The surroundings of Prissiano are rich in nature and scenic variety, but also in castles, palaces, and ruins
Image gallery: Prissiano forest and castle tour
Numerous castles are set within a varied landscape on the Tesimo and Prissiano plateau. On this autumn walk, we choose three of them that can be combined into a circular route. In the centre of Prissiano, we start towards the south and cross the covered bridge before turning into the road to the Sandbichl district. The forest path begins there, leading us on a slight ascent to Grissiano.
The small Church of St. James located there is well-known because it features the first depiction of the Dolomites. In Grissiano, we take path no. 7. Past green meadows, we head back into the forest and onto path no. 12, leading directly to Prissiano. A forest path branching off here takes us to the ruins of Holz Castle from 1236 AD: Only sparse remains can be seen today.
Back in the village of Prissiano, we walk past Fahlburg Castle towards the Vorbichl biotope. We follow the road downhill until the junction with path no. 17, which brings us to the final main feature of this circular walk: Katzenzungen Castle. Between 1500 and 1700 it was one of the most impressive and magnificent noble buildings of the country.
This is where the impressive Versoaln Vine grows. With a leaf canopy covering 300 square metres, it is the largest vine throughout Europe. Walking past the St. Martin Church, we then follow the road back to Prissiano, arriving after two and a half hours and with some beautiful impressions.
Author: AT
Experienced: November 2018
Last updated: 2026
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- Starting point:
- village centre of Prissiano (630 m a.s.l.)
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- Overall time:
- 02:30 h
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- Total route length:
- 7,8 km
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- Altitude:
- from 568 m to 976 m
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- Altitude difference (uphill | downhill):
- +453 m | -453 m
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- Route:
- Prissiano - Grissiano - Fahlburg Castle - Katzenzungen Castle - Church of St. Martin - Prissiano
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- Signposts:
- no. 15, "Waldsteig, 7, 12 (Pezzanlweg), 1, 17
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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:
- Prissiano forest and castle tour
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- More information:
- The overall time shown above refers to the walking time only, not including breaks or stops.
If you want to undertake this hike, we recommend checking the weather and trail conditions in advance and on site before starting this hike!
