The “Sun Path” in Ahrntal Valley, South Tyrol

The “Sun Path” in Ahrntal Valley, in Trentino-South Tyrol, is a 30-kilometer trail walked along slopes that are always bathed in sunlight.

When the snow melts and gives way to flower-filled meadows in the summer warmth, the Sun Path is filled with light, a gentle hike connecting Luttach to St. Peter, dotted with small sundials, the only contact with time allowed at these altitudes. Because on the never-shaded side of the Zillertal Alps, between 1000 and 1450 meters above sea level, the clock plays strange tricks.

Step by step, past and present become one, and it seems you can glimpse the tracks of smugglers who used this same route to cross into Austria, loaded with wine and schnapps, returning with bags full of white gold, namely salt and saccharin.

And among the farmsteads, you get the impression of spotting the mule of a “Kroma,” as the old peddlers who delivered goods to homes were called, when the mountain meant hardship and courage. It feels like a journey into the past because the farmsteads are still there, inhabited by proud farmers who produce their own cheeses by raising goats and cows and gather medicinal herbs with twisted names, following knowledge handed down from generation to generation.

They do this where the air is pure, and indeed all the products of the Ahrntal Valley are recognized as organically pure. They do this rewarded by a generous and beautiful environment, where you walk tasting the flavor of milk and speck, filling yourself with the pride of outstanding South Tyrolean products.

The Sun Path takes about seven hours, but it’s not necessary to walk it all in one go. Nearby, there are bus stops to get off and on whenever you want. Because besides the main trail, there is a whole network of thematic trails, including shorter ones, designed to not miss any of the valley’s wonders.

There is, for example, a characteristic hike dedicated to water, here where it is never lacking, so much so that the name Aurina borrowed from the Aurino River supposedly meant “flowing water.” It runs fast and icy in the waterfall circuit, which starting from Luttach leads to the Rio Nero waterfall, on foot following wooden sculptures created by international artists for the annual symposium.

The final destination is a delight for the eyes: a 15-meter drop into a small blue basin, where the river nestles in a sheltered spot offering a rainbow (about an hour and a half round trip). Or you can detour to St. John towards the mountain huts, which with their private painted chapels have built monuments of faith very close to the sky.

Also in St. John, there is a special hike dedicated to children who love adventure. It’s the Witches’ Path, where it is said that witches often showed themselves with their brooms and pointed hats: on the path watched over by little stone men, a big stone to climb on, a deep bear cave for the bravest, an enchanted pond to meet the Sun Witch, and finally the enchanted seat of an old sorceress.

The most attentive hiker can also spot signs of a distant past in the petroglyphs of the Platter Wall: from these stylized engravings, a pair of ibex still leap, despite the passage of time. And then there is the St. Leonard’s Path, which passes above the forests and meadows of St. James and features a Kneipp facility where you can immerse tired feet, refresh your limbs and aid blood circulation. With the heart beating strong, in love with this Valley.

For information about the Sun Path

Ahrntal Tourist Association
Via Aurina, 22 – 39030 Luttach/Ahrntal Valley
Phone: 0474 671136
Email: info@ahrntal.it