Eisack Valley
The Eisack Valley runs through South Tyrol along the Isarco river, linking episcopal towns, medieval boroughs and the Dolomite pea...
Updated 20 July 2026
Eisack Valley
This season · July · Summer
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The story
The story of Eisack Valley
Geography and territory
The Eisack Valley (Eisacktal) lies in the eastern part of Trentino-Alto Adige, in the province of Bolzano, following the Isarco river from the Brenner Pass down to its confluence with the Adige near Bolzano. It has long served as a natural corridor linking northern Europe to Italy, framed by steep slopes, terraced vineyards and side valleys such as Val di Funes. Along its course lie Vipiteno, Bressanone, Varna and Chiusa, together with smaller municipalities scattered across the valley floor and surrounding plateaus, in a territory where German and Italian have coexisted for centuries.
History and identity
A crossroads of trade routes since Roman times, the Eisack Valley owes much of its identity to Bressanone's role as an episcopal see, an ecclesiastical principality that governed the territory for centuries before passing to Tyrol and then to Austria-Hungary, until annexation to Italy in 1918. Vipiteno grew as a mining and market town along the Brenner route, while Chiusa developed at the foot of Sabiona monastery, one of the region's oldest Christian settlements. This borderland history has left Gothic architecture, episcopal palaces and a strongly German-speaking culture still alive in the villages today.
Landscape and nature
The narrow valley floor, followed by the Isarco river, opens sideways into scenically striking side valleys, foremost among them Val di Funes, dominated by the Odle Dolomite group, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Here green meadows, scattered farmsteads and small churches such as San Giovanni in Ranui form one of South Tyrol's most photographed landscapes. On the opposite slopes, coniferous forests, alpine pastures and trails connect the valley to the Alpe di Siusi plateau and Val Gardena, while further down the milder climate favours some of Europe's highest terraced vineyards.
Towns and places to see
Bressanone, South Tyrol's oldest town, preserves its Cathedral, the Bishop's Palace and an arcaded historic centre, close to Novacella Abbey, one of Europe's most important Augustinian monastic complexes. Vipiteno charms visitors with its Twelve Tower and frescoed houses along the main street, while Chiusa, perched below Sabiona monastery, is known as a town of artists for its galleries and workshops. Varna, on the edge of Bressanone, offers a quieter, more rural setting and a starting point for excursions to the area's farmsteads and panoramic trails.
Food, wine and traditions
The Eisack Valley is one of Italy's northernmost wine areas, with the Valle Isarco DOC designation showcasing white varieties such as Kerner, Sylvaner and Veltliner, grown on steep, sun-facing terraces. Farmhouse cooking of canederli dumplings, speck and mountain-pasture cheeses is complemented by produce sold directly from local farmsteads. Religious and agricultural traditions still mark the calendar with markets, patronal festivals and the Christmas markets of Bressanone and Vipiteno, among the region's most evocative, filling historic squares and lanes during the winter season.
Not to be missed
- Cathedral and historic centre of Bressanone, the episcopal town
- Novacella Abbey and its Baroque library
- Twelve Tower and medieval streets of Vipiteno
- The village of Chiusa and Sabiona monastery
- Val di Funes with the Odle peaks and the San Giovanni in Ranui church
To see
What to see in Eisack Valley
Routes · Trovido Route
Routes in Eisack Valley
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