Day trip destination
Montiggler Seen lakes: Eppan’s enchanted lakes
The lakes at Montiggl look like they have come straight out of the screenplay of a fairytale, complete with enchanted castles and surrounding fairytale landscape.
The forest of Montiggl, around eight kilometres southwest of Bozen, is one of the largest recreation areas in South Tyrol, measuring an area of one square kilometre, and enjoys protected status. Yet it is no menacing jungle like in the Grimm tales. Instead of dark woodland where witches and wolves live, visitors can go on walks through sparse pine forest and mixed woodland. The atmosphere is much more family-friendly than in the well-known stories, too. This is mainly because of its two lakes, which lie at the centre of the forest.
Lakes at Montiggl - small or large?
Anyone going down to the woods at Montiggl can decide which lake to head towards. As the name suggests, there are two lakes there: the large Montiggl lake lies in a forested hollow of the Mitterberg, while the small Montiggl lake is also surrounded by woodland, slightly further north. Both are worth a visit, one reason being that they offer different things.
The surface of the large Montiggl lake is just over three times as great as that of its little brother and it offers visitors more luxury. You can drive and park close to the lake, where there is a heated open air pool featuring the longest water slide in South Tyrol next to the lake and the restaurant of the nearby hotel serves meals.
The small Montiggl lake, on the other hand, has a slightly more idyllic character. You can get to it on foot or by taking a shuttle bus that regularly leaves the car park at Montiggl. The snack bar at the lake is smaller and there is a sunbathing lawn on the banks of the lake instead of a whole swimming pool. The highlight of this lake is swimming out and being able to watch the shimmering water and surrounding woodland amidst peace and quiet. 'Fairytale' does not have to mean kitschy here.
But even if there are differences in what both brothers have to offer, they have one thing in common: their water quality. In 2009, they were voted the cleanest bathing lakes in Italy.
Why just swimming?
The clean water of the lakes is very tempting, but if you prefer to stay dry, the area around Montiggl is a pleasant destination for an excursion. Lots of hiking and cycling paths cut through Montiggl forest. A good family walk, for example, leads around both lakes in one and a half hours. An ice cream at the large Montiggl lake will provide additional incentive to keep walking.
Cyclists can start their tour in Tramin or Kaltern and cycle through orchards and vineyards to the forests of Montiggl. As well as easy forest trails, there are a few interesting paths for mountain bikers here, too.
The wild man of Montiggl
A tour around Montiggl forest and around the lakes has the advantage of offering lots to see. Going around the lake, for example, the 'Seeschlössl' is in sight, which is a medieval-looking country house built around 130 years ago at the large Montiggl lake. There is a biotope nearby full of reeds that may be explored by means of a wooden walkway.
'Frühlingstal', or 'spring valley' near the hamlet of Montiggl is also worth a trip, where spring announces its arrival at the end of February with thousands of early blooming wild flowers.
Another popular cycling and hiking stretch is 'Wilder Mann Bühel'. This hill in Montiggl forest does not just afford good views across the forest and the Überetsch area. Finds from the late-Bronze and mid-Iron Age as well as parts of burnt bones indicated that 'Wilder Mann Bühel' used to be a pre historic site for burnt offerings. In the 19th century, Peter Weth made this spot his home after returning from his adventures as a gold digger in America and spent the rest of his life there as a hermit. A stone still bears the inscription 'P.W. Born 1824'.
Montiggl lakes
Further information
Position:
The big Montiggl Lake is located in the middle of the nature reserve Montiggl with its stunning mixed forest in the community of Eppan on 492 meters above sea level. It can be reached by car or by the numerous walking paths nearby.
Topography:
The big Montiggl Lake has a shoreline of 2 kilometres and its surface is around 18 hectares wide. At its deepest spot it has a depth of 11.5 meters. In the north-east it is surrounded by rock, whereat the opposite site it changes to a swamp.
Utilization:
According to analyses the lake has very good data regarding the water quality and is therefore one of South Tyroles most popular swimming lake. In the west of the lake there are hotels, restaurants and a swimming pool with a pier located.