Artful Hiking, stage 2: Sella - Caldaro

From Sella we take the asphalted road which proceeds steeply uphill to the plateau of Castelvecchio/Altenburg (no. 11). Here a panoramic path branches off to the right which meets the road again shortly before Castelvecchio where you can find some rest points and overnight accommodations. The walking time from Sella is approx. 45 minutes and 180 metres in altitude from the Plattenhof. In the village centre of Castelvecchio you can find the St. Vigilius Church with frescoes from the 15th century on the outer wall. Shortly after the church you can enjoy a gorgeous view on Lake Caldaro and the Bassa Atesina area.

From this viewpoint we walk across a wooden bridge to the St. Peter Church Ruin and down into the Rastenbachklamm gorge, past two waterfalls. If you walk this route through the Rastenbachklamm, you must be sure-footed and free from vertigo. Very slippery in rainy weather! Those who do not want to walk the Rastenbachklamm gorge, take the Friedensweg path (Peace Path, no. 11), which runs on shady forest paths from Castelvecchio to Caldaro. Those who have descended through the Rastenbachklamm gorge can choose several routes to Caldaro:

• Variant 1: Continue downhill until you reach a road, then follow the main road until the turnoff to Lake Caldaro. From the lake you reach Caldaro either by bus or on foot.
• Variant 2: Kardatscher Hiking Path no. 10 (a bit more shadow).
• Variant 3: Follow the sunny paths no. 12/13 (Weinweg, Barleiterweg), from the junction Kardatscher Weg approx. 200 m downhill then to the left. This route offers fantastic views on Lake Caldaro again and again. In summer, it can be very exhausting due to the sun.