“Walking on ancient paths”: This is the name of the hikes around Laion and Albions, which include the Vogelweide circular trail
Image gallery: Albions
Albions is situated above Chiusa and opposite Villandro. A few historic farmhouses, the Parish Church of St. Nicholas, and the primary school define the village's character. At one end of the village there is a farmhouse inn, while at the other, the "Walking on ancient paths" network of trails - "In cammino su sentieri antichissimi", in Italian, or "Unterwegs auf alten Wegen", in German - begins. The Gothic winged altarpiece inside the church was created around 1520 by the Bressanone artist Andreas Haller. Its inner panels depict scenes from the life of St. George.
A path leads downhill towards Chiusa, and a second small road takes you to the main village of Laion. There you will find the "Minnehus", an interactive museum dedicated to the life and artistic work of Walther von der Vogelweide. The exact birthplace of the minnesinger, who lived around 1170, is not certain, but the Vogelweider Farm above Laion is considered a likely location. The Vogelweide Round Path passes through Albions and by this farmstead.
Particularly mild autumn days are ideal for this walk on the slopes of the Valle Isarco, as this is when the farmhouse inns open for the Toerggele season: You can enjoy roasted chestnuts, sweet doughnuts, and rustic dishes like homemade dumplings, a traditional meat platter, and new wine. The route is one of the tours grouped under the "Walking on ancient paths" theme.
These also include the Poststeig trail, an ancient mail path, and the circular route from Laion via San Pietro to the Ramitzler Hut. All of them provide resting points and offer magnificent views of the Dolomites. From Albions, field paths also lead to the village of Gudon near Chiusa and the small scattered settlement of Fraina, which, like Albions, belongs to the municipality of Laion.
