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Diversity to discover at the
linguistic and cultural melting pot
where two worlds meet

Hotel Gasthof Zum Hirschen: Culture and Spirituality in the Val di Non Valley

Dating back to 1184 AD, the old hospice (Hospitium) and tavern in the mountain village of Senale on which the Zum Hirschen Hotel now stands in the Val di Non Valley makes it the oldest pilgrimage site in Tyrol. During the Middle Ages, pilgrims and wayfarers on their way to Rome took the route across the mountains to avoid the dangerous swamps in the valleys.

Pilgrim walks,
long-distance hiking trails
and cultural vacations

Pilgrim walks,
long-distance hiking trails
and cultural vacations

Nowadays, the pilgrimage routes and hiking trails of the Val di Non Valley are mainly frequented by outdoor vacationers and visitors interested in exploring the rich natural and cultural landscape at some 1,300 meters above sea level. Popular destinations include monasteries such as the Romanesque Monastery of San Romedio as well as various chapels, old mountain churches as well as museums.

Long-distance hikes and mountain biking trails follow historic pilgrimage routes across the spectacular mountain terrain, through forests and over gorges passing lakes and canyons along the way. The St. Jakob Pilgrims Route and the Romedius Pilgrims Route are among the most magnificent in the Alps.

Stopping at the Gasthof Zum Hirschen Hotel, long-distance hikers and mountain bikers are glad to find comfortable, cost-effective accommodation ideal for resting in preparation for the ardours of the following day.

Churches, monasteries and bunkers
the San Romedio Hermitage
in Val di Non Valley

Churches, monasteries and bunkers
the San Romedio Hermitage
in Val di Non Valley

The Hermitage of San Romedio, a Romanesque pilgrimage church, is a genuine architectural pearl that can be reached via an enchanting forest trail. From there, visitors can also visit other monasteries and sites of cultural and historical interest in the Val di Non Valley. These include the pilgrimage Church of Maria Himmelfahrt, as well as the Bunker Museum on the Palade Pass, which once formed part of the Alpine Wall line of military defences built by Fascist Italy during WWII.

As one of the earliest areas in the Alps where Christianity took hold, the Val di Non Valley plays a small but significant role in ecclesiastical history, touching the lives of Christian saints such as St. Romedius, St. Vigilius, St. Sisinius and St. Alexander.

The Nonsberg: Val di Non Valley
Situated on a major
linguistic boundary

The Nonsberg: Val di Non Valley
Situated on a major
linguistic boundary

For cultural and linguistic scholars, the Val di Non Valley demarcating the Italian/German language divide is of considerable interest, with research and published works as from the 1960’s. The most significant of these studies may be found in the Zum Hirschen Hotel library.

Further details may be found in our stories...

#Contemplation, Outdoor Recreation & Cuisine

Contemplative holidays in South Tyrol between the Mendel Pass and Mount Luco in the Upper Val di Non Valley.

No ordinary holiday resort, Senale is a special and enchanting mountain village with each day bringing with it a full and satisfying experience. The attraction of the ancient Holy Sanctuary together with the stillness and sounds of the forest, numerous outdoor activities and recreational options combine into a unique and enticing ...