Spring hike from Frangarto to Cornaiano

The mighty castle and its museum are a stage on the tour through the beautiful deciduous woods of the Monte Imperiale

Map Open map
Mendelhof is the name of this inn next to Ponte d’Adige station at an altitude of 240 metres, the starting point for our hike in the Oltradige area.
Foto: AM, © Peer
Across the road, a few steps further to the right past the railway tracks, we can already see the signs pointing towards the Mountain Museum.
Foto: AM, © Peer
The castle stands on the wooded Monte Imperiale hill, high above the Adige River: If you follow the cycle path from here, you will reach Bolzano.
Foto: AM, © Peer
Hiking trail no. 1B branches off to the right from the cycle path and leads to Firmiano Castle and its MMM Firmian museum in 30 minutes.
Foto: AM, © Peer
The forest path near Frangarto is now interspersed with a few flat stone steps.
Foto: AM, © Peer
After about 10 minutes, we reach the signposted “Belvedere” viewpoint and enjoy a panoramic view of Frangarto and the surrounding area.
Foto: AM, © Peer
After the Firmiano Castle car park, trail no. 1 leads towards Colterenzio (Schreckbichl) - this is a tick-infested area, so long trousers, sturdy shoes and light-coloured tops are recommended.
Foto: AM, © Peer
We’ve been walking for an hour when we emerge from the woods: The Cornaiano plateau is part of the municipality of Appiano on the Wine Road.
Foto: AM, © Peer
The Marklhof is a well-known estate with a restaurant: Its Mediterranean Renaissance style is evident in its architectural features.
Foto: AM, © Peer
A view of the surrounding vineyards: The spring and autumn months, when the peak season is over, are ideal for hiking and cycling here.
Foto: AM, © Peer
May is proving to be a warm month: The apple blossoms in the Oltradige area have already come and gone in April, and the swimming season is already getting underway at Lake Caldaro.
Foto: AM, © Peer
We follow the asphalt road for a short while towards Colterenzio, known for its winery - the wine is produced from grapes grown in vineyards at altitudes ranging from 230 to 650 metres.
Foto: AM, © Peer
It’s not far now to the point we turn back: The whole route is well signposted, and on this May day the temperature is also very pleasant.
Foto: AM, © Peer
Colterenzio is the final stop on this spring walk - after that, we’ll head back along the same route: The whole walk is expected to take three hours.
Foto: AM, © Peer
Here we turn around: The Chapel of the Holy Cross in Colterenzio was built in 1832 on the site of a church erected around 1810 and dedicated to the Exaltation of the Holy Cross - the bells were cast by the Colbacchini brothers in the year 1924.
Foto: AM, © Peer

From below, the imposing Firmiano Castle perched on its rock accompanies the paths through Frangarto towards the outskirts of Bolzano. It also frames the cycle path from Frangarto to Bolzano and catches the eye of drivers on a section of the MeBo expressway. On this May day, we walk past the castle and extend our tour to the beautiful vineyards of Colterenzio in Cornaiano.

Our starting point is the Ponte d'Adige railway station near Frangarto, which makes getting here very convenient: Trains from Merano stop here, as do those coming from the opposite direction. The Valle dell'Adige Cycle Path runs right next to it. Just across the road from the connection to the Merano-Bolzano Cycle Path, trail no. 1B branches off after a few metres towards the castle, marked by a signpost for "Castel Firmiano". In some places, flat stone steps replace the forest trail.

After 10 minutes we reach a viewpoint called "Belvedere". Another 20 minutes of walking through the deciduous woods of Monte Imperiale, the hill rising above Bolzano and Frangarto, brings us to the car park of Firmiano Castle. The castle hides amongst the trees - we will save our visit for another day. The bus also stops on the Via Castel Firmiano road.

We follow trail no. 1 towards Colterenzio (Schreckbichl). Soon after, we emerge from the forest to see meadows stretching out ahead. After about an hour of walking, the Marklhof estate comes into view. This manor house with a restaurant is built in the typical Oltradige construction style, combining medieval elements with the elegant flair of the Tuscan Renaissance. Round-arched arcades, double-arched windows, and crenellated gables - it is truly charming!

Another half hour along the narrow asphalt road brings us to Colterenzio. The local winery is widely known, processing grapes from 300 winegrowers in the area, and offers guided tours and wine tastings. We return along the same path. After a total of three hours of walking in this beautiful corner of the Oltradige, we reach the railway station once again. Anyone who is tired can take bus no. 132 from the Colterenzio Winery bus stop back to Ponte d'Adige (Sigmundskron).

Author: AM

Experienced: May 2026

difficulty: moderate theme trail

Starting point:

Ponte d'Adige railway station, at the junction of the Oltradige and Valle dell'Adige Cycle Paths
Overall time:

03:00 h
Total route length:

11,2 km
Altitude:

from 241 m to 468 m
Altitude difference (uphill | downhill):

+238 m | -238 m
Route:

Ponte d'Adige railway station - Merano-Bolzano Cycle Route - Belvedere - Castel Firmiano car park - Marklhof - Colterenzio near Cornaiano on the Wine Road
Signposts:

"Mountain Museum Firmian", no. 1B, 1 (Colterenzio - Lago di Monticolo), "Schreckbichl / Colterenzio"
Destination:

Colterenzio near Cornaiano on the Wine Road (468 m a.s.l.)
Resting points:

Mendelhof restaurant (at the starting point), Firmiano castle tavern, Marklhof restaurant, Colterenzio Winery (wine tasting)
Recommended time of year:

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Download GPX track:

Spring hike from Frangarto to Cornaiano
More information:

The overall time shown above refers to the walking time only, not including breaks. As an alternative to walking back, bus no. 132 runs from Colterenzio to Ponte d'Adige (16 minutes).