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    Summer in Verdines

    Your summer holiday in Merano and environs in South Tyrol
    Take a hike to the Ifinger/Ivigna peak, our “local mountain“, or to the Hirzer mountain. Cycle along the forest roads and bike paths in the valley, discover the Monte Scena mountain on your e-bike, splash around in the crystal-clear pools of the Scena Panoramic Swimming Pool or take a cultural trip to the spa town of Merano… Are you ready for your next summer holiday in the area of Merano and Environs?

    Hiking paradise in the Merano region

    Mountain tours in Verdines and surroundings
    Fancy a hike around Merano? From easy walks on the Waalwege trails to challenging hikes on steep slopes on the way to the summit or on mountain paths along alpine pastures… Our hotel Garni at 940 m above sea level is the perfect starting point for panoramic hikes in the Talle-Hirzer and Merano 2000 hiking area as well as for challenging tours to the Hirzer mountain or to the Ivigna peak. If you prefer a more leisurely hike, you can take the cable car for the first part of the tour and then stroll comfortably up to the alpine pastures, where you can enjoy South Tyrolean culinary delights in the traditional mountain huts.

    Hikings tips

    For families
    The trail of legends in Scena is an experience for young and old

    The trail of legends in Scena

    Along the Wiesenweg meadow trail, in a wooded area between the Thurnerhof farmstead and Schenna Castle, you’ll encounter some unexpected legends. Wandering along the path over sticks and stones, the kids really come to life when they come across these carved figures.
    The half-light filtering down into the chestnut forest, the branches crack underfoot and there’s sound of rustling in the undergrowth. The adventure begins at Thurnerhof, where an ancient, hollowed out “Keschtbam” (chestnut tree, in South Tyrolean) conjures up games of ‘hide-and-seek’. Just the kind of place where timid forest fairies and mischievous trolls would hang out.
    Stefan took six legendary figures from the Scena/Schenna village book as his subjects. Among these are: St. Oswald under the Ifinger mountain (St. Oswald unterm Ifinger), The Nörggele elve from Talle (Das Taller Nörggele) and the Devil fetching the perjurer (Der Teufel holt den Meineidigen).
    Some of his sculptures might be quite scary – even macabre, and less suited to younger children. But the kids always seem to enjoy them, reacting and projecting onto them in different ways, sometimes even inventing their own story around them.

    Distance: 2 km
    Duration: 1 h

    Summit tours

    The mountain tour on the Lauwand is possible early in spring

    Lauwand 2255m

    From the mountain station of the Taser cable car, follow path no. 18A over meadow slopes and forests, rising slightly to the Ifingerhütte, where delicious South Tyrolean dishes are served. Then take path no. 24A in the direction of Lenzeben and after a good hour's walk over path no. 24 up to the Lauwandspitze. It goes down again on the same path on No. 24 to Lenzeben, a beautiful clearing with a small farmhouse (not managed). Finally, you cross path no. 40 (Taserhöhenweg) and follow it again in the direction of the Taser mountain station, past the Egger and Greiterer mountain inn.

    Distance: 11.1 km
    Duration: 4:40 hours
    Ascent: 932 m
    On via ferrata Heini-Holzer up to the Ifinger

    Ivigna 2581m

    From Piffinger Köpfl, which can be reached with the Merano 2000 cable car, you can walk comfortably along the wide path no. 3 in the direction of Waidmann-Alm (signposted). Shortly before the alpine hut you reach the mountain station of the chair lift (which is operational only in winter) and follow path no. 19A upwards, past the St. Oswald Chapel, into the flat depression and on to the Kuhleiten Hut. The path now becomes a narrow climb and leads relatively steeply up the grass ridge to the junction to the Großer Ifinger. The path begins with a north-facing traverse; in early summer there is often residual snow there. Special care is then required until the first safety devices are reached (difficulty A). This is followed by a short stretch of walking terrain with a few short sections of easy climbing (maximum difficulty level I), then the now steeper ascent is secured again (difficulty A / B) and you soon reach the summit via simple rocky terrain. The descent is the same way.
    As an alternative, you can branch off to the left approx. 100 m before the chairlift station (only winter operation) and follow signs for Kuhleiten hut and Ifinger. A narrow path leads relatively laboriously over the steep grass slope of the Kleiner Ifinger up to the vicinity of the Kuhleiten hut. You meet the normal ascent path to the Kleiner Ifinger and continue to the left.

    Distance: 9.8 km
    Duration: 4:00 h
    Ascent: 750 m
    Sunrise hike to the Hirzer

    Punta Cervina 2781m

    On the high plateau from the Klammeben cableway mountain station as far as the Tallner Alm mountain pasture to the northeast, lies a wide basin surrounded by scenic mountain meadows (#40A).
    At the Tallner Alm refuge, turn right (eastwards) and follow the Gebirgsjägersteig trail (E5). Initially this passes through a grassy basin and then on a steep gradient across a scree and some rocky outcrops to the Obere Scharte (E5) at the bottom of the ridge.
    From the side of the ridge facing the Sarntal Valley, turn left (northeast) descending down rocks and scree from the summit. Then exit the E5 and bend left taking a wide arc across several hairpin bends up to the top of the Hirzer mountain (#7).
    From there, return via #7 to the Obere Scharte on the ridge. Then follow the Gebirgsjägersteig trail (E5) downhill on a steep gradient over scree and rocky outcrops to the Tallner Alm refuge (E5). From there, continue along #40a to reach the Klammeben upper cableway station.

    Distance: 6.9 km
    Duration: 4:30 h
    Ascent: 885 m

    Walks

    On the sunny Mitterplatt path you can go to Merano

    On Mitterplatt Path towards Merano

    Follow the pleasant Mitterplatt Path, starting from Scena towards the public pool just outside of town. Walking through Tschoigassl Alley, you pass by Oberhasler Farm and reach Planta Castle. From there, you take Schönblick Street and Vergil Street, crossing Passer River over Lazagsteig Bridge. You reach the center of Merano/Meran by following the shaded Gilf Promenade. Walking with a baby buggy? On two occasions, you will need to lift the buggy over stairs.

    Distance: 4.4 km
    Duration: 1:20 h

    Biking

    What could be nicer than exploring the surrounding area by mountain bike or e-bike? In the vicinity of our guesthouse, you can bike on comfortable cycle paths, asphalt roads, shady forest trails, challenging climbs or flowing single trails. Pleasure cyclists and families can find many attractions and pit stops on the idyllic Val Passiria Cycle Path, while mountain bikers and e-bike enthusiasts can enjoy exciting bike tours to alpine pastures, to the peaks of the Monte Scena mountain and to Merano 2000. Once at the top, a breathtaking view of the city of Merano and the surrounding mountains awaits you. Road cyclists also get their money's worth in the Merano region: in particular, the Passo Rombo/Timmelsjoch with its 44 hairpin bends and high snow walls in early summer and the Passo Giovo/Jaufenpass are very popular not only with bike professionals but also beginners. So get in the saddle and enjoy your holiday!
    Bike tours in our surroundings

    Bike tours

    Cycling across Val Passiria

    This cycle path takes cyclists past the villages of the Val Passiria along the Passirio river.
    Largely plain and and otherwise slightly upward you can enjoy cycling on the Val Passiria cycle path, pedalling across the great landscape of the Val Passiria valley. Far away from roads and traffic, and steadily accompanied by the refreshing Passirio river. Starting point of this cycling path is Merano: right before the bridge which connects the Val Passiria with Merano we turn right and this is where the cycle path starts, leading up to S. Leonardo in Passiria.
    Along the left riverside we cycle to the idyllic village of Rifiano and further on to Saltusio below the Cervina funicular. We cycle past the golf course and past the village of painters, which is S. Martino. We cross a roofed bridge and proceed to S. Leonardo. This is also where the MuseumPasseier is located, featuring numerous treasures regarding the history of the valley. Really worth a visit!

    Time required: 01:30 h
    Track length: 19.1 km
    Altitude: from 309 m to 656 m a.m.s.l.
    Altitude difference: +352 m | -9 m
    Promising bike tour to Lake Reschen

    Val Venosta bicycle track

    The Val Venosta bicycle track from Passo Resia to Merano is a beautiful and varied section of the Via-Claudia-Augusta bicycle track.
    The Val Venosta bicycle track, which runs along the Adige river from Passo Resia to Merano, forms a part ot the Via-Claudia-Augusta bicycle track. We start our tour in the village of Malles right under the mountain pass.
    In order to reach our starting point at 1,050 metres a.s.l., we take the Val Venosta train from Merano (we can take our bike with us, see „Bicycle & Train“) to Malles. Arrived in Malles, we follow the main road down to the small medieval city of Glorenza, which is very worth to be visited!
    After Glorenza, we turn right into the bicycle track along the Adige river, which leads us into the „Prader Sand“ biotope. We continue our bicycle tour on country trails leading towards east.
    In Castelbello the Val Venosta gets warmer and we see the first vineyards. Castelbello Castle can be seen very good from the bicycle track. We pass the entrance of the beautiful Val Senales and the village of Naturno.
    Passing the villages of Plaus and Parcines we arrive at the small locality Tel, where we turn left and cycle downwards to Lagundo and finally Merano.
    With the impressive walls of Mount Ortles and the sunny slopes of Monte Sole, the Stelvio national park and the fruit orchards and vineyards, the Val Venosta bicycle track offers a very beautiful and varied landscape.
    Merano is the destination of this route, but once you arrive at the Maia Bassa railway station (or, alternatively, in Merano's city centre), you can also continue towards Bolzano, following the Adige cycle path.

    Time required: 03:50 h
    Track length: 61.2 km
    Altitude: from 289 m to 998 m a.m.s.l.
    Altitude difference: +39 m | -742 m

    MTB tour Leadner, Verano and Wurzer mountain huts

    On this mountain bike round tour we pass and discover three mountain huts in the surroundings of Avelengo.
    We start our tour at the parking space under the parish church in the centre of Avelengo. From here, we follow trail n° 16 (Hinterdorfweg) towards the Leadner mountain hut (Leadner Alm). Soon the asphalted road turns into a very well maintained forest road with some short steeper but still easy sections.
    After about 40 minutes we reach the Leadner mountain hut at 1,520 m a.s.l. and have a nice cup of coffee. Afterwards, we continue our mountain bike tour on a forest road towards the Verano mountain hut (Vöraner Alm) at 1,900 m a.s.l., where we arrive after about half an hour.
    From here, we cycle down to the Wurzer mountain hut (Wurzer Alm). After the first bend we branch off right into trail no. 2. On this rather stony and rooty section through the forest we can either cycle carefully or chose to carry our bikes. Either way, we soon reach another easy-to-cycle forest road. Passing the Wurzer mountain hut (1,707 m a.s.l.), we cycle back down to Avelengo on trail no. 2A.

    Time required: 02:00 h
    Track length: 17.1 km
    Altitude: from 1.276 m to 1.876 m a.m.s.l.
    Altitude difference: +632 m | -632 m

    Motorbike

    The sun is shining and the asphalt is hot - summer is here! So let’s get out our motorbikes and head for the South Tyrolean mountain passes! The Garni Mitterhofer is the ideal starting point for endless riding fun. In our vicinity there are many impressive mountain pass roads that every motorcyclist should ride at least once in his/her life. In particular, the Passo Rombo/Timmelsjoch, the Passo Giovo/Jaufenpass, the Passo Palade/Gampenpass and the second highest pass in the Alps - the famous Passo Stelvio/Stilfserjoch – are worth discovering. Another highly recommended tour leads fist over the Dolomites and then to Lake Garda with its enticing Mediterranean flair. Well then, get on your motorbike and explore South Tyrol!
    Exciting motorbike tours in South Tyrol