Brixen

There where those coming from the north meet the first vineyards in sun-drenched South Tyrol you will find the charming episcopal city of Brixen in a wide valley at the confluence of the rivers Eisack and Rienz. This historical town, surrounded by the famous mountain landscapes of the Dolomites, is still a place of peace and quiet despite all the changes it has witnessed over the centuries. It is the ideal place to discover the Tyrolean way of life together with all its customs and traditions. The old town center is full of avenues and parks which invite the visitor to relax and to idle the hours away. The town is surrounded by vineyards and orchards which yield a rich harvest in the autumn. At every step the town teems with history - Brixen is a true delight for people fond of art and culture!

Vahrn/Varna / Neustift/Novacella - Gateway to the South!
This was how an author described the Eisacktal in his travel notes, when, coming from the north, he encountered vineyards and chestnut groves for the first time. It is probably for the mild climate that the prince bishops of Brixen and the court nobles built their beautiful houses and fortresses here many centuries ago.
The area around the lake Vahrner See is idyllic, and the lake is a popular destination for visitors on account of the iodine in its waters.

Franzensfeste/Fortezza
Hugely impressive, a fortress built of massive blocks of granite, apparently impregnable and dominating the narrow part of the valley south of the water reservoir, and yet harmless: the Franzensfeste was built between 1833-39, named after Kaiser Franz the 1st of Austria and was at that time the strongest fortress in Europe. However this defensive construction never experienced a real battle and was soon left bihind on a technical level, but continues to tower over the landscape today. The village of Franzensfeste lies further up the valley above the reservoir, constructed in 1940, and is an important railway junction: all the long-distance trains stop here, and lines go from here through the Pustertal and Kärnten to Vienna.