A visit to Vipiteno (Sterzing), Italy––the darling of the Dolomites
A South Tyrolian village for all seasons
This quintessential Alpine town isn't just for winter wonderland fun. Although an ideal destination for your snow dreams, Vipiteno should not be overlooked for your summer and fall holidays. It's wonderfully romantic, but if you've got kids, you'll definitely want to include them in a visit to this charming Alpine town.
The Italian Dolomites are a breathtaking backdrop for a mountain getaway, and Vipiteno-Sterzing is an idyllic setting for those who love the appeal of historic villages and the excitement of outdoor adventures.
Vipiteno (Sterzing in German), sits at 1000m above sea level where the Jaufen Pass, Brenner Pass, and Penserjoch meet. Known as the northernmost town of Italy, it has been at the convergence of European cultures since its founding millennia ago. The Austrian facades, Gothic towers, and Italian piazzas of Vipiteno's bustling city center reflect the multinational roots of the area and combine the best of them all.
Steps from the center of town, there is a wide range of outdoor activities to experience year-round. It's a snow-lovers paradise during winter, with ski slopes and a toboggan run. In warmer months, trails for hiking or biking through the green meadows offer impressive views of the glorious landscape. Activities in nature are endless, but you might not expect that this tiny village is home to some serious gastronomy and design.
WHERE TO STAY
Haus am Turm
The Loggia room at Haus am Turm. Photo provided by Haus am Turm.
Located in the historic city center of Vipiteno, Haus Am Turm is a boutique design hotel surrounded by stunning natural landscapes. Here you'll find the typical bustling atmosphere of a little Italian mountain village, with streets lined with bars, restaurants, and shops. You'll discover Haus am Turm right in the middle of it all. It's hard to believe the modern design touches that await you behind the blue facade of Haus Am Turm. This historic townhouse of 12 rooms combines bold design and understated comfort to create a tasteful old-town hotel with a lot of soul.
Owners, Veronika and Daniel, are about as local as it gets, tracing their ancestors back 500 years in Vipiteno. Their family has also run this petit hotel for over a century, fine-tuning it through the decades. The duo has a unique design eye, a born and bred hospitality style, and a commitment to craftsmanship and sustainability. If Good Trips were a hotel in the Dolomites, this would be it.
Rooms and suites from: €136
See the full feature for Haus am Turm for a booking code, good for incentives when staying at this property, including a 10% discount for October -November stays.
Ida Apartments
If you love Haus am Turm, you will most likely feel the same for their sister property, the Ida Apartments. These beautiful units are offered in ApartHotel style–– more space, fully outfitted apartments but with some of the standard amenties you like in a hotel stay, like cleaning, organic personal care products, breakfast when requested, and day-time reception. The difference is the additional space, a less hands-on approach, and a bit more privacy during your stay. The Ida Apartments are a great and convenient option for a family holiday in Vipiteno.
Apartments from: €130
EXPERIENCE
Vipiteno–Racines – A outdoor lover’s playground
Vipiteno-Racines is a wonderful destination for all ages, levels, and seasons when it comes to the outdoors. Especially when it comes to hiking. The trails are tops for amateurs and hard-core outdoor enthusiasts alike, offering gentle valley hikes, intense summits, and everything between. The highest of the peaks reach 3500 meters, some reachable only by foot while others you can access via cable car. For longer excursions, take a hut tour and stay in one to several of the serviced huts in the surrounding mountains, catching close-up views of the magnificent glacial peaks.
A highly recommended hike is "Platschjoch," a picturesque one-and-a-half-hour circular trail around the mountain ridge above town. From a fantastic vantage point, take in the 360° view of the otherworldly peaks and green valleys close to town.
Images provided by suedtyrol.info
The toboggan run from Vipiteno's ski mountain, Rosskopf, is more than 9km long, making it the longest in South Tyrol. It starts at the top of the slopes and brings you nearly to the town's shops. Sledding takes on new heights on Friday nights when you can sled down the fully-lit run until midnight. The ski area is small, but quality….just how we like our mountains.
Images provided by Rosskopf Monte Cavallo
If you're into castles, Castle Tasso (also known as Reifenstein Castle) is one of the most well preserved in all of Tyrol and is open to the public. Perched upon a hill, the castle dates back to the 12th century and is complete with views of the sea, beautiful frescoes, and a creepy dungeon for the win. The castle is available for you to visit everyday but Saturdays from 10:30-12:30 and 2:00-4:00 (and are extended a little on either end during the high season).
Images provided by Sterzing.com
SUSTAINABLE WINE AND FOOD
Eating and drinking around Vipiteno
You may be buried in the most stunning nature earth provides, but there is no shortage of culture, good food and wine. Italian activists birthed the notion of slow food in Rome, 1986. The Slow Food Movement was created in 1989 with the intent to “defend regional traditions, good food, gastronomic pleasure and a slow pace of life. In over two decades of history, the movement has evolved to embrace a comprehensive approach to food that recognizes the strong connections between plate, planet, people, politics and culture.” The (now) global movement carries strong weight in South Tyrol and you’ll find many restaurants and farmers that live by the principles including Vincenz and Sprechenstein.
Vincenz is a wine bar and restaurant located on the ground floor of Haus am Turm. Owned by the same family that runs Haus am Turm, you can expect the same attention to detail, design, and sustainability. It is a favorite of guests and locals alike, and as a slow-food establishment, it's dedicated to local producers, traditional preparation methods, and organic fare. During the summer months, much of their ingredients come from their small urban garden across the street.
We'd be remiss to not mention the wine at Vincenz. Pore over the extensive organic wine selection from their (deep!) cellar of more than 700 varieties. They offer wine tastings at the farm table next to a cozy woodfire, and we highly recommend booking a spot to join in.
Photos provided by Vincenz, Vipiteno
“Knowing where something comes from, where it grows, what heart and soul is in it…And the rest takes care of itself.”
– Soufien Kasmi, Sprechenstein Farm
The farm-to-table restaurant Sprechenstein, located in the mountains outside of Vipiteno, boasts an impressive view and a menu as locally sourced as they come. The farm-eat-stay establishment sits beside a centuries-old castle and serves food prepared from their farm and neighboring producers.
While we love the ethos, service, and mouth-watering dining, the journey to get there makes the experience above par. Leave the car behind and take an hour-and-a-half hike from Vipiteno's center to visit this unique restaurant. If you're not up for the walk, no worries, you can motor up as well.
Photo provided by Sprechenstein
While you're there, the hosts would delight in giving you a farm tour, showing portions of their 16-hectare plot of land where most of your meal will come from. The restaurant is open from Thursday to Sunday, starting at 12pm. We can't think of a better way to spend an afternoon followed by an evening drinking under the stars.
Sprechenstein also offers serviced apartments, running them with the same values as they do the farm and the restaurant. Combining some days at Haus am Turm in Vipiteno, with a few perched in the mountains overlooking the grazing cows would not be a bad idea.
Photo provided by Sprechenstein
Wrapping it up
For those in love with the Alpine-inspired large ski resorts and villages, Vipiteno-Sterzing is a must visit. Strolling through the lovely Vipiteno will make you feel as if you shrunk yourself and walked through the holiday village so neatly displayed on your mantel. But don't worry; the cuteness will not overshadow the authenticity and spirit of this destination. It’s the real deal.
Come to Vipiteno if you want to relax and enjoy superb Alpine views. Come if you're looking to crush it hard on the mountains. Come to sample the finest organically and naturally produced wines in the region and dine upon unpretentious local fine fare. Bring your kids for a fun-filled, screen-free, outdoor active vacay. We love how versatile the Vipiteno and the surrounds are for any season and all travelers, and we think you will too.
Katy Hoogerwerf
Katy is a New Orleans native who grew up shaped by the art, design, music, and famously good food her hometown is known for. Her passion and expertise lie in finding design-led conscious businesses for all ages. She lives in Holland with her Mexican hubby and their two spirited boys.
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