Monte Santa Caterina
The church steeple of the Monte Santa Caterina parish church can be seen from afar, as it is located on a rock shelter.
Hardly could a location be more idyllic than the one of Monte Santa Caterina. Located in the midst of sun-drenched meadows and wide pastures at an altitude of 1,245 m, the parish church enthrones the top of a rock spur. This is where a long time ago there was a castle that has been demolished around 1350. Around 1500, exactly in this place a chapel was built, in 1748 it was enlarged in Romanesque style. Thanks to the unique position of the village, you can overlook the entire Val Senales as well as the Val d’Adige. Also Juvel Castle, the summer residence of Reinhold Messner, can be admired from Monte Santa Caterina.
The idyllic landscape makes hiking a real pleasure: from Monte Santa Caterina you can by the way start the Alta Via Meranese, which is one of the most beautiful circular routes of the Alps, surrounding the Gruppo di Tessa mountain range on a course of 100 km. Also the most ancient alpine pasture of South Tyrol, the “Moar Alm”, is only a stone’s throw away.
Monte Santa Caterina is also charming in winter. The glacial skiing area of the Val Senales, open from October to May, is easily reachable. For those who love cross-country skiing, there are 30 km of run in the valley.
