Val Senales

Karthaus allures to a short trip into the past. The town emerged within the walls of the monastery of “Certosa degli Angeli“ which was founded in 1326 and abandoned in 1782. Especially delightful is the old monastery’s cloister which during summer months becomes an exhibition place for well-known local artists.

The village has, however, not always been located at the lake. It was not before the 1950s that the dam was built. The area used to be the largest area of arable land in the valley. But the eight ancient farmsteads that once were situated here had to give way to the water. In the spring, you can see the tower of the old "Leiter-Kirchl" church, jutting out of the lake.

An absolute must for romantic minds is the town on the bank of the homonymous storage lake. Romantic is the town’s sunny location at the bank of the lake, romantic are the walks through the woods. Almost unique: the tour around the lake with the two rope bridges. Ötzi friends watch out: from Vernago, through the Val di Tisa, you can directly get to Ötzi’s place of discovery.

In the autumn, this is the trail on which thousands of sheep are driven back to Vernagt in the Schnalstal valley after having spent the summer in the Ötzi Valley. This system of transhumance has been practiced for centuries. It is celebrated every year at the traditional herders' festival. The old rights of herbage in the Schnalstal valley remain in effect, even though South Tyrol had became part of Italy.