Ultimo

Reservoirs and wonderful hiking destinations characterise Ultimo with its Schwemmalm hiking and skiing area above Pracupola

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03/31/2023 +2° +6° Weekly weather forecast
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Video : Val d‘Ultimo valley
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Ultimo is known for its beautiful old farms and the well-kept cultural landscape, in the picture a section of the Ultimo Farm Trail in autumn.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The municipality consists of several villages, one of which is the main village of Santa Valburga with Mt. Vedetta Alta towering above it.
Foto: MS, © Peer
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At the end of the village of Santa Valburga is the dam wall of the Zoccolo Reservoir, called Zoggler Stausee, which extends to Pracupola.
Foto: MS, © Peer
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The meadow on the lakeside in Pracupola serves, among other things, as the venue for the Pracupola Market and as paragliding landing field.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The route continues to San Nicolò, where the Ultimo Valley Museum has many interesting things to show, e.g. a hiking boot of Empress Sissi.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The valley finally ends at Lake Fontana Bianca in Santa Gertrude, starting point of beautiful mountain tours, e.g. to the Canziani Mountain Hut.
Foto: EMS, © Peer
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A speciality of Ultimo are the delicious poppy seed Krapfen, which are available on various occasions and taste best freshly baked.
Foto: MS, © Peer
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Another feature are the farms with their shingle roofs made of larch wood, which are considered one of the oldest forms of roofing in South Tyrol.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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Farms on the wintry slopes of the Val d’Ultimo valley: Dominik Paris, the ski racer and winner of the Streif in Kitzbühel, was born in this valley.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The old Lahner Sawmill in Santa Gertrude in the Val d’Ultimo is now home to one of the five visitor centres of the Stelvio National Park.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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There, in Santa Gertrude, starts the short hike to the Ancient Larch Trees, which are meanwhile estimated to be about 850 years old.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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View on the snow-covered Zoccolo Reservoir: On its shore in Pracupola, an ice skating rink with skate rental was built.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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Opposite the ice rink, the new cable car starts into the Schwemmalm Skiing Area, whose 21 km of slopes start at 2,658 m a.s.l.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The Schwemmalm is also part of the Ortles Ski Arena and offers you not only wonderful downhill runs but also a spectacular panorama.
Foto: MS, © Peer
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On the other hand, those seeking tranquillity can relax in the solitude of nature in Ultimo, as here near Lake Fontana Bianca at the end of the valley.
Foto: AT, © Peer
video : A night at the Fisher Lake in Val d’Ultimo/Ultental
video : Lakes of the Val d‘Ultimo Valley
video : Schwemmalm skiing area
video : Schwemmalm Val d’Ultimo in winter

The majority of the Val d'Ultimo valley is taken up by the municipality of Ultimo, which stretches from the village of Santa Valburga to Lake Fontana Bianca at the head of the valley. The first alpine huts are just above the lake shore, and here you are already in the Stelvio National Park. All around, the three-thousand-metre peaks of the Ultimo Mountains, which form a foothill of the Ortles Group, tower majestically. This is a grandiose hiking area with numerous mountain lakes that have such resonant names as Covolo Lakes, a hiking destination above the Kühberg Mountain Hut, and Lake Seefeld in the Val di Lavace, a side valley. Mountain bikers, hikers and ski tourers in winter have found the ideal spot...

At the bottom of the valley, the Ultimo Farm Trail leads you through the valley, past the beautiful farmhouses with their traditional shingle roofs. It stretches on the sunny side into the valley as far as the famous Ancient Larch Trees and the Stelvio National Park House in the old Lahner Sawmill. In winter, the range of activities is complemented by the Schwemmalm, which extends above Pracupola. Dominik Paris' home ski area can now be reached directly from Pracupola by the new cable car.

By the way, a special topic here are the tasty sweet Krapfen. These widely known "Ultner Krapfen" are filled with poppy seeds and baked in hot oil. Still today, they are made by the farmers' wives and offered on occasions such as the traditional Krapfen Begging, as well as served at weddings or at the big annual events: You can taste them at the South Tyrolean Krapfen Festival held in Pracupola at the beginning of September, as well as at the big Pracupola Market a few weeks later.

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