Life on the alps
When the animals go on vacation
The holiday region 3 Zinnen Dolomites counts five holiday villages. And these can be described as real mountain villages. The municipalities have about 11,000 inhabitants and the farmers keep almost 6,000 cattle, many of which are brought to the alpine pastures in summer. And so the alpine meadows become quite lively in summer.
When the snow has melted in early summer and the lush green of the mountain meadows grows, the farmers bring their animals to the alpine pastures. The shepherds are already eagerly waiting for this- for the summer on the alpine pasture. Although the herdsmen's life is exhausting, they find the few months away from the hustle and bustle of the valley very pleasant.
We go on a mountain holiday to relax, experience adventures and return home healthy with a lot of new strength. It is similar with the animals: with tractors or on foot the animals are brought up to 2.000m in mid-June. There they stay in herds on the pasture during the summer. The lush grass of the alpine meadows and the fresh air bring them a lot of health and let them become strong. But not only calves, but also horses, donkeys, llamas and sheep are brought to the alpine pasture. In autumn the animals are brought back to the valley. The return of the cattle is also celebrated in some places in our holiday region.
Do you want to watch the animals on their holiday on the alpine pastures? On the panoramic alpine pasture hike at Stiergarten, bull Emil and 700 other animals are waiting for your visit. On Prato Piazza you can enjoy the magnificent panorama from the huts while the animals graze beside you. Every village has its own alpine pastures, which sometimes include an alpine hut, where you can taste the typical South Tyrolean cuisine. A hike there should definitely be included in your holiday plans!
But beware! The animals can feel threatened if you get too close to them and their young. Here you will find some useful information that you should definitely consider when you visit!
A mountain pasture is not a petting zoo