Things to do around Bruneck: culture and nature in the Puster Valley
Roman finds in St. Lorenzen, castles and museums in Bruneck, earth pyramids, waterfalls and mountain lakes: from the Übersteinerhof the best sights in the Puster Valley are just minutes away.
Sights in St. Lorenzen
Right on the doorstep: Roman traces, a medieval castle and a pilgrimage site with a legend.
- St. Lorenzen, village centre
Mansio Sebatum Museum
Over three floors the museum tells of the Celtic Saevates and the Roman way station Sebatum around AD 100, with finds and interactive stations. Closed on Sundays and public holidays.
- St. Lorenzen, Heiligkreuz
Sebatum excavations
Wall remains of houses and storerooms of the Roman roadside settlement, which was also a bridgehead on the Rienz. Easy to combine with the Archaeological Panorama Trail.
- Maria Saalen, next to the farm
Maria Saalen pilgrimage church
The 17th-century chapel of Our Lady of Loreto holds a Black Madonna surrounded by legend. One of the most important pilgrimage sites in the Puster Valley.
- St. Lorenzen, St. Martin
Michelsburg castle
Built around the year 1000, the castle provided the judges who presided in St. Lorenzen from the 15th century. Now privately owned and only visible from outside, best seen on the walk from Maria Saalen to the village.
- St. Lorenzen
Sonnenburg
The former Benedictine convent on a rocky hill above the Rienz is now a hotel. The Archaeological Panorama Trail with its Bronze Age cup stones runs around it.
Bruneck: old town, castle and museums
- Bruneck, old town
Stadtgasse and Ursuline Gate
The Puster Valley’s favourite street, lined with 15th-century town houses. At its western entrance stand the Ursuline Gate and the Gothic Ursuline church with frescoes by Johannes von Bruneck from around 1420.
- Bruneck, castle hill
Bruneck Castle and MMM Ripa
The bishops’ castle above the old town houses the Messner Mountain Museum Ripa, dedicated to the mountain peoples of the world. From the castle hill you look out over the whole town.
- Bruneck, Dietenheim
Dietenheim folklore museum
South Tyrol’s oldest provincial museum: the baroque Mair am Hof residence and around 3 hectares of grounds with original farmhouses, workshops and cottage gardens. Open mid-April to end of October.
Day trips in the Puster Valley and side valleys
For half a day or a full day: nature and culture you can reach easily by car or with the South Tyrol Guestpass.
- Percha, approx. 20 min
Platten earth pyramids
Formed after a storm in 1882, the clay columns with their stone caps keep changing. The most important group of earth pyramids in the Puster Valley, reached on a family-friendly walk.
- Sand in Taufers, approx. 30 min
Taufers Castle and Reinbach waterfalls
One of the most beautiful castles in Tyrol towers above the Tauferer Ahrntal. Right next to it, the Reinbach waterfalls plunge through the forest in three tiers, and a waterfall trail passes them all.
- Antholz valley, approx. 40 min
Lake Anterselva
South Tyrol’s third-largest mountain lake lies at around 1,640 m below the Rieserferner range. A flat lakeside loop makes it ideal for families; in winter it draws biathlon fans.
- Prags, approx. 45 min
Lake Braies
The most famous mountain lake in the Dolomites. From 1 July to 15 September the Prags valley can only be reached between 9:30 am and 4 pm by bus, bike, on foot or with an online booking.
- Reischach, approx. 10 km
Kronplatz summit
By gondola to 2,275 m: Messner Mountain Museum Corones, the LUMEN Museum of Mountain Photography and the Concordia 2000 peace bell with views over the Dolomites.
- Eisack valley, approx. 40 min
Brixen
Tyrol’s oldest town, with its cathedral, Hofburg palace and arcaded streets, makes a lovely rainy-day trip and is easy to reach on the Puster Valley train.
Trips for rainy days and hot days
On rainy days the museums in St. Lorenzen and Bruneck beckon, as does the Cron4 indoor pool in Reischach with five pools and a 75-metre slide. On hot summer days, the Issing pond near Pfalzen, one of South Tyrol’s last pond biotopes, is a popular place to swim.
On a family farm holiday children also get to know the farm animals, and if you would rather climb a mountain yourself, start with the hikes from the farm.
Included
South Tyrol Guestpass included in the price
With the Guestpass you travel on public transport across South Tyrol during your stay at no extra cost. We hand it to you on arrival.
- Puster Valley railway and regional trains
- City, regional and ski buses
It also gives you a reduced-price weekly programme. Full details are available from the Bruneck tourist office.
