The small mountain village of Ridnaun (Ridanna) in the Ridnaun Valley, an 18 km long side valley of the Eisack Valley (Valle Isarco), belongs to the municipality of Ratschings (Racines) in South Tyrol.
Surrounded by the Jaufen mountain range in the south, the Stubai Alps in the north, the Schneeberg in the west, and the town of Sterzing (Vipiteno) in the east, Ridnaun is best known for the highest mine in Europe. Today, the mine is closed and can be visited as a mining museum with museum tunnels. In the Ridnaun Valley, guests can expect beautiful hiking trails, cross-country ski trails, modern ski areas, impressive waterfalls, gentle mountain slopes, and a very well-developed service system that will make your vacation in Ridnaun unforgettable.
Amidst the snow-covered winter landscape of the Ridnaun Valley, you can experience the most beautiful adventures in the soft powder snow.
The Ratschings, Rosskopf, and Ladurns ski areas await all winter sports enthusiasts with modern lifts, adventurous descents, tobogganing fun, and many challenges of all levels of difficulty.
Professional ski schools provide the necessary safety training, and those who want to experience the quiet side of winter can enjoy the unique silence of the mountains on easy winter hikes, cross-country skiing, or snowshoeing.
Powerful, diverse, unspoiled. These three words pretty much sum up the Ratschings-Jaufen ski resort. But on closer inspection, it becomes clear that Ratschings is much more than that…
First, there is the extremely atmospheric, expansive terrain that captivates skiers and snowboarders of all skill levels. And then there is the almost untouched recreational landscape for those seeking peace and relaxation.
The Ratschings-Jaufen ski area (1,300 m to 2,150 m) is one of the most modern and snow-sure in South Tyrol.
Eight powerful and comfortable lifts, a toboggan run, and a fun park guarantee a variety of winter sports.
KinderSkiLand
For our younger guests aged 3 and above, a stay at KinderSkiLand is an experience to remember. During the daily ski lessons, they learn the art of skiing in a playful way, while you can relax and enjoy your skiing.
– Full-day supervision
– Hot lunch
– 2 hours of ski lessons per day with a certified ski instructor
– Final race with awards ceremony
Ski slopes of all levels of difficulty with many well-maintained runs (with snow-making facilities) offer safe skiing fun for everyone, from professionals to beginners.
Top-class tobogganing fun – ADAC test winner for pure sledding fun for young and old
A 10 km long toboggan run (the longest in Italy), which is also snow-covered and illuminated if necessary, invites you to enjoy a fun ride with the whole family.
On Tuesday and Friday evenings, the toboggan run is floodlit until midnight and the mountain railway is open from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. for evening operation.
The Ladurns ski resort is a highlight for families and children… because it is “small but nice,” a TOP SKI RESORT. Ski equipment is free for children up to 8 years old if a parent also rents equipment! A 6.5 km long toboggan run suitable for children and families awaits you.
5000m² Fichti´s Kinderland
The Gossensaß ski school offers your kids a very special program so that mom and dad can enjoy the sunny slopes without worry. Trained ski instructors and childcare providers ensure a well-rounded feel-good package for your children. Fun, games, and excitement are the focus here. In addition to skiing, we offer your little ones a rich program: adventures in nature, hiking in the snow, safe tobogganing, and much more leave no room for boredom. And, of course, a warm meal is a must. In bad weather conditions, the children can let off steam in the diverse facilities of Fichti’s Kinderland. By the way: the Ladurns Ski School has been awarded the Gold Seal of Quality and stands for excellent ski instruction and the best childcare.
*(for a fee)
The stunning landscape of the Ridnaun Valley invites young and old alike to go snowshoeing.
We offer a selective range of wonderful snowshoe hikes through snow-covered forests and meadows.
Discover the untouched winter landscape on snowshoes and enjoy the peace and beauty of nature.
A contrast that will make your winter vacation an unforgettable experience!
Untouched terrain, a fantastic view of the Dolomites and the glaciers of the Alps, silence, hearing only your own breath, recharging your batteries in unspoiled nature, the great feeling of being at the summit, looking out over the horizon…
This is how you could describe what your heart and soul feel during a ski tour in the Ridnaun Valley.
Even the ascent often offers incomparable experiences of nature in the landscape.
The remoteness from the crowds on the ski slopes means that, with a little luck, interesting encounters with animals in the wild are not impossible. Once you reach the summit, you can look forward to skiing downhill in fresh powder snow.
In short: you should definitely not miss out on a ski tour in the Ridnaun Valley!
In the Ridnaun Valley, breathtaking toboggan runs with tight curves wind their way through the forest:
Italy’s longest snow-covered toboggan run – 10 km from Rosskopf to Sterzing
If you prefer to enjoy the snow sitting on a sledge, Rosskopf is the place for you! www.rosskopf.com
Glide through the enchanting winter landscape, admire our natural beauty, enjoy the view of the snow-covered mountains, experience the tranquility, and breathe in the fresh winter mountain air.
The wintery, snow-covered Ridnaun Valley is a true paradise for cross-country skiers. The vastness of the landscape, harmoniously interspersed with small forest islands and framed by bizarre rock formations, is well worth discovering on cross-country skis.
Fans of Nordic skiing can choose from our well-maintained trails of varying degrees of difficulty. All trails are double-tracked and also prepared for skating. We cordially invite you to enjoy the scenic beauty of the Ridnaun Valley at a leisurely pace and up close.
Rugged peaks and gentle hills, crystal-clear mountain lakes and mighty three-thousand-meter peaks – South Tyrol is a land of contrasts. And here in the Ridnaun Valley, summer shows itself from its most beautiful side thanks to the mild climate. Quiet hiking trails, breathtaking summit views, rustic huts, a visit to the Ridnaun Schneeberg Mining Museum, cycling tours, rafting, and paragliding – there are endless opportunities to discover the secrets of nature and spend active hours in the clear mountain air.
Unique hiking tours in the Ridnaun Valley, in the heart of South Tyrol’s Alps
Located in the heart of the Alps, the Ridnaun Valley is the ideal starting point for excursions into the mountains. There are tours of all levels of difficulty and to suit every taste. Visit the hiking area in the Ratschings high valley, whose idyllic alpine pastures can also be reached by chairlift.
Climb the Telfer Weissen, which towers majestically above dark forests. And if you want to experience something really special, then venture on the famous Seven Lakes Hike and set off into the high alpine world of the Stubai Glacier.
We are happy to give you tips for worthwhile excursion destinations, hikes, mountain and climbing tours!
Fantastic weather, a cool breeze, your bike, riding through forests, across meadows and then along the stream…
Whether you are a beginner or a professional cyclist, the Ridnaun Valley offers you unforgettable mountain biking fun in a dreamlike mountain setting. Here you will find a variety of wide forest roads, leisurely forest paths and narrow single trails. An experience for the whole family!
Bikers looking for a solitary touring experience or who want to be shown the best trails by insiders will find what they are looking for in the Ridnaun Valley.
Depending on snowfall and the length of winter, our mountain biking season starts very early. From mid-March onwards, you can already bike in the valley without any problems. Later, when it gets really warm and the last snow flows down into the valley as refreshing wetness for bikers, nothing stands in the way of extended mountain bike tours.
There is so much to explore in the Ridnaun Valley: the Ridnaun Schneeberg Mining World, spectacular gorges and waterfalls, chapels, castles, and museums…
The exhibition mine offers unique and practical insights into ore mining in the past and present. Visitors are accompanied by local guides who are very familiar with mining traditions and are mostly descended from mining families.
You will be immersed in the world of mining and experience the entire production chain firsthand, from ore extraction to laborious transport and processing. The original equipment is still in working order and is put into operation during the tours.
Built in 1480 by the miners of Schneeberg and furnished with a precious winged altar by Matthias Stöberl, this small Gothic hilltop church set against a backdrop of glaciated peaks is both a scenic and art-historical gem.
The miners’ church of St. Magdalena in Ridnaun can rightly be counted among the most charming and picturesque churches in the entire province of Tyrol.
A visit to this church is a highly recommended cultural experience in a truly unique and charming landscape.
Visiting hours: May to October
Mondays from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (July and August)
A special kind of natural monument at the end of the Ridnaun Valley
The gorge can be reached from the museum area in Maiern in about 45 minutes on foot via a trail (trail no. 9) that leads to the Stubai Alps and the well-known mountain huts “Grohmann,” “Teplitz,” “Becher,” and “Müller,” and is used by a large number of tourists, especially in summer.
The panoramic trail offers several vantage points with views of the impressive mountain world of the Stubai Alps and crosses bridges where you can experience the natural force of the Fernerbach stream up close!
Rock gorge and waterfall
At the entrance to the Ratschings Valley, near the hamlet of Stange, the stream has carved out a narrow gorge: the Gilfenklamm. The rock here is softer than the surrounding rock: it is white marble, and the Gilfenklamm is the only marble gorge in Europe. Over 100 years ago, the Austrian Alpine Association built a footpath through the gorge, which overcomes the 175-meter difference in altitude with stairways and bridges. The trail through the wild gorge is well secured, and children can walk it safely.
The former Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Klamm gorge is open continuously from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from the beginning of May to the beginning of November, and in July and August even until 6 p.m.
State Museum of Hunting and Fishing
In the magnificent Baroque Wolfsthurn Castle, you can experience three different exhibitions spread over three floors:
On the first floor, you will find a wealth of information about hunting and game, hunting folk art, and fishing. On the second floor, you will learn about the history of Wolfsthurn as you tour the castle’s state rooms with their original furnishings. In the basement, which has been specially designed for children, our youngest visitors can learn interesting facts about animal sounds and tracks, deer antlers, and bear caves in a playful way.
