| Page Views: 620 Last Visit to Melago: October, 2007 | Melag - one of the highest villages in South Tirol by lotharlerch - last update: Nov 3, 2007 |
Not as "off the beaten path" as you would expect | Langtauferer Tal with Melag towards the West |
Melag (or "Melago" in Italian according to the list of topographic names in South Tirol elaborated by Benito Mussolini's friend Ettore Tolomei) was for many centuries really off the beaten path simply due to its exteme setting at the end of a remote side valley (Langtauferertal/Vallelunga) at about 1920 m above sea level despite of the fact that the second lowest pass crossing the Central Alps - Reschenpass/Passo Resia, 1505 m high - is not very far away. The first small river feeding the river Etsch (Adige in Italian, this name was not invented by Tolomei but was always the name for all the river after it leaves South Tirol) from the left side in the village Graun/Curon Venosta at the Reschensee/Lago di Resia comes down from this valley.
But why are people living here in such an extreme area? This valley is - as a part of the Vinschgau/Val Venosta region - one of the most sunny and driest regions in the heart of Europe. This makes - supported by artificial irrigation - some farming possible even in these high altitudes. It is also one of the highest artificially irrigated regions in Europe.
You may find the region on a better map if you search for the Three Countries Corner Austria-Italy-Switzerland and follow from there the Austrian-Italian border. It is just South from the main ridge of the Otztaler Alpen which goes from the Reschenpass to the East.
Generally it can be stated that it is one of the still most untouched regions of the whole Alps. There is some tourism here, of course, but it does not perturb the picture. |
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| Pros: | "Great almost perfectly preserved old Alpine cultural landscape" | | Cons: | "I do not know any" | | In A Nutshell: | "Enjoy it as long as it is like that" |
lotharlerch's Melago Travel Tips
 Comments for lotharlerch about Melago | | | | |
globetrott Sat Nov 3, 2007 12:50 UTC
da werden also all die Vischgauer gemacht, eigentlich mein Lieblings-Gebäck ! |
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