Ciardes

The holiday village of Ciardes marks the transition from the Merano region to the Bassa Val Venosta and so to the westernmost part of South Tyrol.

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Video : Waalweg paths in Val Venosta
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Apples, grapes and asparagus thrive in the municipal area of Castelbello-Ciardes, the hail nets visible here protect the orchards.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The parish church of San Martino is the landmark of Ciardes: it was completed in 1518, as the date above the pointed arch portal tells.
Foto: ED, © Peer
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With its baroque onion dome, the church tower cannot be ignored: The church features a coat of arms with lion relief and Gothic frescoes.
Foto: ED, © Peer
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In the alleys of Ciardes, a holiday destination at 636 metres a.s.l. with its own railway station.
Foto: ED, © Peer
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There are several mills in the municipality, here the Plattermühle: a mill wheel also adorns the coat of arms of the municipality of Castelbello-Ciardes.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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A network of paths has been built along the irrigation channels in the Val Venosta valley, known as Waale, where beautiful hikes can be made.
Foto: ED, © Peer
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The Val Venosta High Route starts at Ciardes and leads to Resia in a multi-day tour of more than 100 km - here during the apple blossom season.
Foto: ED, © Peer
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The Ciardes Waalweg is the second longest Waalweg path in South Tyrol with 11 km: it takes you towards Juval Castle and the Val Senales valley.
Foto: ED, © Peer
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In between, rest areas and one or the other wine tavern invite you to stop: Spring and autumn are becoming increasingly popular as seasons in South Tyrol.
Foto: ED, © Peer
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In autumn, the delicious apples for which the Val Venosta is famous ripen here along the Latschander-Waalweg path between Laces and Ciardes.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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Castelbello, Colsano, Monte Trumes and Ciardes are situated on the slope of the Montesole on the sunny side of the Bassa Val Venosta: it often remains free of snow.
Foto: AT, © Peer

An invisible border lies between Stava near Naturno and the neighbouring village of Ciardes (Tschars), namely that between the Merano region and the Val Venosta valley. Here you are at the entrance to the westernmost main valley of South Tyrol, known for its apple orchards, Lake Resia and the expanses of the Piani di Malles (Malser Haide). Ciardes itself stretches at the foot of the Montesole, the sunny side of the Bassa Val Venosta. It is probably even older than Castelbello, at least as far as the first mention of the place name is concerned: "Sardes" was already mentioned in documents in 1188.

Today, the church of San Martino stands in the middle of the village, and the village café, a pizzeria and a bank, a playground and shopping facilities are located around it. The primary school is housed in a farm building of an abandoned Carthusian monastery from the Renaissance period. The predominantly agricultural Ciardes has developed over time into a popular holiday village with interesting offers for leisure activities.

Like everywhere else in South Tyrol, nature dominates the activity programme, with hiking and cycling on the programme. There are countless opportunities for this, from the Senales Waal to the Latschander-Waalweg path and from the Val Venosta Cycle Path, which follows the Via Claudia Augusta, to the mountain bike tour to the Malga di Marzon. Again and again you will pass a water mill, because in Colsano, Ciardes and Castelbello the old Moarmühle, Plattermühle and Baumandlmühle mills are still preserved. In winter, it's a half-hour drive to the Val Senales glacier ski area or to the Val Martello in the Stelvio National Park, where ski tours, sledge runs and wonderful cross-country ski tracks await you.

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