It is probably one of the most famous photo motifs in South Tyrol – the Villnösstal valley and the Geisler peaks at the heart of the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site. No doubt you will be snapping away on your mobile phone or camera too, as soon as you reach the remote, peaceful Villnösstal valley. And no wonder, from here the striking rocky peaks of the Geisler mountains and the Zendleser Kofel mountain seem close enough to touch. On your winter hike through the snow-covered landscape of the Puez-Geisler Nature Park, the natural world is the headlining performer. The rustic Villnösstal valley belongs to the Alpine Pearls network and has a long tradition of adhering to sustainable tourism principles.
Villnöss/Funes is also the birthplace of the famous mountaineer Reinhold Messner. But you don't need to be an extreme mountaineer to enjoy a picturesque winter outing in the Villnösstal valley. Well-maintained, easy hiking trails lead to the Nature Discovery Trail and to cosy inns such as the Gampenalm Alpine inn and the Geisleralm Alpine inn, where local specialities such as Villnöss sheep and Geisler beef are served. The return journey is quite literally undertaken in a breeze – on well-prepared sledging trails that lead back down the valley.
