The central route, which is 23 kilometres long, leads through some of the most charming and historical villages along the South Tyrolean Wine Road. These include Cornaiano (Girlan), Appiano (Eppan) and Caldaro (Kaltern), known for the French grape Pinot Blanc and Schiava, an indigenous variety.

This bike trail, the shortest of the three, begins in front of Caldaro's well-known estates Cantina Kellerei Kaltern and Erste + Neue. From there, the path leads through the woods up to the two charming lakes at Monticolo (Montiggl): this is a great place to take a little breather or even jump right into the water.
The route continues to Cornaiano, an historical wine village with an interesting feature: the town's subterranean wine cellars have a surface area greater than that of the entire village. Many wineries, including Girlan and Niedermayr, offer guided tours and tastings. Fischerhof Farm is a distillery: the family makes premium spirits right on the farm that you can sample.
The next leg of the central wine trail is to San Paolo (St. Pauls). Here, you'll find the old Schreckenstein Manor: the estate has a popular wine bar and unique cellar designed for the lively harvest festivals traditionally celebrated in South Tyrol. The route continues on to San Michele (St. Michael), the main village of Appiano. In the heart of this historical area of cultivation, which is dotted with castles and mansions, we find the St. Michael-Eppan and J. Brigl wineries. The next stop along the trail is the prestigious Stroblhof Estate, which has a fabulous restaurant and terrace garden.
The next stop, Hocheppan Castle, is an absolute must-see. The castle was built in the twelfth century but is still in use today and affords breathtaking panoramic views across the entire valley, stretching as far as the stunning Dolomites.
From here, our route leads us back to Caldaro, which is well known for its lake and as the place of origin of the Schiava variety of grape. There is a cluster of prominent wineries around Caldaro that includes Steflhof and Klosterhof. Wine House PUNKT is definitely worth a stop, as is Peter Sölva & Söhne Winery and the sleek, ultra-modern wine shop, the winecenter, at Kellerei Kaltern.

Information:

In German language: Radwegeführer Südtiroler Weinstraße

Downlaod: GPS Track Central Wine route (.zip)
(The tracks are legibly with GPS device or software like mapsource only.)

back to the list