7 Reasons Why You Should Travel To the Amazing Campo Tures Italy

So my guess is you’ve probably not heard of Campo Tures, also known as Sand in Taufers.

It’s way up in northern Italy — in the Alto Adige/Südtirol — near the Austrian border.

Because of this location, it’s more Germanic with German being spoken first and Germanic influences in the food.

It’s also the gateway to the gorgeous Valle Aurina, or Ahrntal in German.

And no Americans seem to travel here.

Why?

Good question.

Because I think it’s amazing!

And I’m going to give you 7 reasons why I think it should be on your list for that trip to Italy.

But first, let’s place it on the map.

Where is Campo Tures

As I mentioned above Campo Tures, Sand in Taufers, is located near the border with Austria in the Trentino-Alto Adige region.

Specifically it is in the Alto Adige/South Tyrol (Südtirol) piece of this region which is technically the Province of Bolzano.

But you’ll see this area referred to as South Tyrol or Südtirol a lot. 

If you look to the north of Brunico/Bruneck you’ll find Campo Tures/Sand in Taufers.

And if you follow the main road, the SS621, it will take you into the Valle Aurina or Ahrntal and the settlements of the valley. 

Okay. 

So now you know where this hidden gem is.

Let’s talk about why you should visit.

Visit Castello di Tures/Burg Taufers

One of the reasons I chose to visit Campo Tures was not only for the gorgeous mountain scenery (we’ll get to that), but also for the Castello di Tures/Burg Taufers which lords over the town.

I saw images of it and the surrounding landscape and thought to myself, “I want to see that.”

And it’s impressive.

When I visited a few years ago, they didn’t have tours in English — just German and Italian.

So I joined the Italian tour and was given a laminated sheet that was in English that helped me follow along.

While I know I would have gotten a bit more from it had it been in English, I still enjoyed the tour and highly recommend it.

This castle was built in the early 1200’s by the Barons of Taufers, a wealthy noble family.

It was then added on over the years with it becoming the stately residence around the 15th century.

The views are amazing from here too.

Don’t miss it!

Cost is €8 for the guided tour.

Spend some time in the Valle Aurina/Ahrntal

As I mentioned at the beginning, Campo Tures is located just outside the Valle Aurina so it serves as a gateway to it.

It makes a great base to explore this stunning valley.

You can drive into the Ahrntal or you can walk or bike along a paved path.

The small settlements of Lutago, San Giovanni, Cadipietra, San Pietro and Predoi dot the valley that only has about 5800 full time residents.

And Valle Aurina is surrounded by the Zillertal Alps — some gorgeous mountains that creep south from Austria.

Folks still hold onto a lot of tradition here.

It’s a stunning valley that I highly recommend spending time in.

Play in Parco Naturale Vedrette di Ries-Aurina/ Naturpark Rieserferner-Ahrn

Campo Tures makes a fabulous base to explore this park, which unfortunately, I didn’t get to on my short visit to the area.

But my guesthouse had some incredible views of the peaks of this park.

This park has soaring mountains, wildlife such as foxes, badgers, eagles and pine-martens, pristine lakes, rushing waterfalls, green valleys and clear mountain streams — not to mention a few glaciers.

In fact Vedrette di Ries-Aurina has quite a bit of water and the highest proportion of glaciers among the Südtirol parks.

You can hike and bike in summer while winter brings skiing and winter hiking.

Rieserferner-Ahrn actually connects with the Austrian National Park Hohe Tauern and the Zillertal Main Ridge, forming a protected area totaling 2475 square kilometers.

I love these joint ventures between countries to protect the natural landscape.

I’ll definitely return so I can delve into this awesome park.

Enjoy the Zillertal Alps

While many folks think they are seeing the Dolomite peaks in this particular part of Italy they are actually seeing the Zillertal Alps.

These peaks are different as the Dolomites (in other parts of the Südtirol) are made of a distinctive limestone which often gives them a bit of a pinkish hue to them.

The Zillertal Alps are made more of granite and look more grey in color.

But they are equally beautiful.

I found these mountain ranges to be quite the revelation — as I had not heard of them prior to my trip.

It was a great discovery for sure as the Zillertal Alps are gorgeous!

Walk, hike or cycle on the trails

Campo Tures has good access to some magnificent walks and hikes.

One easy walk that I took was simply to walk along the paved trail that paralleled the stream and took me into the Valle Aurina.

I walked from Campo Tures to Luttach and a bit beyond.

The walk is easy and very pleasant as you meander through the trees and along fields filled with cows.

I also saw people cycling on this path as it is paved.

My favorite hike is to take the gondola at Speikboden up to Speikboden Alm and pick up the trail that takes you up a ridge that gives you fabulous panoramic views.

It’s a good, challenging, yet not too difficult hike as long as the weather is decent.

While it is a bit exposed so it may not be for everyone.

However, the views of the Valle Aurina are breathtaking.

And there are other hikes that begin right out of Campo Tures that take you up in this area.

Add in all the trails in Vedrette di Ries-Aurina Nature Park and Campo Tures is a hiker’s paradise!

Wander around Campo Tures

The town of Campo Tures, Sand in Taufers, is lovely.

It’s definitely more Germanic than Italian as are many of the towns and villages in this part of Italy.

Because Campo Tures is a bit larger than the towns in the Ahrntal it makes a great base to explore the area.

There are an excellent array of options for accommodation — from simple budget-friendly guesthouses to more luxurious resort hotels.

And there are also some terrific spots for eating some of the local specialties as well as a supermarket if you want to cater your own meals or need a little something for the trails.

I stayed at the family-run Garni Zimmerhofer which is fab.

Simple, affordable, great location, delicious breakfast and fabulous hosts make it a wonderful spot for your time in Sand in Taufers and Valle Aurina.

My single room had a balcony with an awesome view.

I also had a delicious meal of gnocchi at Zum Turm which was quite busy and filled with locals the night I was there.

Always a good sign.

There are some wonderful shops with quite a few outdoor stores should you need anything.

And you’ll find ice cream shops and bars as well.

I wish I had explored the town more, but the great outdoors was calling!

Off the Beaten Path

To me the best thing about Campo Tures and the Valle Aurina is that it’s off the beaten path — at least for American travelers.

I definitely ran into Germans in mid-September.

But I only ran into one American couple — and they were with German friends — out on the hiking trail.

I really love this about the Sand in Taufers area.

And you won’t find Campo Tures in many — if any — guidebooks.

My short stay of 3 nights with 2 full days was not nearly enough.

So next time, I’ll stay longer.

Would you like to visit Campo Tures?

I highly recommend it especially for those seeking outdoor adventure and something off the tourist track.

Campo Tures is a wonderful town with lots of opportunity to spend some time in nature, especially the mountains.

Plus the Valle Aurina is gorgeous!

And the town has enough to it not feel too small and isolated.

It’s definitely on my list of places to return to and explore more.

Please note that Wander Your Way is only recommending international travel to those who are vaccinated and/or feel comfortable doing so. While travel to Europe is getting easier, we are still dealing with COVID and requirements may change.

If you do decide to travel internationally, please do your research or use a travel planning service such as Wander Your Way. Please stay up to date using official sources like the WHO and CDC.

And if you are ready to go soon, please contact Lynne for any assistance you may need.

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