Val d’Ultimo/Ultental: A journey through time and nature

Lush apple trees or imposing glaciers? Both! The 40-kilometre-long Val d’Ultimo/Ultental is considered to be one of the most pristine valleys in South Tyrol. By pristine we mean that it’s dotted with mountain meadows and dense forests, and the landscape that you’ll explore during your family holiday in South Tyrol is untouched. Landscapes that are as colourful as the rainbow: At the beginning of Val d’Ultimo/Ultental, near Lana, you’ll pass vineyards and apple trees, but further on in the valley, spectacular peaks and glaciers, crystal-clear mountain lakes, and ancient mountain farms at 1,800 metres above sea level that are still inhabited await you. Did you know? All four villages in Val d’Ultimo/Ultental are dedicated to a saint: St. Pankraz. St. Walburg (where our family hotel in Val d’Ultimo/Ultental is situated), St. Nikolaus, and St. Gertraud. A highlight in Val d’Ultimo/Ultental are the famous 850-year-old larches. Here, you can start experiencing nature with your children.

Familienhotel Viktoria

Our family hotel in Val d’Ultimo/Ultental: really cool

Highlights of your family holiday

At 1,425 metres above sea level, three ancient larches tower majestically over St. Gertraud. They’re 850 years old, which means that they’re some of the oldest conifers in Europe. By the way, the thickest larch has a circumference of eight metres!

They’re a true cultural and traditional treasure in Val d’Ultimo/Ultental: the typical shingle roofs of the ancient farms that shape the valley’s architecture. Larch wood has been used for the tiles for centuries.

It’s located on a hill, right at the entrance to Val d’Ultimo/Ultental, and it’s visible from afar: the little church of St. Helena, which was first mentioned in a document in 1338 and takes you back in time.

How do you turn wool into clothing? At the “Bergauf” wool manufactory in St. Walburg, you can find it out step by step: from sheep’s fleece to washing to pure wool felt.

This little house is situated below St. Pankraz and tells a tragic story: When the Falschauer river flooded heavily in 1882, the water swept away all the houses, except for this building, which stood securely on a rock that only then came to light.

The impressive Hartungen waterfall is located not far from the ancient larches, directly on Val d’Ultimo/Ultental’s Farm Trail in St. Nikolaus The best time to visit it is between May and October.

The building that houses the valley museum in St. Nikolaus was built in 1827 as a primary school. In 1963 it turned into a museum and now displays rural cultural heritage, handicrafts, and old writings. Curiosity: In one of the rooms you can admire Empress Sisi’s hiking boot, which she wore during her stay!

Until the 1980s, this sawmill was still active and processed wood. Today it houses the Visitors’ Centre of the Stelvio National Park. Here you can learn exciting things about the importance of the forest, its functions, and the protected areas.

The Culten Documentation Centre in St. Walburg tells the story of the people of Val d’Ultimo/Ultental in the Stone, Bronze, and Iron Ages. You can also visit a typical farmhouse where the oldest South Tyrolean playing cards from the 15th century were found.

The famous farm trail is 10.4km long and leads from the valley museum in St. Nikolaus to St. Gertraud and back again. It passes small bridges and rustic farms with typical shingle roofs.