Travel guide Heinfels
In the Heart of East Tyrol
The small village of Heinfels is located in the district of
Lienz in
East Tyrol, Austria. You can easily reach your private holiday apartment in Heinfels by train and public transport via the train station in the neighboring town of Sillian. With the Drautalbahn, you have connections to Klagenfurt and the
South Tyrol-Trentino region. By car, you can reach your holiday accommodation in Heinfels via Innsbruck, Sterzing, and Bruneck.
Perfect Hiking and Skiing Weather in the Shelter of the Main Alpine Ridge
East Tyrol is one of Austria's most beautiful weather regions with the most hours of sunshine and the fewest rainy days per year. East Tyrol is sheltered by the main Alpine ridge. In July and August, the mercury rises to 23 °C – perfect weather for hiking and cycling. Between December and February, temperatures range between -7 and 1 °C – perfect for a ski holiday in
Ski Holiday in East Tyrol.
Kasknödel and Schlipfkrapfen – Traditional Alpine Cuisine
In
Tyrol, it's best to eat in one of the many mountain huts or traditional Tyrolean inns. These have already organized themselves and carry a green sign with three leaves if they meet the following three criteria:
- Use of traditional ingredients that are fresh and seasonal.
- Maintenance of handed-down recipes from the Tyrol region.
- Maintenance of authentic atmosphere and Tyrolean architecture.
Let's take a look at the menu. For example, you'll find Tyrolean dumplings with bacon in a clear beef soup, regional Graukäse with onions, vinegar, and oil, as well as Schlutz or Schlipfkrapfen. As a snack during a stopover on a hike, a hearty Brettljause with bacon, cheese, sausage, eggs, and pickled gherkins is suitable. You can get this at any hut. If you want something special, try Virgentaler Schöpsernes, an East Tyrolean dish prepared in the East Tyrolean style. Although Austria is a wine country, more beer is drunk in Tyrol. Good inns, however, have wines from Burgenland,
Styria, or South Tyrol on the wine list. In summer, a fresh Grüner Veltliner is just the thing. In winter, by a crackling fireplace, we recommend a Zweigelt or a Vernatsch from South Tyrol.
The Mountain Calls
Enjoy your
holiday in the mountains in East Tyrol in the tranquil village of Heinfels in the Puster Valley at an altitude of over 1,000 meters. The Glinzzipf of the Villgrater Mountains rises to a height of 2,126 meters, and the neighboring Hollbrucker Eck reaches 2,573 meters. Here you can hike, climb, mountain bike, and cycle. Whether alpine climbing tour or relaxed walk across the alpine meadows, whether with a mountain bike or a relaxed e-bike, everyone gets their money's worth here. A highlight is the Drau Cycle Path along the Drau River. The 366-kilometer cycle path follows the river. The starting point in Toblach can be reached by train. The Sillian – Thurntaler ski area in Hochpustertal is only a few hundred meters away from your holiday apartment in Heinfels. Over 22 kilometers of slopes and seven lifts are available here, as well as a children's fun park for the little ones. For future summit climbers, the adventure world "Wichtelpark" in Silian offers a great and safe climbing park.
Burg Heinfels Towers Above All
Burg Heinfels towers at 1,130 meters above the municipality and is considered the landmark of the Puster Valley. The foundation of the castle dates back to the 6th and 5th centuries. Since the 7th century, Heinfels was in the possession of the Bavarian dukes. The oldest parts of the extensive hilltop castle complex that still exist today date back to the 13th century. The castle changed hands many times over the centuries. Today it belongs to an entrepreneurial family who is having the complex restored. A museum and a gastronomy are planned. A covered wooden bridge below the castle, which originally dates from the 16th century and was revised in the 18th century, leads back to the village. The bridge served as a ban bridge over the Villgratenbach. In the village, the Tessenberg parish church is worth a visit. It dates back to the 14th century and was expanded and rebuilt in the 15th century. Inside, the carved Gothic high altar is particularly noteworthy.