Renon Plateau and the Earth Pyramids

The Renon (Ritten) plateau rises directly above Bolzano, a sunny upland of meadows, woods and scattered villages that has been the city's summer retreat since Habsburg times, and getting there is part of the appeal. The modern Renon cable car climbs from the edge of Bolzano to Soprabolzano (Oberbozen) in about twelve minutes, gaining nearly 1,000 metres with sweeping views over the city and the Dolomites, for a round trip of around 11 euro. From the top station a much-loved narrow-gauge railway, a survivor of an old tramway, trundles across the plateau between Soprabolzano, Collalbo and the other villages, giving a gentle, scenic way to explore. The plateau's natural curiosity is its earth pyramids, dramatic columns of consolidated glacial clay, some many metres tall, each protected and capped by a balancing boulder that has shielded the soft earth beneath from erosion; the formations near Longomoso (Lengmoos) and Auna di Sotto (Unterinn) are among the largest and best preserved in Europe and are reached by short, easy footpaths. A relaxed day combines the cable car ascent, a ride on the historic railway, a walk to the earth pyramids, and the plateau's many gentle trails, including the panoramic Freud Promenade named for Sigmund Freud, who holidayed here, and viewpoints toward the Catinaccio and the Latemar. For wider views, a chairlift continues from Pemmern to the Corno del Renon (Rittner Horn) at over 2,200 metres, a fine vantage and an easy hiking and snowshoeing area. The plateau's inns and farms serve South Tyrolean food and the local Lagrein and Pinot wines grown on the slopes below. The cable car runs year-round, with walking best from April to November and the plateau turning into a gentle winter destination with cross-country skiing and snowshoe trails. Because it is high and open, the air is cooler and clearer than in Bolzano, so layers help, and the trails to the earth pyramids are easy but can be slippery after rain.