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What was and still is

South Tyroleans are closely connected to their roots. They express this through festivals with religious origins and everyday culture. For example, the Autumn cattle drive, Sacred Heart Fires, or Watten have long been part of South Tyrolean traditions, which have been handed down to many generations and are today practised authentically and with pride. Many customs have arisen from the cultural peculiarities of the province, including the predominantly Christian faith, the rural farming population and the sociable nature of the locals.

IDM Südtirol-Alto Adige/Helmuth Rier
IDM Südtirol-Alto Adige/Marco Parisi
IDM Südtirol-Alto Adige/Marion Lafogler
IDM Südtirol Alto Adige/Dietmar Mitterer-Zublasing

Expressing our cultural heritage

South Tyrolean traditions throughout the year

Looking around in the village centre, you may well see a doll filled with straw at the end of a long wooden trunk. This figure is called a "Kirchtagmichl" and is erected on “Kirchweihsonntag” (third Sunday in October). Meanwhile, the village marching band, dressed in traditional Tracht clothing, marches by in time. Alternatively, watch as locals crack eggs together at the inn during Easter . During Törggelen events, join in on the fun! This tradition arose in autumn to give thanks for the rich harvest of apples, wine and chestnuts. There are so many interesting customs in South Tyrol. These will certainly be carried forward into the future as well!

IDM Südtirol-Alto Adige/Manuel Ferrigato

Experience traditions up close and personal

Be there as the whole village comes together for the Kirchtag festival, when the cows are led down into the valley after spending the summer at the Alpine pasture, or when the whole mountain range is lit up as a reminder of the Sacred Heart vow of 1796. All events at a glance are available here

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Mountain bonfires for the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Blessed for receiving divine assistance when the Tyrolean soldiers defeated the Napoleonic troops in 1796, mountain bonfires have been lit around June 21 since then. As dusk falls and the fires (shaped in the form of crosses, hearts or the sign of Christ (INRI and IHS)) become visible, the atmosphere in the valley is unique. You'll be awestruck by the tranquillity and serenity of this moment.

Looking towards Meran/Merano in the Passeiertal valley, locals gather around a traditional Sacred Heart bonfire on a June evening.
Herz Jesu Feuer im Vinschgau

Find your accommodation

Certain traditions and customs exist only in certain regions of South Tyrol. One thing you will find everywhere, however, is hospitality. Find the right accommodation here.

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Autumn cattle drive or Transhumance

Wearing elaborately decorated wreaths, fresh flowers and coloured markings, cows and sheep return to the valleys after a summer spent at the Alpine pasture and are greeted by locals. Farmers and shepherds are always relieved when their animals return unharmed. This event of course also includes rural delicacies and traditional music.

One of the many sheep driven across the Alps according to an old tradition during the transhumance in Schnals/Senales.

Witness the autumn cattle drive for yourself!

Between mid-August and mid-October, Transhumance is an important occasion in the farmer's calendar. From Ritten/Renon to the Seiser Alm Alpine pasture and from Sexten/Sesto to the Schnalstal valley: Find out here where and when the autumn cattle drives take place in the vicinity of your lodging.

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IDM Südtirol-Alto Adige/Max Lautenschläger

Watten - a beloved South Tyrolean tradition

South Tyrol’s favourite card game is not for the faint of heart.

The stakes are high in Watten. The cards are placed on the table with such a mighty thump that it’s painful to watch. There’s lots of laughter and cursing, blinking of eyes and twitching of fingers. To win you will need to have a sharp memory and be prepared to take risks. Mastering South Tyrol’s most popular variant, Blind Watten, requires precise observation and very quick powers of deduction. Watten is therefore not just a great way to spend time with others drinking a glass or two.

Exercising your memory and measuring your strength as a player are also part of the pleasures of the game! Whether the card game originated in Italy or in France is somewhat controversial. But all agree that Watten, as well as the related but not so common Perlaggen, is a part of the culture of daily life in the homes and inns of South Tyrol. And just as every inn has its own speciality and every valley its own unique dialect, just about every village has its own Watten rules. In Tramin/Termeno and Kurtatsch/Cortaccia for example, the game is played counterclockwise.

Where can I eat traditional dishes in South Tyrol?

Seasonal ingredients of the highest quality: From grain for flour to grapes for wine, at the many inns in South Tyrol only that which is authentically regional is enjoyed in a refined ambience. Here, traditions are practised with conviction, cosy get-togethers are valued and the love of good food is fostered.

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