A holiday in Völs am Schlern is …

Völs am Schlern offers a richly varied landscape – from vineyards at 315 m to Alpine meadows at 2,564 m. Thanks to its proximity to Bozen, the climate here is particularly mild. Once a summer retreat for city dwellers, Völs am Schlern has gradually become a beloved holiday destination in an outstanding panoramic setting. For over 100 years, visitors have enjoyed natural well-being experiences here – most famously the traditional Völser Heubad. The Völser Weiher-Lake Völs, one of Italy’s cleanest bathing lakes, completes the wellness experience.

The culinary culture in Völs am Schlern is truly unique. Events such as the Völser Dorfkuchl (street food) or the June culinary weeks Schlerngenuss Dolomites, have enjoyed widespread popularity for years. Autumn is dedicated to regional delicacies during the Völser Kuchlkastl and the traditional Törggelen. Throughout the year, connoisseurs appreciate the fine wines produced by the dedicated winemakers of Völs, whose labels regularly receive international awards.

Local farmers and producers in Völs am Schlern work with the very best nature has to offer. Thanks to the sunny location, a wide range of high-quality produce thrives here – available either directly from the farm, processed into artisanal goods, or sold at selected shops and at the Völs farmers’ market. Fresh fruit and vegetables, herbs, vinegar, sauerkraut, free-range eggs, cheese, bread, meat, honey, juices and syrups, jams, spreads and wine are only part of the array. Dive into the world of Völs products and let their quality and flavour convince you.

The hay bath originated in Völs am Schlern. More than a century ago, farmers noticed that their fatigue vanished when they rested in hay during the hay harvest. Today, the tradition continues: guests relax in the warm, moist hay of unfertilised meadows, allowing the healing herbs – such as thyme, arnica, cinquefoil and gentian – to unfold their full effect. The hay is collected early in the morning or late in the evening to preserve its essential oils. Even a natural cosmetics line made from Seiser Alm hay has been developed – by Trehs. Several hotels still offer the hay bath as a wellness treatment.

In even-numbered years, the chamber-music festival Schlern Music takes place in and around Völs am Schlern. At truly special venues, musicians perform in various ensembles, presenting works from different eras.

At the Bessererhof, Otmar and Rosmarie Mair, together with their sons Philipp and Hannes, have been producing their own wine since 1998. From modest beginnings, a business has developed that now produces 40,000 bottles per year. From the vines that thrive on the steep slopes of four hectares – Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner, Kerner, Sauvignon, Gewürztraminer, Goldmuskateller, Chardonnay, Vernatsch and Zweigelt – the Mair family creates high-quality, nature-oriented wines through painstaking manual work. The special microclimate – during the day dominated by the Mediterranean climate from the Bolzano basin, at night cooled by the wind from the Eisack Valley – and the soil composition of the vineyards provide the best conditions for wines with strong character.

The Fronthof is a small, listed winery at an altitude of 800 m in Völser Aicha, first documented in 1379. The impressive, vaulted cellars and the coat of arms carved in sandstone with grape and vine leaf at the Gothic entrance bear witness to the fact that wine has always been produced on the farm – and rightly so. On the steep terraces facing south and south-east, Pinot Noir, Zweigelt, Pinot Blanc, Kerner and Sauvignon flourish. The soils are ideally aligned, sparse and characterised by clay-marl and gravel, providing a solid basis for full-bodied, multi-layered wines. In the Buschenschank (farm restaurant), everything that comes from the estate’s own vineyard, garden, fields and livestock is processed and refined: this is genuine slow-food philosophy based on the zero-kilometre principle.

The Grottnerhof in Völser Ried is a listed building and dates back to the 13th century. In 2007, Stefan Pramstrahler, owner of the Romantik Hotel Turm, renovated the dilapidated estate and turned it into a retreat for those seeking peace and an ideal venue for celebrations. Guests staying at the Grottnerhof enjoy all the advantages of the Romantik Hotel Turm: award-winning cuisine, wellness facilities and much more. The wines of the Grottnerhof reflect the character of the surroundings and of the people who produce them. They are multi-layered, vibrant and mineral-driven. They are matured with great care and patience in both stainless-steel tanks and wooden barrels; Stefan Pramstrahler does not produce cuvées. All wines bear the names of very characterful birds.

Markus Prackwieser has been managing the almost 500-year-old Gumphof since 2000 with respect for traditions. His inspirations, however, come from the best wine-growing regions in the world. He is down-to-earth and cosmopolitan at the same time. He exchanges ideas with local, regional and international winegrowers, takes new paths and at the same time looks back on his roots with appreciation. Treating people and resources with respect, cultivating typical grape varieties and applying classical cultivation methods involving elaborate manual work are important to him. His vines grow at an altitude between 400 and 850 m, 70% of them on steep vineyard sites with Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer and Vernatsch.

The Wassererhof in Völser Ried, which for a long period had not been farmed, dates back to the year 1366. The Mock family from the Mumelterhof in Bozner Laitach acquired it in 1996; the twin brothers Andreas and Christoph renovated the old walls through hard work. The result is an inviting winery with a traditional Buschenschank (farm restaurant). Andreas is a chef, Christoph is a farmer and cellar master at the Wassererhof. The two aim to produce wines with sophistication and grace – and this is reflected in the design and equipment of the winery. Central to the wines is the “W”: “W” as in Wasserer, “W” as in wine with high standards, and “W” as in wonderful food and well-being. Wine has been produced at the Wassererhof since 2013, namely a Sauvignon and a St. Magdalener from the Laitach vineyards.

Wine has been cultivated at the Prackfoler Hof for over 300 years: mainly Sauvignon Blanc, but also Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Vernatsch. From the vines that thrive on the sunny southern slopes between 550 and 950 m, Patrick Planer, together with his family, produces characterful wines that are true reflections of the terroir. The foundation for these elegant, multi-layered wines with clear structure is formed by mineral components in the soil, including dolomite, porphyry and Gröden sandstone. Winegrower Patrick Planer combines traditional craftsmanship with a modern understanding of sustainable viticulture. This makes the origin, the altitude and the soil character of each wine tangible.