South Tyrol: The Chestnut Route
€1110
per person
A week of a great hiking adventure in the beautiful South Tyrol, right in the heart of the Trentino Alto Adige region. This is the place where the Austrian and Italian culture live in the greatest harmony. Self-guided walking trips at your own pace will let you feel the freedom of hiking, followed by the shadows of the Dolomites Mountains. Every now and then breath-taking views will leave you speechless – a picturesque landscape of green valleys with many castles, farms and ancient abbeys that look like embroidered over the hills. The treks will wind among colorful orchards and endless vineyards where some of the best Italian wines are produced. And for those who are always happy to dive into the culture of the region – the independent hiking will lead you to the picturesque villages like Chiusa, home to artists and poets, and lively cities like Bolzano – the gate to the Dolomites. Without any regret, you can put the Chestnut route in your bucket list!
Level 2/3
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Destination
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Duration8 Days I Level: 2/3 (of 5)
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What is included7 nights in selected B&Bs, hotels and agriturismo (en-suite rooms) incl. breakfast (check the Rates&Remarks tab for details); Luggage transfers on days 2, 3, 4 and 6; Ritten Card (for 3 days); Detailed roadbook and maps in English (incl. access to GPS tracks/navigation app); Emergency hotline
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What is not includedDrinks and other meals; Use of public transportation; Possible CITY TAX to be paid in cash on the spot (it varies depending on the city and on the hotel’s category (usually 3-5 Euros per night per person);
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Best periodMay, June, July, August, September, October
FROM OUR GALLERY
Self-guided hiking and walking tour along the Chestnut Route in South Tyrol, Italy
1
Day 1. Arrivаl in Bressanone
Arrival in Bressanone for overnight. The hiking trip starts from this colorful and vivid city which is actually the oldest one of the whole Tyrol. If you arrive early, do not hesitate to spend your time exploring the small vibrant alleys and visit the frescoed rooms of the bishops’ palace. *Easiest arrival to Bressanone train station from Bolzano (30min ride by train) and Innsbruck (1,30hrs ride by train) airports.
2
Day 2. Bus to Novacella Abbey and walk to Velturno (15km, 5hrs, +720m/-470m + shorter option of 10km!)
After breakfast take a local bus (tickets payable on spot) for the Augustinian monastery of Novacella - one of the most important cloisters in Tyrol from the Middle Ages. And also famous with the delicious white wine produced for centuries! You start the hike following dirt tracks and rural paths among woods and vineyards to reach today’s final destination - Velturno. A well-deserved rest in this charming town that was also chosen as a summer residence by several noble families throughout the centuries.
3
Day 3. Walk from Velturno to Barbiano (15-16km, 6hrs, +780m/-800m)
With today’s walk, you will discover many places which will amaze you each in their own way. A great mixture of sacred, artistic and natural surprises! Sabiona Monastery, perched on a steep cliff right - the beating spiritual heart of the Tyrol area since 17th century will be your first place to explore. The hiking trek will take you to Chiusa - the city of artists! And the final prize of the soul will be presented by Barbiano - small Italian village peacefully located at the banks of river Isarco. Overnight in Barbiano (in case of lack of availability in Barbiano, we can check availability in the nearby village of Villandro, that would make the walk on Day 3 slightly shorter and the walk on Day 4 - slightly longer).
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Day 4. Walk from Barbiano to Collalbo (15km, 6hrs, +715m/-400m + shorter option of 11km!)
Get ready to start after breakfast another relaxing trek through green woods and smelly orchards. The final destination where you will spend the next 2 nights is Collalbo - a village famous for being one of the most preferred resorts for winter sports. Undoubtedly, it is a spot for all outdoor activity lovers, as you can explore the area by foot and bike as well. Along the way, you can also observe a rock with prehistoric signs on it.
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Day 5. Collalbo loop via Kematen and earth pyramids (11km, 4hrs, +400m/-370m)
Easy, circular and panoramic walk awaits you today. The hiking trails of Renon plateau are winding between deep forests and lush green Alpine meadows. Nature here is represented by wonderful phenomenons formed since many many eras. One of the breath-taking views will be the nice Kematen Lake and the typical earth pyramids - cone-shaped formations created by moraine silt that was brought here by melting Ice Age glaciers.
At the end of the walk take the Renon train and go back to Collalbo.
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Day 6. Walk from Collalbo to Castel Roncolo and bus to Bolzano (16-18km, 6,30 hrs, +590m/-1390m + shorter option of 11km (+590m/-700m)!)
We suggest you to start the hike early (not later than 08:00 am) so you won’t miss the last bus to Bolzano if you plan to cut the mileage short. You can also walk all the way to the city which will be your next overnight location. The capital city perfectly unites the cultures and lifestyle of Italy and Austria. It is considered also as a bridge between North and South due to the three spoken languages of South Tyrol (Italian, German and Ladin). The daily hike will start from Collablo heading to Castel Roncolo - medieval fortification erected on a high rock. The scenery will change every now and then switching fragrant orchards with endless cultivated fields and in the distant as small dots - farms, mason houses and old castles.
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Day 7. Alp of Siusi loop (13km, 6 hrs, +460m/-500m)
After a healthy breakfast take a bus from Bolzano to Siusi and catch the cable car to Compatsch. Your last walk will be circular and easy so you can have the time to admire the beauty of hiking along the biggest Alpine plateau in Europe. The trails pass through several mountain huts and cozy hamlets and you will be followed by the craggy peaks of Dolomites. Wonderful spots to capture stunning photos as a memory of your independent walking adventure. Use again the cable car and a bus to return to Bolzano for your last overnight.
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Day 8. Departure day.
Services end after breakfast.
TOUR LOCATION
Price (2026)
1110 Euro per person in twin/dbl room (01/05-31/07; 01/09-25/10)
1145 Euro per person in twin/dbl room (01-31/08)
* Triple rooms available upon request (contact us for details)
Single room & Solo Traveler supplement
Single room supplement: 270 Euro
Solo Traveler supplement (incl. sgl room supplement): 445 Euro
Tips
Daily arrivals between the beginning of May and the end of October. Best arrival/departure airports: Bolzano and Innsbruck. The route is quite easy. The whole itinerary is mostly on surfaced and unsurfaced roads, countryside tracks and paths. Several walks have shorter options. Arrival: by тrain from the airports to Bressanone. From Innsbruck Airport you can take a bus (http://www.ivb.at/) or taxi to the railway station (Innsbruck HBF) and then a train until Bressanone train station. Trip takes around 1,30hrs (appr. 30 EUR; timetables on www.trenitalia.it). From Bolzano Airport you can take a bus (http://www.sasabz.it/it/) or a taxi to the railway station and then a train to Bressanone. Trains from Bolzano to Bressanone are quite frequent, trip takes around 30min (appr. 9 -10EUR; timetables on www.trenitalia.it.). Departure: by Train from Bolzano to the airports. To Bolzano Airport you can take a bus (http://www.sasabz.it/) to get from the railway station to the airport. To Innsbruck Airport you can take a train from Bolzano train station to Innsbruck (around 2 hrs, 35 EUR – www.trenitalia.it ) and then a bus from Innsbruck train station to the airport (http://www.ivb.at/).
If you are unable to walk, you can always ask, if the luggage transporter can take you with him when transporting your baggage, but this is not always possible and sometimes you have to pay a small fee locally. In some countries there are special insurances for transporting people and sometimes the car is not suited for transporting passengers.
Accommodation
Selected 3* hotels and agriturismo. Some hotels also have swimming pool. All rooms in the accommodations have en-suite facilities. Throughout the trip there are plenty of opportunities to taste both the great local food and a wide array of prestigious wines of the region. Samples of the inns we would normally book (subject to availability), or similar category: Day 1: Bressanone - Residence Gasser; Day 2: Velturno - Hotel Feldthurnerhof; Day 3: Barbiano - Gasthof Kircher Sepp; Days 4/5: Collalbo - Hotel Dolomiten; Days 6/7: Bolzano - Hotel Regina;
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