How to relax and unwind
Side valley
Farm Holidays in Pfunders
The mountain village of Pfunders in South Tyrol lies in a quiet spot at the end of the valley. This idyllic village is the last village in Pfunderer Tal valley, which may be reached by turning off at Vintl.
The mountains keep watch over the village and play a major role in the village’s history: Pfunders is known as a mountaineer’s village where lots of mountain tours start. The peaceful and relaxed nature of the local people attest to the power of the mountains and Pfunders is a place for slowing down and unwinding, as guests on holiday farms in Pfunders will note.
The mountain village of Pfunders in South Tyrol lies in a quiet spot at the end of the valley. This idyllic village is the last village in Pfunderer Tal valley, which may be reached by turning off at Vintl.
The impressive mountains of Pfunders invariably cast their spell on guests in holiday flats and room. The Wilde Kreuzspitze peak, at 3,132 metres above sea level, is the highest point south of the Zillertal Alps, with the Wilde See lake lying in a dip at the bottom. The Wurmaulspitze, Grabspitze and eastern and western Hochwart mountains exceed the three-thousand-metre mark. Pfunderer Tal inhabitants are well-disposed towards the mountains, adopting their calm and appreciating the surrounding nature in all its beauty.
The straw hats seen on the heads of locals show that they stick to their traditions. A lot of patience and handicraft is needed to make these traditional straw hats, which involves soaking perfectly uniform stalks of rye in water and weaving them into a 25-metre-long plait. The embellished lacing, known as ‘Gimpen’, is fixed on with a silk thread. Only when the two white feathers worn by the village musicians are added is the hat ready to wear.
Traditional village festivities
It’s not only locals who look forward to the three-day festival that is the Pfunderer Kirchtag, but it attracts lots of visitors, too. On the day before this ’Kirchtig‘, which takes place every year in spring, the ‘Kirschtamichlbam’ tree is erected in accordance with age-old tradition. Young lads go into the wood and fell the tallest fir tree that they can find, before dragging it to the village square by tractor. A straw dummy with a shirt, hat and wine bottle – named Michl – is attached to the top of the tree. Then the boys raise the ’Kirchtamichlbam‘, which has to be guarded all night so that the neighbouring villagers don’t steal Michl. If Michl stays in the village, there’s great cause for celebration the next day.
70 kilometres over the Alps
If you fancy getting in touch with nature on a Farm Holiday in a holiday flat or room, you’re really spoilt for choice. The Pfunderer Höhenweg high mountain path, for example, is well known and popular beyond the valley. The 70-kilometre path runs from Sterzing to Bruneck and covers 2,000 to 3,000 metres in altitude difference. It is split up into several parts and can be done in six days. Hikers are accompanied by fantastic views of the Alpine range from the Tauern to Ortler mountains. Fitness and surefootedness are needed on this hike. The path goes past the Edelrauthütte refuge, which lies at 2,545 metres above sea level on the so-called Eisbruggjoch pass. This mountain refuge can look back on over a hundred years of history. In 2016, it was completely refurbished and now boasts the type of modern architecture rarely seen in refuges at this altitude.
The mountains keep watch over the village and play a major role in the village’s history: Pfunders is known as a mountaineer’s village where lots of mountain tours start. The peaceful and relaxed nature of the local people attest to the power of the mountains and Pfunders is a place for slowing down and unwinding, as guests on holiday farms in Pfunders will note.
The impressive mountains of Pfunders invariably cast their spell on guests in holiday flats and room. The Wilde Kreuzspitze peak, at 3,132 metres above sea level, is the highest point south of the Zillertal Alps, with the Wilde See lake lying in a dip at the bottom. The Wurmaulspitze, Grabspitze and eastern and western Hochwart mountains exceed the three-thousand-metre mark. Pfunderer Tal inhabitants are well-disposed towards the mountains, adopting their calm and appreciating the surrounding nature in all its beauty.
The straw hats seen on the heads of locals show that they stick to their traditions. A lot of patience and handicraft is needed to make these traditional straw hats, which involves soaking perfectly uniform stalks of rye in water and weaving them into a 25-metre-long plait. The embellished lacing, known as ‘Gimpen’, is fixed on with a silk thread. Only when the two white feathers worn by the village musicians are added is the hat ready to wear.
Traditional village festivities
It’s not only locals who look forward to the three-day festival that is the Pfunderer Kirchtag, but it attracts lots of visitors, too. On the day before this ’Kirchtig‘, which takes place every year in spring, the ‘Kirschtamichlbam’ tree is erected in accordance with age-old tradition. Young lads go into the wood and fell the tallest fir tree that they can find, before dragging it to the village square by tractor. A straw dummy with a shirt, hat and wine bottle – named Michl – is attached to the top of the tree. Then the boys raise the ’Kirchtamichlbam‘, which has to be guarded all night so that the neighbouring villagers don’t steal Michl. If Michl stays in the village, there’s great cause for celebration the next day.
70 kilometres over the Alps
If you fancy getting in touch with nature on a Farm Holiday in a holiday flat or room, you’re really spoilt for choice. The Pfunderer Höhenweg high mountain path, for example, is well known and popular beyond the valley. The 70-kilometre path runs from Sterzing to Bruneck and covers 2,000 to 3,000 metres in altitude difference. It is split up into several parts and can be done in six days. Hikers are accompanied by fantastic views of the Alpine range from the Tauern to Ortler mountains. Fitness and surefootedness are needed on this hike. The path goes past the Edelrauthütte refuge, which lies at 2,545 metres above sea level on the so-called Eisbruggjoch pass. This mountain refuge can look back on over a hundred years of history. In 2016, it was completely refurbished and now boasts the type of modern architecture rarely seen in refuges at this altitude.
Farm search
Holiday farms in Pfunders
3 reasons
A holiday in Pfunders
The dizzying heights of the Pfunderer Höhenweg path
Old handiwork, living customs, rustic farms
Original untouched a real insider tip
Krapfenbetteln' - paying a visit for the dead
A group of young people pay a visit to farms at the start of November as a way to make an offering of ‘Krapfen’ pastries to the dead. They beg for ‘Krapfen’ with a rhyme.
A group of young people pay a visit to farms at the start of November as a way to make an offering of ‘Krapfen’ pastries to the dead. They beg for ‘Krapfen’ with a rhyme.
When the nights start drawing in at the start of November, a group of Pfunders folk pays a visit to the farms in the valley. They dress up in costumes and ask for ’Sauern‘ - a type of fried pastry made from rye flour traditionally made on the farms. The farmers look forward to their visit and invite the group into the warm farm parlour with a friendly “La inna!”, meaning “Come on in!”. After a rhyme has been recited, the pastries are handed out. In the olden days, these pastries would be given to poor people or placed on graves. These groups are welcome visitors, as they say that a profitable year lies ahead for the people in the places where they recite their rhymes.
