The main village of Valdaora stretches between the cycle path of the Val Pusteria and the heights of Mt. Plan de Corones
Image gallery: Valdaora di Mezzo
Valdaora di Mezzo (Mitterolang, literally: Middle Valdaora) - as its name suggests - is the main village of the municipality of Valdaora. Here in the valley basin, the houses, shops and cafés extend from around St. Giles' Church to the Val Pusteria railway station and the outdoor swimming pool, which is located in the neighbouring Valdaora di Sotto. In the nearby hamlet of Casola - or Gassl, as it is called in German - the lifts to the Plan de Corones begin their ascent.
Up on the summit, the giant swing called Skyscraper provides an adrenaline rush: It swings you high into the air, giving you the feeling of flying freely over the valley. The two museums on Mt. Plan de Corones tell the story of the mountains, while the buildings in the village centre recount the history of Valdaora di Mezzo. One of these is the Parish Church of St. Giles, dating from 1138, with its precious frescoes by the Brunico painter Michael Pacher and his pupil Simon von Taisten.
The monument dedicated to Peter Sigmayr also speaks of times gone by and the Tyrolean Rebellion: It is known as the Tharer monument, as Peter Sigmayr was the eldest son of the Tharer innkeeper of Valdaora. The area around Valdaora di Mezzo is ideal for numerous activities.
A pleasant hike leads to the Lanzwiese Hut high above Valdaora, where you can stop for refreshments. It stands in the middle of an alpine meadow at an altitude of 1,823 metres in the Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park. The Pusterbike Cycle Path between San Candido and Fortezza also runs through Valdaora di Mezzo. In winter, many are drawn to Mt. Plan de Corones: Well over 100 kilometres of pistes, the connection to the Dolomiti Superski carousel, as well as toboggan runs and the Plan de Corones Snow Park, ensure plenty of variety for your days in the snow.
