High above Prato alla Drava, the Carnic High Route runs to the Sillian Mountain Hut on the border between Italy and Austria
Image gallery: Prato alla Drava
Prato alla Drava (Winnebach) is located at the same altitude as the centre of the municipality of San Candido and is the easternmost village in South Tyrol. From here, it is only a few kilometres to the border with East Tyrol and the small towns of Sillian and Lienz. This proximity to the border has shaped the village, as entry and exit were controlled here for decades.
Today, Prato alla Drava is a peaceful holiday destination with a quiet centre around which the houses are clustered. Here in Prato alla Drava, you will find the small Loreto Chapel, an impressive example of baroque popular piety. It was built in the style of the Chapel of Grace in Loreto and stands a little way outside the village. On the accompanying Stations of the Cross, you can combine a walk through the nature of the Upper Val Pusteria with a visit to this spiritual site. On two wheels, you can then cycle across the Val Pusteria all the way to Fortezza on the Pusterbike Cycle Path.
The combination of train and bike is very popular: For the return journey, you can conveniently use the Val Pusteria railway line, which stops in San Candido or Versciaco and also accommodates bicycles. High up in the mountains, hiking trails extend along the Carnic Ridge in summer.
One of these, the Carnic High Route, takes you from the top station of the Monte Elmo lifts to the Sillian Mountain Hut. There, you can enjoy the delicacies of Tyrolean cuisine and the view as far as the Dolomites. In winter, the snowy landscape is alluring - you can find fun on the slopes in the 3 Zinnen Dolomites Ski Resort, which is part of the Dolomiti Superski network. The valley is also ideal for snowshoeing and long cross-country skiing tours.
