Taufers Castle

Taufers Castle is situated on a natural mountain nose belonging to Ahornach in the municipality of Sand in Taufers. After a "Burg Tobl" around 1100, today's Taufers Castle was first mentioned around 1225. The Romanesque part - the keep, the residential tower with double-arched windows and the castle chapel - still dates from this time. It was only under the Dukes of Austria that the castle was extended in the 15th century.

How to reach Taufers Castle? From Sand in Taufers, a signposted footpath leads you to the castle in 10 minutes. A forest path is also accessible by car, but offers only a small number of parking spaces. From the Wegerhof, a picturesque hiking trail along the old Ahornach road leads directly to the facility.

The path of contemplation

The St. Francis Path, starting from Bad Winkl (Kematen), leads to the St. Francis and St. Clare Chapel on the Tobelberg. It runs past the Reinbach waterfalls, through one of the most beautiful natural landscapes of the Tauferer-Ahrntal valley and ends at the site where a large fortress once stood, of which only ruins remain today.

Today, the destination point of the path with its 10 stations, the Francis and Clare Chapel, is located in the preserved castle chapel. The path of reflection consists of places of silence and invites you to prayer, meditation and contemplation. The powerful roar of the very nearby waterfalls offers an impressive contrast and symbolises the immense power of nature.

Reinbach - Waterfalls

Experience a fascinating natural spectacle with wonderful, sensual impressions at the waterfalls. Visitors can explore the 3 waterfalls on the hiking trail in both directions.

The trail leads over a bridge in an extreme location, which allows magnificent views in and out, including drizzle from the falling wet of the big waterfall. This easy hike with an elevation gain of 300 metres is highly recommended in the warm months.

The via ferrata

The "Hans Kammerlander via ferrata", named after the successful Ahornach exceptional mountaineer, is a carefully worked out and laid out via ferrata. The 600-metre-long via ferrata climbs up the lower, extremely steep wall, which is about 300 metres high. It is one of the most difficult via ferratas in South Tyrol. The route is not for the faint-hearted because of its extraordinary exposure.

After a relatively moderate start, the wall becomes extremely steep and you reach a 15-metre-long hanging ladder. After a huge overhang, which is overcome with the help of a tree trunk, two beautiful rope bridges follow, where you can enjoy the perfect view of the surrounding mountains. The area around Sand in Taufers also offers easier via ferratas.

Mountain CABLE CAR in the Ahrntal

The mountain railways are the starting point for many hikes & adventures in the Ahrntal and Sand in Taufers. Diverse landscapes with breathtaking nature and impressive views await hikers from near and far.

Here, every day invites you to new adventures. Many natural mountain lakes are waiting to be discovered by visitors. The natural waters of the valley alone are incentive enough to take on a hike.

Neves - reservoir

The reservoir was created in the 1960s under the most adverse conditions. This lake can be reached in a leisurely one-hour hike from Lappach. Alternatively, a 5 km toll road leads to the lake. A circular path leads around the lake for 1,900 m and the impressive arch dam is also accessible in the summer months.

Behind the lake rise majestic mountain giants of the Zillertal Alps such as the Hohe Weißzint (3,371 m), the Große Möseler (3,480 m) and the Turnerkamp. The lake is also the starting point for recommended hut hikes (Chemnitzerhütte, Edelrauthütte).

Cascade natural bathing pond

Bathing in harmony with nature! The lake on the edge of Sand in Taufers is a fantastic natural bathing spot. Children especially enjoy this place, as there is plenty of space to play and splash around in the water. There are also wooden jetties where you can sunbathe and relax.