Val di Funes and Santa Maddalena

Val di Funes (Villnöß in German) is for many the most beautiful valley in the Dolomites, a quiet, green dale of sloping pastures and timber farmhouses running beneath the serrated wall of the Odle (Geisler) peaks, about 35 kilometres and 45 minutes by car from Bolzano. Public transport reaches it via bus from Bressanone, but services are limited, so a car gives the most freedom. The valley's emblem is the tiny church of Santa Maddalena, which stands alone amid the meadows with the jagged Odle range rising behind it, a composition so perfect it has become one of the most photographed scenes in the Alps; the classic view is from a short uphill path just beyond the village, and the light is finest in early morning and at golden hour. A second iconic viewpoint frames the little baroque chapel of San Giovanni in Ranui against the same peaks, reached by a short walk from a paying car park near Santa Maddalena. A full day is easily filled with gentle walking: nearly level paths cross the meadows between the hamlets, and longer trails climb into the Puez-Odle Nature Park beneath the peaks for those wanting more, including the panoramic Adolf Munkel trail along the foot of the Geisler wall, reached via the Zannes (Zanser Alm) valley head. The valley is also home to traditional South Tyrolean farms, some offering local speck, cheese and apple juice, and the village inns serve hearty Tyrolean lunches. Val di Funes was the home valley of the mountaineer Reinhold Messner, and its unspoilt character reflects a community that has resisted heavy development. The valley is at its best from May to October, with wildflower meadows in early summer and golden larches in late autumn, while winter brings snow and quiet. Comfortable walking shoes and layers are sensible, as the weather in the high valley can change quickly, and sturdier footwear is needed for the higher Puez-Odle trails.