From Glurns to the Tartscher Bühel

You start at the car park north of the town walls, near the Malser Tor. From there follow the pavement towards Mals as far as the St.-Lorenz-Weg, turn right and stay on path no. 18.

At the railway underpass of the Vinschgau railway, a path branches off to the right towards Tartsch. From there the Bichlsteig leads around the Tartscher Bühel and up to the church of St. Veit with the archaeological site. The way back follows the same route to the start.

On the way up you climb about 155 metres, first across meadows, then on the Bichlsteig through larch woodland. The GPX file follows this description there and back.

Glurns is the smallest town in South Tyrol and still has its complete ring wall, up to ten metres high, with three gate towers. Emperor Maximilian I had it built after 1499, when troops from the Grisons had ravaged the town. It is worth walking through the arcaded lane before or after the walk. More on our page about Glurns.

The Tartscher Bühel is a rounded mica-schist hill 1,077 m high, shaped by a glacier. The ground holds traces of a settlement from Raetian times: excavations found houses in the hollows of the hill, and in 1953 an antler point with a Raetian inscription turned up. Inside the hill there is also an unfinished bunker built between 1939 and 1942.

St. Veit was built in the 11th century on a pre-Christian cult site and, according to the holiday region, was never restored. Inside you can see fresco remains from around 1200, a wooden ceiling from the 16th century and, in places, traces of fire from the war of 1499. From above the view reaches across the valley to the Ortler group.

The church and the gate in its surrounding wall are usually locked. Guided visits take place in summer; information and registration through the Ferienregion Obervinschgau. The south slope of the hill is steep with the railway at its foot: stay on the path.

In rain and after snow the Bichlsteig is slippery; otherwise sturdy shoes are enough. It is a stroll, but take water and sun protection, because the slope is sunny and dry.

Getting there from the hotel: from Prämajur along the Schlinig road towards Mals and on to Glurns, about 12 kilometres. Bus no. 811 from Mals and city bus no. 274 also run to Glurns. With the Reschensee Guest Pass, rail and bus in South Tyrol are included during your stay; timetables are on suedtirolmobil.info.