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This is what South Tyrol tastes like! – Culinary hotspots in focus – My Lana and South Tyrol tour continues. In the first part, I introduced you to my accommodation, the organic hotel "theiner's garten," and told you about my first day in sunny South Tyrol. The second day was also thankfully filled with many culinary highlights and wonderful festivities. Come along, let's go…

(Missed part 1? – Read about my first stay in Lana here..
And you can read the first part of this, my second stay, here.)

Breakfast brunch on the estate with panoramic views

Brunch at the "Gutshof"„

My next day in Lana started off perfectly. It began with a brunch of a scale – and especially with such a setting – that would be hard to find back home in Munich. My companion and I went to the "Gutshof," which is part of a golf course in Lana and also serves as a restaurant for golfers. The sunny estate boasts both a modern yet cozy restaurant/bistro and a spacious outdoor seating area with about 20 round, set tables. The view is breathtaking, offering stunning vistas of both the golf course and the vast landscape of South Tyrol while you enjoy your breakfast. Brunch is available in a small or large size, priced at €15 or €25 respectively. The table is laden with just about everything you could wish for: fresh fruit, sweet pastries, various yogurts, fresh milk, ham, cheese, salmon on a tiered stand, different types of bread, fresh orange juice, and much more. Sitting here for breakfast is a true delight. Brunch is served seven days a week (always from 8:30 to 11:00 AM | the kitchen is closed on Mondays outside of breakfast hours). For groups of 10 or more, a special breakfast buffet can be booked, which, in addition to the above, includes a generous selection of cakes, pastries, omelets, crêpes, sparkling wine, and more. From 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM (until 5:00 PM on Sundays), a daily changing, homemade lunch menu is served after breakfast. In the evening (5:00 PM to 8:00 PM), delicious aperitifs and fresh antipasti are available. A visit is highly recommended; it's well worth it.

A brief glimpse into the fruit tree museum in South Tyrol. The focus: the apple.

The Fruit Tree Museum

Not far from the lovely breakfast spot is the South Tyrolean Fruit Tree Museum. Here, you can discover an almost endless amount of fascinating information about fruit cultivation and the history and development of South Tyrol in connection with fruit growing – with a particular focus on the (South Tyrolean) apple. The mere fact that South Tyrol, with 18,500 hectares, is the largest contiguous fruit-growing region in Europe and produces six billion (!) apples annually, heightens the anticipation for further exciting facts. For example, a guided tour of the museum started immediately upon my arrival, covering the river regulation in the valley around 1850, including the introduction of the railway, apple cultivation in the valley, and the history of the apple itself. I learned, for instance, that around 1900, apples were in high demand and considered a true rarity. Back then, an apple could easily cost 10 euros. Incredible, isn't it? Apples from South Tyrol were exported as far as St. Petersburg, and everyone wanted to eat the delicious "tree gold".

„How were apples harvested in the past?“ – you can find out this and much more at the Fruit Tree Museum.

Much has changed since then, and South Tyrolean apple cultivation has long since been divided into various cooperatives, which manage, direct, and monitor it. I learned a great deal about apples themselves. I also learned that a tree typically bears fruit for up to 35 years and that both its height and the size of the harvest are strictly controlled. In short, apple cultivation and distribution is a very complex topic, and my anticipation for my visit to "Bio Südtirol" – more on that later – grew by the minute. After the tour, I explored the rest of the museum and saw, in addition to an old farmhouse kitchen, many other interesting things related to apples. As a fruit and apple enthusiast, I highly recommend visiting (opening hours: Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and learning all about apples, apple cultivation, harvesting, varieties, and more. (Admission 4 euros per person, family ticket 10 euros; guided tours in German take place on Mondays at 2:30 pm and Wednesdays at 10:30 am).

Pure holiday feeling at Haidenhof

Haidenhof Winery Wine Tavern

After so much input, my stomach was rumbling again, and it was time for a good lunch. My companion from South Tyrol chose the Haidenhof. I hadn't been there before, but after leaving the table, it was definitely one of my favorites during my second visit. After a winding drive up the mountain, you sit on a beautiful, partly sunny terrace, surrounded by free-roaming peacocks and roosters, and can enjoy the breathtaking view of Lana and Lebenberg. It couldn't be more beautiful, and my spot under a fig tree with a glass of South Tyrolean wine and the sun on my face was simply heavenly. The Haidenhof is a family-run winery and wine tavern in one. After my companion and I had chosen a table, we studied the well-stocked menu, which focused on South Tyrolean cuisine.

It's wonderful to sit under the fig trees at Haidenhof.

After browsing through the numerous delicacies, we opted for a delicate venison carpaccio with fresh chanterelles and arugula (€13.50), as well as sauerkraut-cured local beef with onions (€13.00) and house-smoked trout from the Passeier Valley with horseradish and organic farmhouse bread (€15.20). While eating, I chatted a bit with the family who run the farm and thoroughly enjoyed my delicious meal, the atmosphere, and the overall ambiance. Be sure to check out their website and add Haidenhof to your list. You'll feel right at home there. So, take your time and enjoy yourself. And absolutely (!) try the apricot dumpling from the side. I don't eat warm desserts very often, but this was by far the best apricot dumpling I've ever had. The Kaiserschmarrn and apple strudel – we were served a trio – were also simply delicious. A real hotspot in Lana, in my opinion. Haidenhof is open from mid-March to early November, from 10:30 am to 8:00 pm. You can find out more here. here.

Fresh bratwurst roll to go on "Long Thursday". Delicious!

The long Thursday in Lana

After a bit of rest at the hotel, we headed out in the early evening for "Long Thursday." This event takes place annually in July and August and is a must for anyone who enjoys open-air street festivals combined with friendly people and good food. Both tourists and locals regularly flock here. What's it all about? Every Thursday until 11 p.m., there's a kind of street festival that combines live music in Gries, a comprehensive entertainment program at the town hall square, and late-night shopping along the pedestrian zone. It's practically impossible to miss or overlook "Long Thursday" while strolling through the streets of Lana, as the popular evening program extends throughout the entire town center. Various market stalls and culinary partners are part of "Long Thursday," offering something for everyone, from children and families to foodies, shoppers, and night owls. Many shops are also open. With live music, dancing, and entertainment, it's well worth browsing the individual stalls. You'll find locally made clothing, jewelry, spirits, wine, delicious food, and much more. From BBQ smokers and homemade ice cream to South Tyrolean wine, grilled doughnuts and sausages, Schlutzkrapfen (filled pasta), apricot dumplings, burgers, beer, and more, there's truly something for everyone. Take your time. On the Lana Tourist Office website, you'll find all the participants, exhibitors, and shops taking part in "Long Thursday." (For example, my first stop was "Gasthaus 1477 Reichhalter"—these restaurants are also part of the event, as are "Thaler 1333" and "Gutshof." Just take a look on the website.) Website um.)

How do you make the perfect apple strudel?

…and so it goes on

There was still so much more for me to discover, and at my last stops I even got to try my hand at some things! A South Tyrolean farmer showed me how to make the perfect apple strudel "South Tyrolean style," I was invited to Bio Südtirol – South Tyrol's leading organic apple producer – and visited 160 beehives at the Kammerhof farm, complete with a honey tasting. So join me on my journey to South Tyrol in this fourth installment.

+++ This article was created in cooperation with the Lana and Surrounding Area Tourism Association. Thank you! +++

Contact for inquiries

Lana, South Tyrol | Lana holiday region |
„"Lana and Surroundings Tourism Association"“
Website

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