Chiusa
Chiusa (Klausen), squeezed between the mountains along the course of the Isarco river, is one of the most evocative small towns in...
Updated 17 July 2026
This season · July · Summer
What to do in Chiusa now
The story
The story of Chiusa
The medieval town of the Valle Isarco
Chiusa was founded and developed at a strategic point of the Valle Isarco, where the mountains narrow almost to form a natural gateway over the course of the Isarco river. This position, which gave the town its name, made it for centuries an obligatory crossroads along the communication routes between the Germanic world and Italy. Today Chiusa is recognised as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy, an acknowledgement of the quality of its architectural and landscape heritage. Strolling among the houses with sloping roofs and colourful façades, one breathes an atmosphere suspended in time, in which Tyrolean and Italian cultural influences blend harmoniously. The Isarco river flows at the foot of the town, offering picturesque views and pedestrian paths that accompany visitors along the whole village, past historic bridges and small hidden corners to discover at a leisurely pace.
The Monastery of Sabiona, the Acropolis of Tyrol
Overlooking Chiusa from a rocky outcrop stands the Monastery of Sabiona (Kloster Säben), one of the most fascinating and symbolic places in the whole of South Tyrol. Once an ancient episcopal seat before the bishopric was moved to Bressanone, Sabiona is today a convent of cloistered Benedictine nuns, a destination for pilgrims and visitors drawn by its imposing presence and the view opening onto the Valle Isarco. Due to its elevated position and long history of human settlement, which tradition traces back to pre-Roman times, the complex is nicknamed the "Acropolis of Tyrol". A panoramic trail climbs from the centre of Chiusa up to the monastery, passing through woods and terraces, offering ever wider views over the town's rooftops and the Isarco river at every bend. Reaching Sabiona on foot is an experience that combines spirituality, history and landscape in a single unforgettable climb.
The historic centre and Albrecht Dürer's inspiration
The historic centre of Chiusa is a small architectural gem, with its main street lined by burgher houses, arcades and shops that retain their old-time appearance. The painted façades, projecting oriel windows and wrought-iron details tell centuries of mercantile and craft history. It is no coincidence that this setting inspired the great painter and engraver Albrecht Dürer, who during his journeys across the Alps stayed in the area, struck by the light, colours and profiles of the surrounding mountains. Several works and sketches attributed to his passages through the Valle Isarco bear witness to the fascination these landscapes exerted on his art. Walking today through the streets of Chiusa, among Baroque churches and ancient courtyards, it is easy to understand why an artist like Dürer found in this village a subject worthy of being immortalised, in a continuous dialogue between art, architecture and nature.
Valle Isarco wine and the Törggelen tradition
The area around Chiusa has a strong winemaking vocation: the Valle Isarco is renowned for its mountain white wines, grown on steep terraces exposed to the sun and cooled by Alpine air currents, conditions that give the wines a marked minerality and aromatic freshness. An ideal way to discover this territory is to follow the Valle Isarco Wine Trail, which winds among vineyards, cellars and small farmsteads, offering tasting opportunities and spectacular views over the valley. In autumn, once the grapes have been harvested and the new wine begins to ferment, the area comes alive with Törggelen, the ancient farming tradition that celebrates the end of the harvest with roasted chestnuts, young wine, speck and local specialities in farmhouses and traditional inns. This convivial ritual, deeply rooted in the culture of the Valle Isarco, is one of the most authentic ways to experience Chiusa and its territory according to the rhythm of the seasons.
Excursions and surroundings: the Abbey of Novacella and Bressanone
Chiusa is an excellent starting point for exploring the surroundings of the Valle Isarco. A few kilometres away stands the Abbey of Novacella, one of the most important and best-preserved Augustinian monasteries in the Alpine arc, famous for its Baroque library, frescoed cloister and its own wine and spirits production. A little further on lies Bressanone, the episcopal town that once shared with Sabiona the role of religious centre of the valley, today appreciated for its cathedral, medieval cloister and the elegant streets of its historic centre. There is also no shortage of opportunities for hiking: well-marked trails climb from the vineyards towards coniferous woods and high-altitude pastures, with panoramas ranging from the Dolomites to the peaks of the Odle group. For those seeking more challenging itineraries, the proximity to Bolzano makes it possible to combine a visit to Chiusa with the South Tyrolean capital, on a route that unites art, nature and gastronomy.
Not to be missed
- The Monastery of Sabiona (Kloster Säben), the "Acropolis of Tyrol", reachable on foot from Chiusa
- The medieval historic centre with its colourful houses and arcades along the main street
- The Valle Isarco Wine Trail among terraced vineyards and local cellars
- The autumn Törggelen in the farmhouses and traditional inns of the valley, with chestnuts and young wine
- The Abbey of Novacella with its Baroque library, a short distance from Chiusa and Bressanone
To see
What to see in Chiusa
Routes · Trovido Route
Routes in Chiusa
Jobs · JobFlow
