Embedded in the abundant greenery on a steep mountainside, sunny Stilfs/Stelvio lies in the heart of the Ortler holiday region. Dating from the 15th Century when miners began to extract iron ore from the Ortler Alps, the village is a typical conglomerate of Romanesque houses in the upper Vinschgau/Val Venosta area. Iron was much in demand in the early modern period and the mining villages were important centres of economic activity at the time. The terraced village is characterized by its winding narrow lanes and compact stone dwellings that rise up against the sky.
Today Stilfs is better known as a community of artists. In the nearby mountain village of Trafoi lies the naturatrafoi Visitor Centre, offering fascinating insights into the geology of the Ortler Alps. It shows how plants and animals have adapted over time to the extreme climatic conditions in these high mountains.
www.ortler.it