Vipiteno, Italy: travel guide to this beautiful village in Trentino-Alto Adige

Visit Vipiteno

The town of Vipiteno is more Austrian in feel than Italian, not surprisingly given its location so close to the border, and is listed as one of the most beautiful villages of Italy.

Explore Vipiteno

The main street in the town, called the Via Citta Nuova, has a good number of attractive grand Renaissance period villas to admire. Many of them have attractive period details, and it is the overall unity and absence of anything more 'modern' that creates the charm of this street.

If you visit Vipiteno in the spring you can enjoy the geranium filled flowerbowes on many of the houses, but no problem if you visit any other time because lots of the houses are painted in bright colours and the street is always a pleasure to stroll along, with cafes to detain you as required!

The tall slender tower with a clock and sundial that dominates and stands over one end of the street, is called the Torre de Citta. In part this tower is a 19th century rebuild of the original 15th century tower, after fire damage in 1867. The original tower is said to have had a spire on top instead of the current roof design.

The other end of the street has views that overlook the mountains of the Tyrol.

The best of the villas, and one that is also open to the public, is the Palazzo Communale. Here it is the courtyard and its galleries that are the main attraction, along with the high-quality Renaissance works of art that it contains.

Another church in Vipiteno, this time in the main square of the town, dates from the end of the 14th century and contains some original frescoes. You can also see the Town Hall that dates from the 15th century.

A second opportunity to see impressive works of art is at the Town Multscher Museum, which also contains wood carvings by the 15th century sculptor Hans Multscher and others.

Multscher was a Bavarian who came here to create some wood carvings for the parish church, where a large wooden altar by Multscher can still be seen.

Attractions nearby

Like so many of the towns in the region, Vipiteno is in a very attractive setting and well placed for outdoor activities and pursuits. The tourist office will be able to point you towards some of the most interesting walks and hikes in the vicinity.

A particular highlight close to Vitipeno is the Valley di Racines, with a walk that passes some waterfalls.

Where is Vipiteno?

Vipiteno (also known under the alternative name of Sterzing) is located close to the northern Italian border with Austria, in the northern part of the Trentino-Alto Adige region and on the main route between Bressanone (Italy) and Innsbruch (Austria).

You can find more local travel ideas in the Trentino-Alto Adige guide.