As part of my late summer interrail trip I had been looking for a suitable destination for a long weekend. I had initially thought of a city trip, but then decided on hiking and eventually found the perfect place: Algund, just outside the spa resort of Meran in South Tyrol. The charming garden village is easily reachable by train, the region is famous for apple orchards and vineyards and there is a huge number of hiking, walking and other activities on offer plus some great local cuisine and culture to explore.
Meran is well connected to Munich, Innsbruck and various Northern Italian cities. I picked Algund as some of the walks and one chair lift started right there and most of the hotels or B&Bs had a beautiful view over the valley, like the lovely smaller one I stayed in, the Pension an der Linde. The 213 and 235 bus (free with your guest pass, more details below) from right outside Meran train station take you there directly.
Free Guest Pass For Museums And Public Transport
Most accommodations will give you a free guest pass which is valid for up to seven days and includes public transport (even to other cities in South Tyrol by local train), for instance the many handy local buses that usually start at Meran central station (e.g. 213 to Töll and 235 to Vellau, which both pass through Algund, 221 to Dorf Tirol, 211 to Lana etc.). It also provides you with discounts for some of the lifts in the area, so it’s well worth using as much as you can.
Half-Day Hike With Stunning Views: Vellau, Leiter Alm, Steinegg, Hochmuth
Take the 235 bus to Vellau (free with guest pass) or the chair lift from Algund to Vellau (€9 return), walk over to the basket lift (€9 single) and when you arrive at about 1550m walk up the short path to rustic Leiter Alm terrace restaurant, continue on to the Merano High Mountain Trail (24, this section is also called Hans-Frieden-Weg), after about an hour you will reach Steinegg Inn where you can stop for a cappuccino or some local food with fabulous views over the Meraner Land and the city or, if too busy, walk down some steps to Hochmuth with a similar offering (plus the cableway down to Dorf Tirol).
From Hochmuth you can walk back to Vellau via the Vellau Rock Trail (22, Vellauer Felsenweg), where the views are even more spectacular. It is only advisable for those without a fear of heights as the path is exposed and much narrower than the previous one (but partly secured with steel ropes). It took me less than an hour and a half and there are lots of benches to enjoy the view. When you get to Vellau follow the signs to the cable lift and catch it back down to Algund.
Waalwege – Stroll Through Apple Orchards and Vineyards
A ‘waal’ is an ancient irrigation channel (very similar to the ‘levadas’ in the mountains of Madeira) and there are many ‘Waalwege’ in the area to discover. The most scenic way to get from Algund to Meran is the Algunder Waalweg, which starts at Plars, but if you are starting from Algund, like I did, walk up the hill from the Maratscher bus stop (ask anyone you come across, as it is slightly hidden next to some holiday apartments), then turn right once you are on the Waalweg.
You’ll soon pass Leiter am Waal (a great local restaurant worth stopping at) and the views to your right of Algund and the whole valley while you are passing vineyards and apple orchards are breathtaking. At the end of the path you’ll walk across a small suspension bridge. Keep right and walk along the main road (be very mindful of traffic) for about 400m until you see the entrance to the Tappeiner Trail, one of the most beautiful high-level promenades in Europe lined with exotic plants and trees named after one of Meran’s largest benefactors. You can follow the path right into the centre of Meran and the whole walk from Algund took only about 2 hours.
Another Waalweg I greatly enjoyed was the Marlinger Waalweg. Get on the 213 bus to Töll (stop just before the bridge/weir), walk across the bridge, turn left and then follow the path along the valley all the way to Lana (you can get off it at various villages before, too, if you like), where you turn left and walk downhill through some orchards and a residential area to the main road to catch the 211 bus back to Meran. The whole walk (ca. 12km) with a few photo stops took around 3 hours and there are several small cafes with in- and outdoor seating along the way where you can take a break with a view over vineyards and orchards. There are also always little food and drink stations with honesty boxes along the Waal paths, so you can stock up on fresh produce like apples, pears and figs (especially in late summer during harvest time) and homemade jams or apple juice.
Explore the Alpine Town of Meran on Foot
On Saturday I joined a fascinating 90-minute guided walking tour (€9) led by a knowledgeable local historian (German only, but confirm options with the Meran tourist information). While the spa town of Meran has long been famous for its unique year-round sunny climate and is a popular holiday destination with beautiful art nouveau architecture, it may not be obvious to the first-time visitor that the region has had quite a turbulent political history in the past decades and centuries. It can easily be explored on foot in a day, but also offers plenty of options if you have some spare time, like a visit to the thermal baths or Trauttmansdorf Castle and its stunning botanical gardens, strolling the Lauben (arcades) with its quaint restaurants and cafes as well as the Steinach quarter with its charming old town character.
Discover Local History at the Medieval Tyrol Castle
Another intriguing walk is a visit to Schloss Tirol (€8 or free with guest pass), which is situated just above Dorf Tirol village. You can either take the 221 local bus to the village from Meran or walk up (ca. 45 minutes with great views, however uphill all the way) and then follow the main street until you get to a car wash on the left, turn into the Falknerweg for panoramic views of the valley and keep following the road up (you’ll spot the castle on the hill ahead). The castle itself dates back to the 11th century and houses a fabulous museum on the history of South Tyrol (lots to explore for children, too, plus a small café and souvenir shop), so it’s a great choice, especially for a rainy day. On the way you’ll pass the Mair am Ort dog hotel, a great base for those travelling with their pooches and they also have a pleasant terrace café with a view over the valley.
Delicious South Tyrolian and Italian Food
The area offers lots of enticing options from traditional South Tyrolean dishes like Schlutzkrapfen (tortellini-like pasta with butter and parmesan cheese, see pic) to authentic Italian food. Happy Cow had a few suggestions for vegan options, but it’s definitely a meat eater’s paradise and I mainly had veggie pasta, salad and woodfired pizza, which were all very good and reasonably priced, e.g. at Römerkeller restaurant in Meran and MaVie in Algund.
I also greatly enjoyed the gelato, e.g. from Gelateria Costantin, and there were many inviting cafes with a great view to admire, like the kiosk at the historic Pulverturm (gunpowder tower) or the café at the Wandelhalle right by the river. There are also weekly food markets (usually Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year) where you can stock up on locally produced delicacies plus many of the village farms have little honesty boxes on the side of roads or paths with homemade jams, fruit syrups and other products that also make excellent, unique souvenirs.
A Year-Round Destination for Hikers and Foodies
Apart from all the hiking and culture the area offers, there are also a huge amount of children’s activities, like themed guided walks, as well as paragliding, cycling, tours of an apple orchard, llama trekking and horse riding. Late summer or early autumn are definitely a good time to visit as it was still very warm, but not too hot, later in the autumn you can enjoy ‘Törggelen’ , tasting wine and chestnuts, experience the cosiness of the pre-Christmas season or observe nature coming alive again in springtime. Please bear in mind that the majority of visitors to this area are German-speaking and a lot of the guided tours and experiences are therefore offered in German (and sometimes in Italian). Make sure you confirm before booking anything that there is an option in English available. In any case, the stunning scenery and fantastic food will make the area well worth a visit any time of the year.
Disclaimer: All photography Ⓒ Life is a Festival. Any prices mentioned may be different by the time you visit and may vary, so please confirm them before you go.
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