Join us on a road trip through South Tyrol, the heart of the Italian Alps, from the Brenner Pass to Amaro, a small town near Tolmezzo. Our journey begins in Vipiteno, also known as Sterzing, one of the northernmost towns in Italy. Nestled in the upper Isarco Valley close to the Brenner Pass, the town has medieval roots and prospered under the Counts of Tyrol and later the Habsburgs through silver mining in the nearby Ridanna Valley. Its old centre is lined with colourful merchant houses, and the slender Torre delle Dodici, or Zwölferturm, stands as its most recognisable landmark. Rising above the Isarco Valley, just beyond the town, is Castle Tasso, a remarkably preserved fortress built in the 12th century by the Lords of Stilves. Later owned by the Trautson family, it retains its Romanesque and Gothic features, from the chapel and knights’ hall to its drawbridge and tower. The castle occupies a commanding hilltop position, overlooking the Isarco Valley and the ancient trade route linking northern and southern Europe. First mentioned in 1241, it was already being rebuilt at that time, suggesting even earlier origins. Positioned strategically along the Brenner Pass route, the fortress formed part of a defensive network with other nearby castles, protecting trade and travel through the valley. The castle consists of upper and lower sections, with a distinctive round keep and a chapel dedicated to Saint Erasmus. Over the centuries, it passed through several noble families and became part of the Auersperg family’s estate in 1775. During the Second World War, Castel Pietra suffered heavy damage from bombing due to its proximity to the Brenner railway line. It was later restored through cooperation between private owners and cultural heritage authorities. Today, the castle remains privately owned and closed to the public, but its stone walls still dominate the landscape. According to local legend, the ghost of a knight who was killed out of jealousy is said to haunt the castle’s grounds. A few kilometres to the south lies Campo di Trens, or Freienfeld, a quiet area of meadows and scattered farms. Its main church, Maria Trens, has been a Marian pilgrimage site since the fifteenth century and houses a revered statue of the Virgin Mary. The road continues towards Fortezza, or Franzensfeste, where the massive Habsburg fortress built between 1833 and 1838 dominates the valley. Constructed from granite under Emperor Ferdinand I, the Franzensfeste Fortress guarded the southern approach to the Brenner Pass with its multi-tiered structure of barracks, tunnels, and ramparts. Beside it lies the artificial Lake of Fortezza, created by a dam on the Isarco River. From here, trails lead into the surrounding mountains, offering wide views of the valley and the stone fortifications below. Southward, the road crosses the plateau of Naz-Sciaves, a fertile landscape of orchards and villages with panoramic views of the Dolomites. Near Rio di Pusteria, or Mühlbach, the ruins of Mühlbacher Klause rise beside the road. This medieval toll station, built in the thirteenth century by the Counts of Tyrol, once controlled traffic between the Isarco and Puster valleys. Though partly ruined, its walls and gate structures still convey its strategic importance as a frontier post. The route then enters the Puster Valley, passing Vandoies and Chienes, where gentle slopes, pine forests, and meadows stretch along the Rienza River. The landscape broadens at San Lorenzo di Sebato, a place of scenic confluence where the Gader River meets the Rienza. Here, the remains of the Roman road station Sebatum recall the Via Claudia Augusta, the ancient route linking northern Italy with the Danube region. The setting, framed by alpine streams and wooded hills, marks the entrance to the Val Badia. Further east, the road passes through Perca, Villa di Sotto, and Valdaora. These villages lie between the Fanes-Sennes-Braies Dolomites to the south and the Rieserferner mountains to the north, an area known for its pastures, forests, and mountain lakes. We pass by Lago di Valdaora, an artificial lake created in the 1950s as a reservoir for hydroelectric power generation on the Rienza River. The lake sits at an elevation of about 1,080 metres and is surrounded by forested slopes and mountain meadows, blending harmoniously into the Alpine landscape. Near Monguelfo, a small lake reflects the surrounding ridges, and above the village stands Welsperg Castle, a twelfth-century fortress that once belonged to the Lords of Welsberg. Its thick stone walls and watchtower look across the Puster Valley toward the Dolomites. Our next stop is Sesto, or Sexten, set amid some of the most striking mountain scenery in the Alps. The Sesto Dolomites form a dramatic backdrop, dominated by the peaks of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. The village retains its Tyrolean charm and serves as a base for mountain hikes. The area was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until 1919 and witnessed intense fighting during the First World War. We reach a bridge spanning the Rio di Sesto, known in German as Sextner Bach, a clear mountain stream that flows through the village before eventually joining the Rienza River further downstream. The village of Sesto, or Sexten, derives its name from the Latin phrase ad horam sextam, meaning "at the sixth hour," referring to its location south of San Candido (Innichen in German), which is known for its abbey founded in 769 AD. The village first appears under the name Sexta in historic records dating from 965 AD, reflecting its connections to the Bavarian Prince-Bishopric of Freising. Tyrol-style chalets are traditional Alpine houses commonly found in the Tyrol region of Austria and northern Italy. Typically built from timber and stone, these chalets are designed to withstand harsh mountain winters while blending harmoniously with the landscape. They feature gently sloping or steeply pitched roofs to shed snow efficiently, wide overhanging eaves, and often balconies adorned with carved wooden railings. The facades frequently display wooden paneling or stucco, sometimes decorated with painted motifs or floral patterns. Inside, exposed wooden beams, cozy living spaces, and fireplaces create warmth and comfort. Tyrol-style chalets share many similarities with Swiss chalets, as both originate from Alpine regions and were designed to cope with heavy snow, cold weather, and mountainous terrain. Common features include wooden construction, steeply pitched roofs, overhanging eaves, balconies, and rustic interiors with exposed beams. However, there are subtle differences: Tyrol-style chalets often emphasize verticality and may include more decorative wood carvings and painted motifs on facades, reflecting Austrian and South Tyrolean traditions, whereas Swiss chalets tend to have broader, gently sloping roofs and a more horizontal emphasis, sometimes with larger balconies that wrap around the building, reflecting the Swiss aesthetic of expansive alpine views. In short, the two styles are closely related but exhibit regional variations in proportion, ornamentation, and roof design, combining functionality, durability, and rustic charm to reflect centuries of Alpine architectural tradition. Sesto has a population of only around 1,900 inhabitants, a number that has remained fairly stable over the years, with a modest balance between births and departures. Most residents are German-speaking, reflecting the region’s strong Tyrolean roots, while only a small number speak Italian or Ladin. The village’s traditional hamlets—such as Moso (Moos), San Giuseppe, and Waldheim—preserve a strong sense of local identity, where life continues at a measured pace in tune with the surrounding landscape. Tourism forms the backbone of Sesto’s modern economy, drawing visitors year-round to explore the dramatic scenery of the Sesto Dolomites and the iconic Tre Cime di Lavaredo. In summer, hikers and climbers traverse the mountain trails, while in winter the slopes transform into a haven for skiers and cross-country enthusiasts. Yet beneath the influence of tourism, Sesto retains its agricultural traditions: alpine farming, dairy production, and the making of local cheese still play a role in sustaining village life. Along the main road in Sesto stands a sundial—a device that measures time by the position of the sun. It features a gnomon, the upright element that casts a shadow, set against a dial plate marked with the hours, allowing observers to read local solar time from the shadow it traces across the calibrated surface as the sun moves through the sky. This sundial pays tribute to Sesto’s remarkable natural counterpart, the “Sesto Sundial”—a phenomenon in which sunlight shifts across five distinct peaks of the Sesto Dolomites, marking the passage of time like a vast mountain clock. From the village, one can watch the sun move from one illuminated summit to the next, telling the hour by the light on the mountains as the peaks align in a striking natural order. This harmony between landscape and daily life beautifully reflects how Alpine communities once lived in rhythm with nature itself. Crossing into the province of Belluno, the route descends into the Comelico valley. The villages of Dosoledo, Candide, and San Nicolò di Comelico are known for their timber houses and alpine churches. The parish church of San Nicolò holds frescoes and carved wooden altars that reflect the valley’s artistic tradition. At Santo Stefano di Cadore, where the Piave and Padola rivers meet, the valley widens into a basin once important for timber trade and alpine pasturing. Nearby Campolongo is surrounded by dense forest and meadows typical of the eastern Dolomites. Following the upper Piave Valley, the drive continues through San Pietro di Cadore and Presenaio toward Sappada, also known by its Germanic name Plodn. At over 1,200 metres in altitude, Sappada preserves its unique heritage of wooden alpine houses and a dialect of Germanic origin, a reminder of its historical links with Carinthia before becoming part of Italy in 1919. The surrounding peaks of the Sappada Dolomites, including Monte Peralba, form the source of the Piave River and frame a landscape of pastures and forested slopes. The road ascends to Granvilla and Cima Sappada, small hamlets where alpine meadows open to views of the Carnic Alps. Traditional wooden houses and hay barns stand scattered across the hillsides, marking the transition from the Veneto region into Friuli Venezia Giulia. From here the descent begins toward Tolmezzo, the main town of Carnia. Once under the Patriarchate of Aquileia and later the Republic of Venice, Tolmezzo developed as a centre for trade and crafts in the Tagliamento Valley. Its historic core contains eighteenth-century buildings and the Cathedral of San Martino. Our journey concludes near Amaro, a small town at the foot of the Carnic Alps near the Tagliamento River. It is surrounded by limestone peaks and forests, dominated by Monte Amariana, whose sharp profile rises above the valley. Amaro marks the end of a route that traverses mountain passes, fortress valleys, alpine villages, and the changing landscapes from South Tyrol to Friuli. 回