Ritten, Penser Joch and Jaufenpass tour
Sarntal Alps - Ritten - Earth Pyramids - Penser Joch - Jaufenpass -South Tyrolean Wine Road - Lake Kaltern - Montiggl Lakes - Maria Weißenstein pilgrimage site
You will need a whole day for this medium-difficulty tour through the Sarntal Alps. The 250-kilometre tour starts in the Eggental valley, from where you head towards Bolzano and then up to the Ritten. Between Lengstein and Klobenstein, the first sight awaits you: the highest and most beautifully shaped earth pyramids in Europe in the Finsterbachgraben. The route continues via Wangen down into the rustic Sarntal valley. Here we recommend a detour to the idyllic Durnholzersee lake. Crossing the entire Sarntal valley, you reach the town of Sterzing via the Penser Joch (2,215 m). Nearby in the Ridnaun Valley, which you reach via the Jaufen Pass road, is the famous mining museum. Over the Jaufen Pass, you finally reach the Passeier Valley and the spa town of Merano.
Where Empress Sissi once loved to spend her holidays
From here, we recommend travelling via Lana to the South Tyrolean Wine Road and following it to Appiano. The two Montiggl lakes, which are around 4 kilometres from Eppan, are the perfect place for a (swimming) break. The famous Lake Kaltern is of course also worth a visit. The route then continues via Ora in the direction of Cavalese, although we recommend taking the route via Aldino and Monte San Pietro. Not far from here is the famous pilgrimage site of Maria Weißenstein. Now continue to Deutschnofen and finally back to the Eggental valley.