San Viglio di Marebbe is a small Italian Village in the Dolomites with a population of 1,200 hundred or so. Though its population routinely triples in the summer in winter as tourists enjoy the outdoor paradise. Tucked away in a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is best known for preserving its Ladin language, mountain culture, and legendary alpine folklore. Today, it merges its traditional farming traditions with world-class winter sports, making it a premier skiing destination in the Dolomites.
We arrived in San Vigilio on foot after a 10-mile hike from Lago di Braies in July. For my first hike in the mountains for a few years, my legs were feeling it. As a result, sightseeing in St. Viglio did not immediately top the list when we stumbled into town around five pm. Instead, in need of getting off my feet, we checked into our hotel, located right across from the church in the middle of town.
Where to Stay in San Vigilio
Hotel Corona is a historic, 4-star hotel run by the same family for over a century! The building was originally constructed in 1505 by a knight and nobleman for the Sonnenburg Monastery. In 1774 it was converted into an Inn which became a popular meeting place for locals.
Over the last two decades, the property has operated as a contemporary wellness hotel. The family operator believes in the power of crystals, so guests will find rocks and crystals throughout the hotel as well as in a jewelry showcase in the lobby.
Its downstairs wellness spa features a grotto with whirlpools and a natural stone pool. Even if you don’t plan on indulging in one of the many spa treatments, be sure to stop in and explore. I could have used a spa treatment when I arrived, but instead I took advantage of my giant room with a separate shower and tub and took an ice bath. Well, the spring water was about as cold as ice!
From the friendly service at the lovely buffet breakfast to the convenient location and nice view of the ski mountain, we really enjoyed our stay at Hotel Corona.
Where to Eat in San Vigilio
After our long day of hiking, we had worked up and appetite and walked a few blocks to an extremely popular farm to table restaurant called Plazores. We arrived before 7pm and both the indoor and outdoor seating were full! We squeezed into an outdoor bar area with the sun blazing on our backs.
Either the menu uses many fancy terms to describe some basic items, or there was an Italian/English language barrier. We had to ask our spectacular waiter what several things were. One such item ended up being a crouton!
We ordered a few appetizers including a potato dough ravioli with pine nuts. Mike had the special of the day. Paula enjoyed the goulash. And I got ox liver in bone broth as I needed some protein. The beautifully plated food looked like art, and the overall experience was just lovely.
On our way back to the hotel, we spotted the Gelateria Pasticceria Hotel Teresa where we took dessert to go. We couldn’t believe we got three cups of gelato for six euro! Don’t miss out on this deal.
Hikes in St. Vigil
As mentioned in my previous post, we used a company called MacsAdventure to coordinate our hiking trip and transfer our bags as we explored the Dolomites. They suggested two hikes around the area.
Option 1 required taking the bus to Pederu and walking back to San Vigilio. This easy 8-mile hike gradually descended to town.
Option 2 was an 8 mile hike up to Furkelpass and back which had about 2,000 feet of elevation gain as well as loss.
We chose the first option so I could rest my legs and so Paula, who prefers flatter trails, could join us. Fortunately, the bus stop was right outside our hotel, and the hotel provided us with free bus pass. All we had to do was find the bus schedule which we left up to Mike as the posted times are not always reliable.
Hike from Pederu to San Vigilio
The trail begins at Rifugio Pederu, a historic mountain guesthouse in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Fanes–Senes–Braies Natural Park. The path, sometimes single track and sometimes car width passes through the forest while following a crystal clear creek. It was marked for a marathon when we hiked it, so we took a few slight detours, but in all, it was an easy stroll.
Along the way we saw bee hives, remnants of historic structures, several wood carvings, meadows with farmhouses surrounded by mountains, an old hydraulic system for a sawmill, and even a listening device that amplifies the sound of the creek!
Ciamaor Beach and Owl Park
Upon reaching the outskirts of town, the path led us through Ciamaor Beach next to Owl Park. Ciamaor Beach is a park with a lovely view, swim area, and café. Many locals enjoyed the nice weather as they relaxed in lounge chairs, read, and exercised their dogs.
Next to the beach is Owl Park, which houses 110 birds of prey. The facility focuses on wildlife rehabilitation, environmental awareness, and conserving endangered nocturnal species. Visitors may walk among the aviaries, attend afternoon flight demonstrations, or register for a night visit.
While we didn’t visit Owl Park, we sat next to it as we stopped for lunch at the café before continuing the rest of the way into town. The atmosphere was better than the meal. The trail, where many signboards explained local folklore, followed the creek in the shade of the forest. The signboards were in three languages and English wasn’t one of them, so I have no stories to share, though Google Translate can do the honors.
Parish Church of San Vigilio
We finally reached San Vigilio around 2pm and wandered around town just a little. We started by checking out the Parish Church of San Vigilio. Rebuilt in a refined late-Baroque and Rococo style between 1781 and 1782, it stands on the layered remains of older Romanesque and Gothic predecessors.
The church is highly regarded for its magnificent interior, which features a prominent Gothic bell tower and intricate, expansive ceiling frescoes painted by the renowned Bavarian master Matthäus Günther. Additionally, the cemetery outside the structure was also quite pretty. The graves with colorful flowers are tended to by local families.
Kronplatz Ski Area
From the church we walked over to the Kronplatz Ski Area behind the Hotel Corona. The world-class ski area features over 120 kilometers of interconnected slopes ranging from beginner friendly to the “Black Five” expert runs. It is most famous for hosting the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup that attracts the world’s best female racers to the Women’s Giant Slalom.
Final Dinner
After strolling the somewhat quiet streets, we settled for a quick dinner at Pizza Doner. I am almost embarrassed to say we ate here because it was like a fast-food joint, but honestly, it was spectacular!! The poor guy that served us was so patient. Despite the pictures, we asked tons of questions and basically ended up with a generous portion of chicken gyro sandwiches and fries. The salad was nice too. We were so pleasantly surprised! Our dinner was good fuel for tomorrow’s hike to Rifugio Pederu to St. Kassian.
Other Things to Do in San Vigilio
While our trip to the Dolomites was centered around hiking, other things to do in San Vigilio include renting an e-bike and cycling the trail we hiked, flying down one of Europe’s longest ziplines, and visiting the summit museum to explore mountain history. Overall, we enjoyed the quaint mountain town of St. Vigil and all it had to offer in South Tyrol, Italy. ETB
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