Renon (Ritten) funicular

Few lifts in the world capture the link between city and mountain as well as the Renon funicular, called the Rittner Seilbahn in German and known to the people of Bolzano simply as ‘the funicular’.

It starts from a station right in the centre of Bolzano, just 265 metres above sea level, and within a few minutes carries you up to the Renon (Ritten) plateau at 1,221 metres. The change of scene is hard to beat. You leave behind the city, its traffic, its markets and the smell of strudel from the pastry shops, and step out into a world of meadows, woods and alpine quiet, as if through an invisible doorway.

It opened in its current layout in 1966 and was completely renewed by Leitner in 2009. Today it is one of the best-loved and busiest public transport lifts in South Tyrol (Alto Adige).

Bolzano’s balcony

The Renon, or Ritten in German, the mother tongue of most people on the plateau, is often called ‘Bolzano’s balcony’. It is an obvious image but an accurate one: the plateau really does open out above the city, with a view over the whole Bolzano basin, the valleys that meet there from north and south and, behind them, layer upon layer of mountain ranges.

On the clearest days the panorama stretches from the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain, to the Ortler, the highest peak in South Tyrol, taking in the Rosengarten, the Sciliar and the Ampezzo Dolomites on the way. It is a view that spans five centuries of mountaineering history, with a variety of mountain scenery that hardly any other viewpoint in the region can fit into one frame.

The Renon tram

One of the most delightful parts of a visit is carrying on from the top station by the narrow-gauge tram that links Soprabolzano with Collalbo and Maria Assunta. This little tram, one of the last of its kind still running in South Tyrol, is a time machine that glides quietly through the woods and meadows of the plateau with the calm and grace of another era.

It is still fully in service and part of the public transport network of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, with a regular timetable. For residents it is a genuinely useful way to get around, and for visitors it is irresistibly romantic.

Over the years the funicular-and-tram combination has become one of the signature experiences of South Tyrol. Families, transport history fans and the simply curious all enjoy this small and wonderfully authentic railway adventure.

The earth pyramids

The Renon is famous among geologists for its earth pyramids, rare and beautiful erosion features that form where glacial deposits full of stones lie on top of watertight clay. Rain washes away the clay around the larger stones, which act as umbrellas and protect the material beneath. Over thousands of years this creates pointed towers, each capped by a boulder that shields it from erosion.

The earth pyramids of Longomoso, in the municipality of Renon, are among the tallest and best preserved in Europe, with some columns reaching thirty metres. Visiting them is one of the most surprising low-level walks South Tyrol can offer, for all ages.

Walking in summer, cross-country skiing in winter

In summer the plateau has a network of more than 130 kilometres of trails through spruce woods, high pastures and farming villages. Traditional South Tyrolean rural life lives on here, with its farmsteads, its wine cellars and its hearty, generous food.

In winter the plateau becomes a paradise for cross-country skiing, with about 40 kilometres of groomed trails. It is ideal if you want a quiet, family-friendly alternative to the crowds of the big ski resorts.

Easy access by funicular, genuine local culture and beautiful scenery make the Renon one of the most balanced and rewarding destinations in the Italian Alps for anyone who wants the mountains without the stress of the big ski areas.

Opened in 1966, renewed in 2009. Connection with the historic Soprabolzano-Collalbo tram. Part of the provincial public transport network.