Holidays in Villandro / Villanders

Villandro / Villanders is located in the beautiful holiday region Eisacktal and is a popular destination for tourists from home and abroad year after year. The village, which begins at the foot of the Eisack, is very quiet and nestled in a truly picturesque setting. Villandro / Villanders covers a large municipal area from 480 meters above sea level up to a lofty 2509 meters. The nature is literally right on the doorstep. The alpine surroundings and the numerous leisure activities make the hearts of active holidaymakers beat faster. Many alpine pastures and hamlets invite you to leisurely hikes; in the nearby Sarntal Alps, climbing routes and challenging tours await sporty and ambitious holidaymakers.

The beautiful area around Villandro / Villanders already inspired the painter Franz von Defregger in the 12th century. A tavern in the Villander Dorfgasse had so captivated him that he depicted it in his famous artwork "The Last Call." This delighted the villagers so much that they even named a street after the artist, and there is still a lot going on there today.

Every year, the so-called "Vlonderer Gossn Gschaftla" is celebrated in Defreggergasse. As the name "Gschaftla," which means bustling activity, already suggests, entertainment, pleasure, and culinary delights are the focus on this day. Musicians invite you to folk dances while the Villander hosts prepare delicious regional specialties. Delicacies such as "kloazene Schlutzer," "Saure Suppe," and "siaße Kropfn" are of course not to be missed on the festive menu. For your holiday in this region, you will find plenty of accommodation. You have a wide selection of hotels, guesthouses, holiday apartments, wellness hotels, family hotels, and simple inns.

Neither enjoyment nor exercise are neglected in the holiday region around Villandro / Villanders. Not only does the village itself begin on the banks of the Eisack, but also the eponymous hiking region. The focus is on the Villander Berg, which towers 2509 meters above the village. Numerous hiking trails of varying difficulty levels lead through lush meadows, cozy alpine pastures, and rustic huts. There, you can simply put your feet up, let your soul dangle, and take in the beauty of the untouched nature. A little more action-packed is the South Tyrolean cycle path, which runs along the Eisack. Those who prefer to ride their bikes in challenging terrain will enjoy the mountain bike trails of the Villander Alm.

Villandro looks back on a eventful history. There were already settlements at "Plunacker" in ancient times. People have settled here repeatedly during Roman times and the Middle Ages. The excavations from this time can be admired today at the Archeoparc Villanders. They were discovered in 1976 and then carefully uncovered under the supervision of specialists. The remains of entire residential settlements are now under cover and open to visitors from May to October in the evenings. The Villandro /  Villanders mine also bears witness to days gone by. Raw materials were already mined here in the Middle Ages. 2 tunnels, the Elisabethstollen and the Lorenzstollen, can be visited by visitors. The tours through the facility last between 1.5 and 2.5 hours and provide insight into a long-gone mining era.