The symbolic hamlet of Val di Funes, with its little church below the Odle spires, one of the most photographed views in the Dolomites.
A short history
Santa Maddalena, Sankt Magdalena in German, is the highest and best known hamlet of Val di Funes, at 1,339 metres. It is a handful of farmsteads scattered across the meadows, with the parish church standing in the middle of the fields and the walls of the Odle closing the horizon behind it.
The valley long stayed off the main Dolomite tourist routes. No large lifts, no ski circuit: here the landscape is one of mountain farmsteads, agriculture and woods. It is exactly this rural character, with the little church and the Odle behind it, that has made Santa Maddalena one of the most widespread images of South Tyrol.
Val di Funes is the land of the climber Reinhold Messner, who grew up among these villages. The Odle group, the Sass Rigais and the other peaks are part of the Puez-Odle Nature Park, and some of the finest trails at the foot of the spires start from Santa Maddalena.
What to see
- The Santa Maddalena viewpoint, the spot from which you see the little church with the Odle behind it, among the most photographed panoramas in the Dolomites.
- The Adolf Munkel trail, which runs at the foot of the north faces of the Odle, inside the Puez-Odle Nature Park.
- The Glatsch alp and the Puez-Odle pastures, a rest stop along the trails below the peaks.
Frequently asked questions
What to see in Santa Maddalena?
The viewpoint with the little church and the Odle behind it, the Adolf Munkel trail at the foot of the north faces and the Glatsch alp in the pastures of the Puez-Odle Nature Park. It is the starting point for the finest hikes in Val di Funes.
Why is Santa Maddalena so photographed?
Because its church, standing alone in the meadows with the Odle spires behind it, forms one of the most recognisable views in the Dolomites. The viewpoint above the village is the best spot to capture it.