San Leonardo in Passiria
San Leonardo in Passiria (St
Updated 20 July 2026
This season · July · Summer
What to do in San Leonardo in Passiria now
The story
The story of San Leonardo in Passiria
The heart of the upper Val Passiria
San Leonardo in Passiria is the most important municipality and the administrative centre of the upper Val Passiria (Passeiertal), the valley that runs north of Merano following the course of the Passirio stream up to its springs beneath the Rombo Pass. Surrounded by peaks rising above 2,500-3,000 metres, the village sits in a broad basin where the roads coming up the valley from Merano meet those heading towards the area's two alpine passes. The historic centre, with its parish church and traditional Tyrolean houses, retains the atmosphere of an old mountain village, today a destination for summer and winter hiking tourism. From here, trails lead to alpine huts, scattered mountain farms on the slopes and side valleys, making San Leonardo the ideal base for exploring the whole upper Val Passiria, amid nature, history and Tyrolean tradition.
Andreas Hofer, the Sandhof and the MuseumPasseier
San Leonardo in Passiria is the birthplace of Andreas Hofer (1767-1810), the innkeeper and horse dealer who in 1809 led the Tyrolean popular uprising against the Napoleonic French and Bavarian troops then occupying Tyrol, which had been ceded to Bavaria. After some victories, including the battle of Bergisel near Innsbruck, the revolt was crushed and Hofer, betrayed, was captured and shot in Mantua in 1810 on Napoleon's orders, becoming the symbol of Tyrolean identity. His birth home, the Sandhof farmhouse just outside the village centre, today houses the MuseumPasseier – Andreas Hofer, one of the most visited museums in South Tyrol: through objects, documents and multimedia displays it tells the story of Hofer's life, the events of 1809 and the traditions of Val Passiria, making it an essential stop for anyone visiting San Leonardo.
The Rombo Pass (Timmelsjoch)
From San Leonardo in Passiria starts the road that climbs the upper valley to the Rombo Pass (Timmelsjoch, 2,509 metres), one of the most spectacular alpine passes, linking South Tyrol to the Austrian Ötztal region and the resort of Sölden. Open only in the warmer months, the route is famous among motorcyclists and drivers for its panoramic hairpin bends, tunnels carved into the rock and the high-mountain scenery that unfolds along the way. Along the climb is also the Timmelsjoch Experience, an open-air museum trail with artistic installations dedicated to the history of the pass, borders and mountain people. For centuries the Rombo Pass has been the connecting route between Val Passiria and North Tyrol, today popular with both tourists and motorcycling enthusiasts.
The Jaufen Pass and connections to Vipiteno
Besides the Rombo Pass, from San Leonardo in Passiria it is also possible to reach the Jaufen Pass (Jaufenpass, 2,094 metres), which links Val Passiria to the Isarco Valley and the town of Vipiteno (Sterzing). This road too, scenic and full of hairpin bends, is much appreciated by cyclists and motorcyclists, and has for centuries been an important route of communication and trade between the valleys of western South Tyrol. The pass allows the upper Val Passiria to be linked in a single day with the Isarco Valley and the Adige Valley, widening the excursion options for those staying in San Leonardo. Along the way one encounters isolated mountain farms, coniferous woods and panoramic viewpoints overlooking the whole valley, making the climb to the Jaufen Pass a journey in itself as well as a simple road link.
Mountain farms, Haflinger horses and hiking
The upper Val Passiria around San Leonardo has always been a land of mountain farms, livestock breeding and alpine agriculture, with traditional buildings scattered across sunny slopes up to over 1,500 metres. Here, in the home valley of the renowned Haflinger horse, with its chestnut coat and light mane, selected animals are still bred today for both farm work and tourist and sporting riding. Numerous farms offer hospitality to hikers, with local products such as speck, alpine cheeses and rye bread. From San Leonardo, trails of every difficulty level lead to high-altitude huts, side valleys and refuges at the foot of the peaks enclosing the valley, making the village an ideal base for summer trekking, walks among the farms and, in winter, skiing and snowshoe excursions.
Not to be missed
- The MuseumPasseier – Andreas Hofer at the Sandhof farmhouse
- The scenic route over the Rombo Pass (Timmelsjoch)
- The climb to the Jaufen Pass (Jaufenpass) towards Vipiteno
- Mountain farms breeding Haflinger horses
- Hikes to the alpine huts and refuges of the upper Val Passiria
To see
What to see in San Leonardo in Passiria
Routes · Trovido Route
