14. Travel Blog Wednesday 10th September to Monday 15th September 2014. Italy - Vipiteno

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14. Travel Blog Wednesday 10^th September to Monday 15^th September 2014.

Italy - Vipiteno

Wednesday 10^th September 2014.

Up and off to Vipiteno – Campsite Gilfenklamm – with views all round of the mountains. Called into the tourist office just on the next corner to get some information. We purchased a 3 day ‘Tour Card’ @ €25 each. This allows us to travel on all buses, trains, public cable cars, public museum entry over 3 consecutive days after validation. We had purchased one of these ‘Tour Cards’ in Chiusa in 2012 when we stayed there for 12 nights and visited all around The Dolomites. Vipiteno was one of the towns that we had visited for only one day in 2012 and we had wanted to come back to see the area.

So that night, we planned what we wanted to do over the next 3 days to get the best use of the card.

A cold night and it rained.

Vipiteno is divided into old and new town after a fire burned down several houses of one part of the city in 1443. The tower of the twelve – 46m high - is the town’s landmark and it separates the Old town from the New town.




On Thursday the sun was out, so we went for a bicycle ride. Lasted 2.5 hours as weather closed in, so we rode home into a strong head wind.

On the way back, and only 5 minutes from campsite is the Factory of the Sterzing-Vipiteno Dairy Co-Op - a collective of 430 local farmers - where they make the renowned yoghurt and other products. We bought some yoghurt and also some cheeses.



Friday we got the bus into town and wandered . Gaye did some non essential shopping. J

After lunch, we get on the 312 bus to the Mining Museum. Wrong 312 bus (apparently there are two) and we go to the end of another route. A nice ride there and back. Then onto to the correct 312 bus(different final destination) and arrive at the ‘The World of Mining Ridnaun Schneeberg’ Museum.

www.ridnaun-schneeberg.it and www.ridanna-monteneve.it

The tours are only in German and Italian. So we take the Italian tour. It was a long and informative tour – even if Gaye could only understand a little and Tom understand nothing. The guide showed the operation of some of the equipment and the noise the miners would have had to put up with. We did not realize we would be going on such an explorative tour – so had to don the safety hats and coats. The whole production chain of the mine is still intact and we could see the hard work the miners had to experience. It is one of the highest-altitude mines in Europe and extends between 2000 and 2650 mts asl in the heart of the Alps. The mine had been in existence for 800 years and officially closed in 1985. A great experience and glad we chose to go and see it. The tour started at 3.15pm and was to go for approx 1.5 to 2 hours. This was the ‘Compact Schneeberg’ tour. There are more involved and longer tours if you can plan in advance which would have been really quite good to do.

We came out of the tour only to miss our bus back to campsite by 5 mins and the next bus was not for another 1.5 hours. Bummer. So we wandered up to the village – about 10 minute walk – and into the bar at a ritzy hotel for a couple of beers and wines while we waited and watched Euro sport on the TV.

We came out 10 minutes early before the bus was due to arrive, to make sure we did not miss it as it was the last bus of the day. The bus comes and we were fortunate to get the front seats – great view of the valleys all the way home – took some photos and videos. On the way back we go through the town of Mareit and past the Castle of Wolfsthurn which apparently has 365 windows, 52 doors, 12 fireplaces and four portals – allusions to the days, weeks, months and seasons of the calendar year.

A long and enjoyable day.




On Saturday we get the bus into Vipiteno and onto the chair lift ‘Rosskopf Monte Cavallo’ which is just on the outskirts of town, to ride to the top. www.montecavallo.it It goes up 1000 metres and over 2.5kms from 1000 metres to 2000 metres asl. It is cold up at the top, and we do a short 5km walk with a coffee stop.

Then back down and walk back into town and go to bus stop to go back to campsite. We hear a local brass band playing, and just near the bus stop there is a celebration of a local delicatessen shop that has been operating for 160 years – so free beer, wine, sausages, bread – from his shop. Delicious – great way to pass the 1/2hr while waiting for the bus.

Back to campsite for a restful few hours.

Then back on bus to Vipiteno and change buses to Weisen for the Oktoberfest. We got there at 5.30pm. The festival hall was half full – but the young band was in full force. It had a lead singer playing the accordion – quite raucous. As time went on, the group of young males (about 18-20 years of age) were quite drunk, so we moved tables. At the next table that we sat at was a family with young kids – not much English, so unable to talk and band was very noisy. The family left after an hour and another family comes in – the dad about mid 50’s, daughter, son and friend all about mid 20’s. They got progressively worse as in loud and bashing each other. A few young men were already being hoisted out by the security guards. So by 8.30pm we decided to leave while we were still in one piece. Had wanted to see the next band but the whole place was getting quite wild. Caught a taxi back to the campsite.



Into Vipiteno on Sunday for the 11.30am start of the Dumpling Festival. www.sterzing.com/en/news/highlights/13-dumpling-festival

As we got off the bus we were just in time to see the brass band warming up. They then started their marching parade up the street to main piazza for the official opening.

We lost each other in the crowd for a while, being shorties it was hard to see over everyone. Gaye eventually found Tom waiting in the main piazza watching one of the brass bands. So now off for our first try of dumplings.

The main street has 400 metres of tables and benches and a sections are catered for by a restaurant. It is done by volunteers. So we decide to start with 3 dumplings (made with turkey, vegetables, chilli, sweet and sour) from the wok on a salad of lettuce and marinated cherry tomatoes with drizzle of balsamic sauce. Yummo. And of course a Radler (like an aussie Shandy). Then we got up and walked around to check what else there was on offer for our second serving.

This time we tried dumplings (liver dumplings) with a beef goulash – also delicious. Also another Radler. We were sitting opposite a German who wanted to chat but did not speak English, and an Italian who could speak German and some English. So the Italian was our interpreter – it was a nice atmosphere – everyone trying to converse and learn about each other. We came across the German gentleman a few times during our day.

After that we went and listened to a few of the bands and let our food settle down before we tackled some sweets.

The Pasticceria Prenn that we had been to the other day for a coffee – also had a table at the festival, so we decided to try out their sweets and a Caffe latte. Yep, delicious. We had their Dumplings made of cottage cheese, almonds, poppy seeds - served with pureed apple and custard.

Feeling like little stuffed piglets, we wandered and listened to some more music. Then went around the village and eventually home.



On Monday, Tom goes off for a 2.5 hour bicycle ride up a pass – but unable to get to top. It would take another attempt and more power food. Gets back to campsite at 1.30pm.

We decide after reading Emilie’s emails, that we will head off to Vienna tomorrow. So Tom packs up camper ready for leaving, while Gaye catches up on Travel Blog. A restful day.

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