Altrei - in Trudner Horn Nature Park

The municipality of Altrei is home to almost 400 inhabitants. Despite its altitude of 1,200 m, it is priviledged in terms of climate as it is located on a sunny mountain plateau facing south.

The village centre is surrounded by meadows, where small vegetable and potato fields can be found. Where there are green meadows around Altrei today, the land was mainly characterized by agriculture in the past. Potatoes, barley and a certain type of lupine were cultivated here for the Altrei coffee. Some remains of the former fields can still be recognized todays on the old stone walls. However, many of those former fields became overgrown with bushes and trees.

More about the municipality of Altrei ...

Altrei – historical and cultural

Altrei is first mentioned in documents as a settlement in 1321. Situated directly on the border to the Italian language area, Altrei is referred to as a German fringe municipality. This closeness to Trentino also reflects in the settlement structure and the cultural landscape. Sometimes, time seems to have stopped in the romantic centre of Altrei.

• Parish churches of St. Catherine and St. Jacob in Altrei
• Trudner Horn Nature Park House with elevator mill in Truden
• Newly built limekiln in Altrei
• Brechel stove in Altrei
• Prehistoric settlement Burgstall in Altrei
  
   

Trudner Horn Nature Park

Nestled in Trudner Horn Nature Park is the small mountain village Altrei. Among all nature parks in South Tyrol, this one is home to the the greatest diversity of flora and fauna as this region also covers the sub-Mediterranean climatic zone.

On your hikes, you’ll see meadows with a wide variety of flowers and open larch woods, wetlands and moorlands. Special hiking trails lead you through this unique paradise, which the EC honoured as “Natura 2000” biotope.

The centre of attraction is the Trudner Horn Nature Park House in an old elevator mill, which has been refurbished in 2000. It is now milling the crops of supplying farmers from the region.

More about Trudner Horn Nature Park...

Kneipp facility in Altrei

Visit the new Kneipp facility in the Sandegg recreation area. This hydro experience facility gives new strength and energy …

• Arm basin: arm bath – "Kneipp’s coffee"
• Facial shower basin
• Water-treading basin
• Cold shower

The Kneipp therapy is based on five pillars: water – nutrition – movement – medicinal herbs and active health care. The hydrotherapy promotes blood circulation and therefore activates circulation of the whole body. 

Water treatments strengthen the immune system. Walking through the bare feet path is a benefit for the soles of our feet. The facial shower is also referred to as “beauty shower”.

More about Altreier recreation area with Kneipp facility in Sandegg (PDF)

Altrei coffee

Something special is the traditional Altrei coffee, a coffee ersatz made from the seeds of local lupines (Lupinus pilus).

It is thanks to the combination of acid and sandy soil that the lupines grow particularly well in Altrei and that this lupine species was named after the mountain village: Voltruier Lupine. After the tradition of Altrei coffee making was almost lost, it has been revived today.

In former times, there were three ways to build coffee fields: the lupines were either cultivated in two to three lines below the crop fields or it was cultivated all around the potato fields. Families that needed lots of coffee also laid out a separate coffee field.

The Altrei coffee was blended with barley or wheat before people drank it.

Association of Altrei lupine coffee farmers