A living nativity scene, handicrafts, and traditional “Sarner Striezl” in the wooden huts of Sarentino village
Image gallery: Alpine Advent in the Sarentino Valley
On Advent weekends, the alleyways of Sarentino village fill with charming wooden stalls offering local products from the Val Sarentino. The surrounding bars, cafés, and restaurants also take part. The stallholders are keen to maintain a special, contemplative market with a varied supporting programme. And they do an excellent job of it!
Last year, the Alpine Advent in the Sarentino Valley (Alpenadvent Sarntal) celebrated its 20th anniversary - in 2025, the opening is celebrated with the presentation of the new book "Heilige Nächte, raue Zeiten: Sarner Geschichten von damals - für heute" (Stories of the Val Sarentino - yesterday and today) by Hildegard Kröss, an author and journalist from the valley.
The five main locations:
- Sarentino village centre: the heart of the Alpine Advent with stalls scattered throughout
- Sarentino parish hall: living workshop
- Parish garden: living nativity scene
- Rohrerhaus Museum: nativity scene exhibition, guided tours, and Christmas music
- Kränzelstein Tower: Christmas brass band music
Val Sarentino products and customs:
At the Alpine Advent, alongside items artfully decorated with quill embroidery, you will also find food and drink stalls. How about a hot mulled wine on a cold winter's night or a "Sarner Striezl" with speck? Before or after visiting the market, you can browse the local shops in Sarentino village and buy homemade pasta, mountain pine oil, hiking boots, "Sarner Jangger" jackets (made from local wool in a wool mill), and much more.
Every Thursday evening, the traditional "Klöckelnächte" take place. This custom in the Val Sarentino dates back to the 16th century and has been preserved in its original form. Making noise and blowing goat horns, groups go from house to house, singing the "Klöckellied" (begging song) and a song of thanks, asking for offerings. The two married couples are each made up of two men.
The supporting programme:
Musical and singing groups from all over South Tyrol provide a festive atmosphere. The "Jenesiener Weisenbläser" visit the market, as do the women's singing group from San Nicolò in the Val d'Ultimo, the Herbert Pixner 4gsong, and the saxophone quartet from Bronzolo.
There is also a living workshop and a children's programme. You can enjoy carriage rides, bread baking in a wood-fired oven, the nativity scene exhibition in the Museum at the Rohrerhaus, and the living nativity scene: The little donkey there is especially popular with children.
Sarentino Christmas Stars:
From mid-November to the end of December, for every five euros spent at the market and in participating shops, you receive a Christmas Star. Each card with 20 stars is entered into a prize draw held at the community hall in Sarentino village.
Getting to the Alpine Advent:
Bus number 150 will take you directly from the bus station in Bolzano to Sarentino village (Sarnthein), and vice versa, in half an hour. If you travel by car, you will find the car park on the Via Ronco road. There are also parking and stopping spaces for motorhomes available there.
