St. Leonhard in Passeier: original South Tyrol
The main village in the Passeier valley, St. Leonhard, has an altitude of only 700 meters and lies at the entrance to the valley. The houses crowd around the junction of the roads up to the Jaufen Pass and Walten brook. St. Leonhard in Passeier is a romantically wild little village: tradition, customs and culture consciousness are all very present here.
It is not surprising that the Tyrolean freedom fighter Andreas Hofer came from between St. Leonhard and St. Martin in Passeier. You can still dine at the Sandwirt, his inn, and feel the flair of the wild old days. Above St. Leonhard you can find the remains of the once magnificent Jaufen castle, tucked away in the woods, the former seat of the lords of Passeier. A visit is certainly worthwhile, where else can you feel like a real knight?
St. Leonhard in Passeier in South Tyrol also offers a myriad of hiking tours in the Ötztal and Stubai Alps or to mountain farms that are situated high up on very steep slopes. Geraniums will greet you from afar, and the farmer’s wife will give you an even friendlier welcome and be pleased to have you try her home-made treats. The warm-heartedness of the people in Passeiertal is noteworthy. There is always a friendly word or a nice conversation! Their love of life might well derive from their many traditional village festivals with hearty music and a ‘Ranggl’ competition: the participants compete in strength, skilfulness and speed. However, heed this piece of advice: Never participate in such a competition in Passeier, because bruises are not likely to make your holiday more enjoyable!