In San Pietro, the sunny main village of the Val di Funes valley, the focus is on nature-based tourism
Image gallery: San Pietro di Funes
In the middle of the Val di Funes lies the village of San Pietro (St. Peter), which is overlooked by the "Cathedral in the Valley". Alongside the "Cathedral in the Countryside" in San Paolo Appiano on the Wine Road, and the striking church tower in Castelrotto, this building also highlights the great importance of places of worship in South Tyrol. The cathedral is the Parish Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul and, with its 65-metre-high tower, is considered the oldest church in the valley.
The late Baroque ceiling paintings were created by the Tyrolean painter Joseph Schöpf. On one side of the Rio di Funes stream, where the church also stands, the village centre hosts facilities such as the cultural centre, the primary school, the library and the information office.
From there, the path leads uphill to Colle. On the other side of the stream, near the settlement of Pitzak, is the sports centre with an ice rink, shooting range, bowling alley and skate park, as well as the craft zone. San Pietro is ideal for easy hikes in the mid-altitude mountains, for example along the "Sunnseitnweg" trail towards Santa Maddalena at the end of the valley. "Sunnseitn" is the dialect word for "sunny side". This tour repeatedly offers wonderful views of the Odle peaks.
Another popular tour is the Val di Funes Valley Hike, which starts in Tiso at the entrance to the valley and crosses its entire length. In keeping with the Slow Food Travel concept for which Funes is known, the hike can be ideally combined with a stop at a mountain hut. Above San Pietro, a small road leads past Colle in summer to the Passo delle Erbe and on into the Val Badia. The route is particularly popular with motorcyclists and mountain bikers. In winter, the road is closed, and cross-country ski trails then run through the area around the mountain pass.
