Near Rio Molino, one of the most remote holiday villages of the area, the region’s highest traditional farmhouse spa was once located
Image gallery: Rio Molino di Gais
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Near the village of Gais, the small Valle di Rio Molino or Mühlbachtal branches off, home to only a handful of people. For a long time, Gais determined the religious life of the people of Rio Molino (Mühlbach): Residents had to travel to Gais - on foot, naturally - for church services and were also buried there. It was only in the last century that a road was built, making the village more accessible. Today, it is situated on a sunny slope above the Brunico valley basin.
The location is impressive. The village church, in particular, seems to cling to the hillside. The stately building, dedicated to the Fourteen Holy Helpers, is a pilgrimage church. It stands below the village centre, where the inn, the rectory, and the primary school are also located. The Rio Molino church singers, who help shape the services, are one of the few remaining lay choirs today. The mountain pastures in the Valle di Rio Molino are a worthwhile excursion destination.
One of these huts once housed the "Badl im Mühlbacher Talile", the highest-altitude traditional farmhouse spa in the Val Pusteria. Here, in the Vedrette di Ries-Aurina Nature Park at around 1,700 metres above sea level, attempts were made to alleviate digestive ailments in wooden tubs.
Bathers had to provide their own food. The traditional farmhouse spa enjoyed great popularity until the 1960s. After it burned down, it was only partially rebuilt. A mountain tour from here will take you to the summit of the Cima del Vento Grande, also called Grosse Windschar.
