Between 1,200 and 1,550 m a.s.l. on the southern slopes of the mighty Tessa Group, there is a group of mountain farms that until recently were dependent on footpaths and cable cars. Hochmuth, Mittermuth (Wenner), Talbauer and Untermuth are just a few of them. It was not until 2006 that an access road was built from the valley to the remote buildings high above the Merano valley basin, making life much easier for the inhabitants.

The history of these Muta Farms - "Muthöfe" in German, "Masi della Muta" in Italian - dates back to the Middle Ages. In 1285 they were already mentioned in a document: At that time, during the reign of Meinhard, Duke of Carinthia, they made levies to the sovereign princes of the below situated Castel Tyrol. They are therefore among the oldest farmsteads throughout South Tyrol. Today, some of them were transformed into inns, which are very busy in summer. The view from the sun terrace over the spa town of Merano is stunning. The famous Merano High Altitude Trail passes nearby, and the Muta Farms are also popular starting points for hikes and mountain tours in the Gruppo di Tessa Nature Park, as well as coveted starting points for paragliders.

And how to reach the farms? The Alta Muta Cable Car takes visitors up to the mountain station, near which the mountain farms are located. If you want to visit the Muta Farms from the valley, you can start in the village of Tirolo and overcome an altitude difference of 720 m in 2.5 hours. This hike is particularly recommended in autumn, when temperatures in the Merano area are milder, the leaves change colour and good weather promises wonderful panoramic views.