Webcams in Val Venosta
The Val Venosta webcams look at the upper valley from four points: above Malles, over the basin and the fields; Prato allo Stelvio, at the foot of the pass; above Trafoi, over the Ortler glaciers and the Stelvio road; and above Solda, facing the Ortler.
Four cameras for the valley of the Adige between the Reschen Pass and Merano.
Places
The valley
Val Venosta (Vinschgau in German) is the upper valley of the Adige, in South Tyrol: the river rises near the Reschen Pass (Passo di Resia) and the valley runs down for about 70 kilometres to the gates of Merano. It is one of the driest areas of the Alps, with about 500 millimetres of rain a year: the valley floor, watered by the channels known as Waale, is covered with apple orchards. At the top is Lake Reschen (Lago di Resia), the largest lake in South Tyrol, with the fourteenth-century bell tower of Curon rising out of it. On the south side stands the Ortler (3,905 m), the highest peak in the province, in the Stelvio National Park.
Getting there
- By car
- From Merano the SS 38 climbs the valley to Spondigna: from there the SS 40 continues through Malles and Curon to the Austrian border, while the SS 38 climbs to Trafoi and the Stelvio Pass. From Switzerland you come in through Val Müstair: it is 12 kilometres from the border at Tubre to Sluderno.
- By train
- The Val Venosta railway links Merano and Malles in about 60 kilometres, and carries bicycles. From Malles station buses leave for the Reschen Pass and Austria, for Müstair and Zernez in Switzerland and for Solda.
- Alpine passes
- Reschen (1,504 m), towards Nauders and the Inn valley: open all year. Stelvio (2,758 m), from Prato allo Stelvio towards Bormio: closed in winter from Trafoi upwards, usually open from late May to early November. Umbrail (2,501 m), from the Stelvio road to Santa Maria in Val Müstair: usually closed from November to May, opening together with the Stelvio. The webcams show the road and the snow, they do not certify that a pass is open: in South Tyrol check with the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, on the Lombardy side of the Stelvio with ANAS, in Switzerland with the Canton of Graubünden.
When to go
Val Venosta is a valley of sunshine: sources count more than 300 clear days a year. In winter Lake Reschen freezes, usually from December to March, and there is skiing at Solda, on the Watles and at Trafoi. In late May the Stelvio usually reopens, and until early November you can drive up to the pass from Trafoi again.
What to do
Winter
- Frozen Lake Reschen
- At 1,498 metres, usually from December to March: people skate, cross-country ski and snowkite, and walk out to the bell tower.
- Skiing at Solda
- At the foot of the Ortler, from 1,900 to 3,250 metres, with about forty kilometres of pistes.
- Watles and Trafoi
- Two small areas: the Watles above Malles, between 1,750 and 2,500 metres, and Trafoi, with about ten kilometres of pistes.
Summer
- Stelvio Pass
- From Prato allo Stelvio almost 25 kilometres and 48 hairpin bends up to 2,758 metres: before you set off, look at the webcam on the pass.
- Val Venosta cycle path
- About 80 kilometres from the Reschen Pass to Merano, almost all flat or downhill, along the line of the Via Claudia Augusta; you come back by train.
- Round Lake Reschen
- An almost flat loop of 15 kilometres, starting from Curon and its bell tower.
On the map
Open the full mapFrequently asked questions
Which webcams are there in Val Venosta?
Four: Malles, which looks over the basin of the upper valley from 1,720 metres; Prato allo Stelvio, at 915 metres, at the foot of the Stelvio; Trafoi, which looks at the Ortler glaciers from 2,090 metres; and Solda, which faces the Ortler from 2,350 metres. They update every few minutes.
Is the Stelvio Pass open?
The Stelvio closes every winter: it usually opens in late May and closes in early November, earlier if it snows. On the South Tyrol side the closure starts at Trafoi; for the official opening, the announcement by the Autonomous Province of Bolzano is what counts.
Is the Reschen Pass open in winter?
Yes, the Reschen Pass (1,504 m) is usually open all year, with no winter closure. In the cold months you need winter equipment.
Is there a webcam on Lake Reschen or the Reschen Pass?
Not on this site. The nearest camera is the one at Malles, further down the valley: it shows the weather and the snow in the upper Val Venosta.
What is the bell tower in Lake Reschen?
It is the bell tower, dating from 1357, of the old church of Curon: it rises out of the water of the reservoir, created in 1950. In winter, when the lake freezes, you can walk to it.
