events put on by the UFO youth centre, the town’s ECK museum, and the many sacred buildings such as the Rainkirche, the Church of the Holy Spirit, and the Ursuline Church. Bruneck Castle is home to MMM Ripa, Reinhold Messner's fifth museum, dedicated to the theme of mountain peoples.

In the upper Val d’Isarco/Eisacktal, at the crossings to the Jaufen Pass, the Brenner Pass, and the Penser Joch | 7,000 inhabitants | an important trading town in the Middle Ages | 30 minutes away by train | sights: the historic old town and the Zwölferturm

Sterzing looks back on a long tradition, and despite many outside influences it has retained a strongly historic character – that stands it in good stead today. In summer and winter alike, the small town attracts plenty of visitors, who find no end of variety here for the finest time of the year.

Sterzing is a municipality in South Tyrol and, with around 7,000 inhabitants, is of fairly average size – yet it has a great deal to offer. Its Italian name is Vipiteno, a connection many people passing through don’t immediately make. Sterzing was already an important trading town in the Middle Ages, thanks in no small part to its favourable position. Set between the alpine crossings of the Jaufen Pass, the Brenner Pass, and the Penser Joch, the town in the upper Val d’Isarco/Eisacktal remains an important economic centre to this day — not least as a shopping destination and a well-known holiday resort.