What to do in and around Maranza
The mountains in front of Pension Wiesenrain are not there every morning. Some days the cloud comes down over Maranza, the rain settles in over the village, and the day simply turns in another direction: down into the valley, towards covered arcades and a light-flooded collegiate church, towards a castle above a gorge and museums that keep whole worlds indoors.
The panorama will still be there tomorrow. In the meantime, this is the bad weather programme: the places that are worth the trip precisely when the sky stays grey.
The bad weather programme
When the clouds hang over Maranza, the way leads down into the Isarco Valley: under the arcades of Brixen, into Neustift Monastery, on to Bolzano or Brunico. Places that are just as good to visit under a grey sky as in the sunshine.
Brixen, the cathedral and the arcades
Brixen is located in the centre of the Isarco Valley. The cathedral city also has a wonderful old town with its characteristic arcades, which keep the rain off while you walk. Brixen is culturally rich in any case, and at the same time an ideal place for a long day's shopping.
Neustift Monastery and its collegiate church
In good weather as in bad, the Augustinian monastery of Neustift is always worth a visit. The collegiate church is beautiful and flooded with light, and all around the monastery keeps its art-historical treasures. The Gothic vaults and the frescoes by various artists are a feast for the eyes.
Rodenegg Castle and the Iwein frescoes
Between Schabs and Mühlbach, the fortified castle of Rodenegg stands above the Rienz Gorge. Eleven famous frescoes have survived in its tavern: they tell the legend of Iwein, one of the knights of the Round Table of King Arthur. Painted between 1200 and 1220, they are the oldest secular wall paintings in the German-speaking world.
Ötzi at the Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano
In the old town of Bolzano, the South Tyrolean Museum of Archaeology devotes its permanent exhibition to the Iceman: Ötzi is one of the most famous and important mummies in the world. Various special exhibitions come on top of that.
Messner Mountain Museum RIPA in Brunico Castle
The mountain museum of the great mountaineer Reinhold Messner actually consists of five different museums, which are spread between South Tyrol and Belluno. Brunico Castle houses the RIPA: it is devoted to the mountain peoples of Asia, Africa, South America and Europe, and with the help of dwellings, films and encounters it sheds light on their religion and their mountain culture.
Rural life at the Folklore Museum in Dietenheim
How the rural South Tyrolean population lived in earlier times is shown by the South Tyrolean Museum of Folklore in Dietenheim. Agricultural implements, old farmhouses, craft workshops and cottage gardens: the tour leads mostly indoors, and partly outdoors as well.
And when the weather turns
For all these excursions there is one more advantage: the Brixen Südtirol Guest Pass is included in your stay at Pension Wiesenrain and brings, among other benefits, free travel on public transport. Tips about excursions and hikes are part of the hospitality here. And as soon as the clouds break, the programme moves outdoors again: in summer onto the hiking trails that start right at the house, in winter up into the ski area.
Frequently asked questions about excursions and sights in the area
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Destinations for a rainy day include Brixen with its cathedral and arcades, Neustift Monastery, Rodenegg Castle, the South Tyrolean Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano with Ötzi, the Messner Mountain Museum RIPA in Brunico Castle and the Folklore Museum in Dietenheim.
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At Rodenegg Castle, the fortified castle between Schabs and Mühlbach above the Rienz Gorge. The eleven frescoes in the tavern tell the legend of Iwein, one of the knights of the Round Table of King Arthur. They were painted between 1200 and 1220 and are the oldest secular wall paintings in the German-speaking world.
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At the South Tyrolean Museum of Archaeology in the old town of Bolzano. There the Iceman is the centre of the permanent exhibition, complemented by various special exhibitions. Ötzi is one of the most famous and important mummies in the world.
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Yes. The Brixen Südtirol Guest Pass is included in your stay at Pension Wiesenrain and offers, among other benefits, free travel on public transport, which makes the excursions to Brixen, Bolzano or Brunico easier. During selected periods, it also includes one free return journey per day on the Gitschberg and Jochtal mountain lifts and on the Plose.
