Brixen and environs has a long religious tradition that is still palpable at every turn and down every alleyway. Yet the holiday region in the middle of the Eisack valley is hardly stingy with its worldly delights. Palates will be satisfied on a visit to the countless mountain huts and on a stroll through the splendid 'Lauben' arcades in this former episcopal town.

An oasis of calm
The town of Brixen and the surrounding area lie amidst fertile orchards. Around Vahrn, there are vines and chestnut trees thriving on the sunny slopes and apple orchards dominate the landscape on Natz-Schabs high plateau.Lovingly-tended lawns and colourful monastery gardens may be found in the former episcopal town itself, where the land still largely belongs to the Church. The gardens of the Franciscan and Clarissan monastery and most of the Hofburg gardens are not open to the public. However, guided tours are available and may be booked for a more in-depth experience of the splendid exotic trees, rare plants and herbs and fragrant blooms.Another oasis of calm are the monastery gardens of the Augustine Canons' Abbey. Active and lively Neustift Abbey opens its gardens to the public three days a week. The herbs grown in the gardens are made into herb tea mixtures and sold in the Abbey shop.

There is truth in wine
Brixen and its surrounding area are dominated by wine-growing. Some of the best white wines in Italy come from the Eisacktal valley. Along with private vintners, Neustift Abbey winery, comprising 5 hectares of vineyards, is one of the most successful producers of white wine from Eisacktal valley.

Culture guaranteed
The former episcopal town of Brixen is now the cultural centre of the Eisacktal valley. Brixen and its environs have a rich past. Its countless attractions and museums will be much appreciated by all art and culture lovers. A particularly exciting way of getting to know the town is a theatrical guided tour or tour with a medieval night watchman.There's an interesting cultural heritage waiting to be discovered outside the town walls, too, including the ruins of Salern in Vahrn, the art-historically precious chapels, churches and wayside shrines in Lüsen and Natz-Schabs, or the largest monastery in Tyrol in Neustift. A leg of the South Tyrol Way of St. James goes past Neustift Abbey as well. When staying at a holiday flat in Brixen and environs, you'll get in touch with the earthy side of the local culture, such as the rural custom of the 'Almabtrieb' in Lüsen, at village fetes or at the festival celebrating the apple queens in Natz-Schabs.

Natural experiences
If you'd rather leave the hustle and bustle of town life behind you, a Farm Holiday in Brixen and environs will throw up all number of options. The whole family will love a trip to the nearest mountain to Brixen, the Plose, which affords fantastic views of the Dolomites in Puez-Geisler Nature Park, the proud Geisler mountain peaks and the mighty Peitlerkofel mountain.Lüsner Alm pasture provides a gentle, child-friendly place for walking both in winter and summer and for taking a dip in the natural swimming lake. The biotopes in Vahrn and Natz-Schabs are a paradise for bird watchers and are encircled by easy walking paths. The trails in the nearby Sarner Alps offer mountain bikers all sorts of options for exploring the mountain terrain.Wildkofel Spiluck climbing garden, featuring routes of differing levels of difficulty to cater for all needs and a special climbing wall for children is worth a trip, too.

Why you should take a Farm Holiday in Brixen and environs:

• Some of Italy's best white wines
• Neustift Abbey and Brixen Cathedral are prime examples of ecclesiastical architecture
• The Dolomites and Alps close by