We are setting out to discover the cultural monuments and diverse landscape at the entrance to the Val Venosta
Image gallery: Hike on the Knights’ Path of Naturno
This walk in the surroundings of Plaus and Naturno leads through fruit orchards along the sunny slopes. It is especially pleasant in early spring during the apple blossom and in autumn when the days are no longer too hot. Starting in Plaus, we walk past the railway station and cross the Val Venosta road to follow path no. 91B towards the Monte Sole, literally the Sun Mountain.
We walk up through the orchards to the Runster Mill at the edge of the forest and continue along the panoramic path to Naturno. There, we make a short detour to the St. Proculus Church with its beautiful frescoes, the oldest in South Tyrol. They depict the story of Bishop Proculus of Verona.
After walking through the village centre, which is home to the associated St. Proculus Museum, we follow path no. 5 to the Zollwies restaurant, a good place to stop for a break. We then continue on path no. 1, the actual Knights' Path which genuinely dates back to the time of the knights.
In those days, this forest path known as Rittersteig was used as a secret connection to Taranto Castle. Walking past the fortification, we finally return through blooming apple orchards to Plaus, where our April walk ends after three and a half hours and eleven kilometres.
Author: AT
Experienced: April 2019
Last updated: 2026
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- Starting point:
- Plaus (514 m a.s.l.)
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- Overall time:
- 03:30 h
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- Total route length:
- 11,1 km
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- Altitude:
- from 514 m to 648 m
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- Altitude difference (uphill | downhill):
- +277 m | -277 m
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- Signposts:
- no. 91B, 91, "Prokulus", 5, 1 (Rittersteig)
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- Resting points:
- Zollwies restaurant, coffee shops and bars in Plaus and Naturno
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- Recommended time of year:
- Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
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- Download GPX track:
- Hike on the Knights’ Path of Naturno
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- More information:
- The overall time shown above refers to the walking time only, not including breaks or stops. Apart from a few short, steep sections, the route is easy, but cannot be classified as barrier-free. The walk offers beautiful views of the landscape, nature and culture around Naturno.
If you want to undertake this hike, we recommend checking the weather and trail conditions in advance and on site before starting this hike!
