The small hamlet of San Valentino is located in the lower Val di Funes, not far from the Miglanz prehistoric site
Image gallery: San Valentino di Funes
The Church of St. Valentine in San Valentino (St. Valentin) is a little gem with Romanesque and Gothic elements. Together with the church in the main village of San Pietro, it is one of the oldest ones in the valley: An inscription on the triumphal arch reads "Built in 1303, renovated in 1900". However, a sacred building probably stood on this site two centuries earlier. The parish church in nearby San Pietro, then referred to as "zu Valnes", was mentioned as early as 40 years before that.
The church in San Valentino is open once a week from July to October. Among the art treasures inside are the centrepiece, a Gothic winged altarpiece from the workshop of the Bressanone carver Hans Klocker dating from around 1500, and the surviving parts of a fresco depicting Saint George's fight with the dragon. At the entrance, next to the 1576 alms box, there is also one of the most beautiful St. Christopher frescoes in the region: It dates from the early 15th century and is impressive for its vibrant colours. Ancient farmsteads are clustered around the hamlet.
It lies west of the main village of San Pietro di Funes. You are on the sunny side of the valley, where the "Sunnseitnweg" trail runs to Santa Maddalena at the head of the Val di Funes. Nearby, on the sunny Miglanz plateau, a prehistoric ritual site was discovered. San Valentino is also the starting point for an easy hike to San Giacomo al Passo, an idyllic hamlet known for its little church.
You can get there in half an hour and continue hiking to the Fissneider Farm and on to Runggatsch. The way back takes you via the Gsoihof farm to the main village of San Pietro. There, it's worth taking a break for coffee and homemade cake with a view of the Odle peaks before you return to San Valentino. In winter, tranquillity returns to the valley. Funes focuses on nature-based tourism and awaits you with sledge runs, cross-country ski trails and a small ski lift at the head of the valley. Cleared winter hiking trails also invite you to take walks in the snowy landscape.
