Events & Highlights

Constant top quality of the culinary delights presented and an attractive supporting programme have given the Cheese Festival at Sand in Taufers an international reputation. Every two years in March some 100 cheese makers present their products, and visitors are invited to participate in guided cheese-tasting sessions and attend cooking shows by South Tyrol’s leading chefs. And for your “little mice” there is not only cheese but also a children’s programme that is sure to delight them.

One weekend in spring is devoted each year to the traditional Knights’ Festival at Taufers Castle. Visitors get an impressive glimpse of what life was like in a mediaeval castle and are entertained by tournaments, jugglers, mediaeval music and fireworks. Your little damsels and knights will love it, and so will all your family.

The months of July and August at Sand in Taufers are dedicated to fun and enjoyment. For seven weeks, every Tuesday from 7 to 11 p.m., the best chefs of the village whet the appetites of their guests by cooking and serving their culinary creations under the starry sky. The event is rounded off by music and dance, street artists and an entertaining children’s programme. And to make sure that people want to come back, the motto of the event changes from year to year.

Snow crunches underfoot, the air is filled with whiffs of cinnamon and gingerbread and Christmas carols brighten your day – the time has come for a visit of South Tyrol’s most beautiful Christmas Markets. Charming Bruneck turns into a fairytale town steeped in light and studded with stalls offering imaginative arts and crafts.

Silvester – New Year’s Eve – as a prime wintry mountain experience: this is what the Speikboden skiing area in the Ahrn Valley of Taufers has to offer. In line with tradition, the evening starts around 5 p.m. with an extraordinary event, the ”Torch Run“ in which ski instructors exhibit all the skill and elegance of their sport. Hot punch and splendid fireworks make the end of the year a heart-warming experience in good company.

Great art high up in the mountains. In early January the Klausberg skiing area is clearly in the thrall of arts and crafts. Ten international teams are at work with water and special tools to fashion the most beautiful Ice Sculpture of the Year – and you are the jury.

Every January, Toblach/Dobbiaco is the scene of a competition of the world’s hot-air balloonist teams. For a whole week, the sky of Pustertal/Val Pusteria is dotted with multi-coloured balloons. And since balloons are the main attractions, visitors can opt for balloon rides to get a bird’s eye view of the spectacle. Watching the sunrise or crossing the craggy Dolomites in a balloon is an experience you’ll never forget.

There is one sports competition that has become the absolute highlight of the South Tyrolean winter season: the international Biathlon World Cup in the Antholz Valley (Valle di Anterselva) at the end of January. The whole biathlon community is engrossed in the competition of the best teams and athletes, and an attractive supporting programme and festivities draw visitors and guests from Italy and abroad.