Two castles, apple orchards and asparagus fields characterise the municipality at the transition from Merano to the Val Venosta
Image gallery: Castelbello-Ciardes
No fewer than nine hamlets make up the extensive municipal area of Castelbello-Ciardes at the entrance to the Val Venosta. It stretches from the orchards, vineyards and asparagus fields on the valley floor up to Mt. Punta di Trumes and includes the villages of Castelbello, Ciardes, Colsano, Maragno, Lacinigo, Montefranco, Monte Trumes, Montefontana, and Juval, which are spread out on the left and right banks of the Adige River.
Right on the outskirts of Castelbello-Ciardes, heading towards Merano, the Val Senales branches off. It borders the Gruppo di Tessa Nature Park and runs to the glacier at the end of the valley - the high Alpine area where Oetzi the Iceman was found.
Two impressive castles dominate the landscape: Firstly, Castelbello Castle, which sits enthroned high above the Val Venosta road and was once built by the Lords of Montalban. Today, it serves as an event centre and provides a fitting setting for concerts and exhibitions. Secondly, Juval Castle in the hamlet of Juval, which is perched like an eagle's nest on a hill at the entrance to the Val Senales, a site inhabited since the Neolithic period. Inside, one of Reinhold Messner's Mountain Museums awaits you: The castle long served as his summer residence. After culture comes culinary delight:
Castelbello asparagus takes centre stage every year during the Asparagus Weeks. It reaches local restaurants on the very day it is harvested and is prepared immediately. The asparagus dishes are complemented by the specially created "Asparagus" wine from the four wineries in Castelbello. A dense network of hiking trails runs through Castelbello-Ciardes. 50 kilometres of these alone run as Waalwege paths alongside former irrigation channels. These include the Ciardes and the Laces Waalweg paths, and the Val Venosta Wine Trail "Via Vinum Venostis".
Higher up, you'll find destinations such as the Marzon and the Zirmtal Mountain Huts. If you are looking for alternatives, you can explore the Val Venosta or the Adige Valley on two wheels - the cycle path network in South Tyrol is excellently developed - or go on a rafting tour on the Adige.
