This walk on the sunny side of the Val Pusteria leads through the green hills between Casteldarne and San Lorenzo di Sebato
Image gallery: Spring hike to Castel Badia
A small road branches off to the east from the Val Pusteria road, right by the Casteldarne bus stop. It leads to the forest on the northern side of the valley, where the forest track for hiking trail no. 8A is located. Initially flat and then climbing slightly, the route continues across the Liensberg meadows towards Campolino, one of the smallest hamlets of San Lorenzo di Sebato.
Numerous spring flowers bloom here in April and May. The forest track joins a tarmac road. A little further to the right, trail no. 6 branches off down towards the valley. The path leads us gently downhill along a steep slope to the meadows of Castelbadia (Sonnenburg).
Castelbadia is a small village belonging to San Lorenzo di Sebato, featuring several well-maintained historic buildings. The castle of Castelbadia stands on the edge of the village.
Partly a ruin and partly a renovated residence, Badia Castle has a long history to tell. The Castelbadia convent was once the centre of significant land holdings belonging to the Benedictine nuns, which covered large parts of South Tyrol. Emperor Joseph II of Austria secularised the property - today, the castle, which sits on a rocky outcrop, is an upscale hotel.
From the grounds, we have a great view on the Val Pusteria near San Lorenzo. Finally, we follow the road briefly towards Fassine and, after an ascent, we take trail no. 17 straight down to San Lorenzo. Anyone wishing to avoid the walk back can easily take the train to Casteldarne. We're going to take this option: It runs every half hour, and we'll be back in seven minutes.
Author: AT
Experienced: May 2019
Last updated: 2026
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- Starting point:
- Casteldarne bus stop along the Val Pusteria state road
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- Overall time:
- 02:00 h
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- Total route length:
- 6,6 km
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- Altitude:
- from 781 m to 982 m
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- Altitude difference (uphill | downhill):
- +244 m | -215 m
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- Signposts:
- no. 8A, 6 (Castel Badia), 17 (San Lorenzo)
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- Destination:
- Castelbadia (820 m a.s.l.)
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- Resting points:
- none
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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:
- Spring hike to Castel Badia
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- More information:
- The overall time shown above refers to the walking time only, not including breaks. The dates apply only to the walk from Castldarne to San Lorenzo - the return journey is by train.
If you want to undertake this hike, we recommend checking the weather and trail conditions in advance and on site before starting this hike!
