Prettau is a tiny municipality of the Ahrntal, Alto Adige, wedged between the Vedrette di Ries mountains beyond which there is Austria. The road that crosses the entire valley ends in Kasern, Prettau, that is a small group of houses, hotels, inns at 1600 meters.
It's a place out of this world: in summer starting point for walks while in winter it is ideal for relaxing and forgetting about noise, traffic and smog. You can devote yourself to a bit simpler winter sports: in fact there are no slopes and ski lifts but sleds and bobs with which to throw yourself off the slope, snow-covered pastures to be covered with ciaspole ice skating rink where all day the unlikely "hits" of the area and the cross-country track, Sonnenloipe.
This in particular, the name means the ring of the sun, she's gorgeous. Modulated in 3 different degrees of difficulty and therefore passable even by absolute beginners, it leads to wonderful snowy landscapes. A stream, an ancient church, shelters for animals, the wood cross. At the start a small hut rents boots and cross-country skis, here you buy the brand that corresponds to the skipass for the stratospheric sum of 5 euros per day or 20 per week.
Along the way there are several Alm or shelters where you can taste the specialties local: platters of cold cuts and Schuttelbrot, soups, cheeses and flavored cucumbers, Kaiserschmarren (a sweet omelette with fruit compote) and the inevitable Apfelstrudel mit Vanillesosse (hot, served with vanilla sauce).
Kasern therefore has a magic by day for its pristine landscape and by night. When darkness falls in winter here is absolute peace and lights, and starry sky, no clubs or shops for shopping. Everyone locks themselves up in the warmth of the Stube or more simply in the restaurant of the hotel. By the way, you can stay overnight at the Stern, a simple inn with excellent cuisine, where the room with half board costs 40 euros per day per person.
