A circular walk on the sunny slopes above Cortaccia on the South Tyrolean Wine Road, leading up to the Himmelspforte
Image gallery: Autumn hike on the sunny slopes of Penone
When November bathes the landscape along the South Tyrolean Wine Road in vibrant colours, walks between the forest and the cultivated landscape remain incredibly pleasant. Our three-hour walk begins in the small village of Niclara, located about one kilometre south of Cortaccia on the Wine Road and part of the same municipality. From the small car park below the Chapel of St. Mary, we follow the Via Franz von Fenner road uphill. This path leads directly to Penone.
It takes just under an hour to reach this point at 600 metres above sea level. Along the way, we can admire the views of the valley, the scenery by the Cortaccia Wine Trail, and even a small waterfall. Once in Penone, we walk past St. Nicholas' Church heading north on trail number 5.
The road leads straight to the Himmelspforte (literally: Gateway to Heaven). This is the name of the inn at the turn-off for Hofstatt. The route climbs slightly to reach this hamlet, which is surrounded by wine estates. Several inviting stops await here, including traditional wine taverns and wine cellars that are open during the Toerggele season in autumn.
Trails no. 2 and 2b then lead us down through the deciduous forest into the valley. Once we arrive in the village of Cortaccia, we walk the final stretch along the Wine Road, carrying wonderful memories of the colourful autumn landscape with us, until we reach our starting point in Niclara.
Author: AT
Experienced: November 2018
Last updated: 2026
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- Starting point:
- Niclara near Cortaccia on the Wine Road (225 m a.s.l.)
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- Overall time:
- 03:00 h
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- Total route length:
- 8,6 km
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- Altitude:
- from 225 m to 634 m
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- Altitude difference (uphill | downhill):
- +474 m | -474 m
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- Signposts:
- Via Franz von Fenner, no. 7, 5, 2, 2B, 12B, "Cortaccia", "Niclara"
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- Destination:
- farms above the hamlet of Hofstatt (634 m a.s.l.)
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- Resting points:
- rest points in Niclara, Penone, Hofstatt, and Cortaccia
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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:
- Autumn hike on the sunny slopes of Penone
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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!
