Historic village of the Upper Val Pusteria with its painted square and the Wassermann house, near Lake Braies.
A short history
Villabassa, Niederdorf in German, sits at 1,158 metres in the Upper Val Pusteria, between Dobbiaco and Monguelfo. It is an old village, grown along the ancient road that linked the valley to Austria and the Cadore, and for centuries it was a stopping place for carts, merchants and travellers.
The centre keeps a compact, well-kept look, with the village square, houses with painted facades and the historic Wassermann house, today a museum that tells of life in the old days. From here, in the early twentieth century, passed those climbing toward Lake Braies when the great hotel on the lake was a destination of European holidaymaking.
Today Villabassa is a quiet holiday village. On the Val Pusteria cycle path and a few kilometres from Lake Braies, it remains a good base for exploring the Upper Val Pusteria while keeping the feel of a historic village.
Villabassa is considered the cradle of tourism in the Upper Val Pusteria. The credit goes to Emma Hellenstainer, known as Frau Emma, who from the mid-nineteenth century ran the Black Eagle hotel in the centre of the village. Her cooking set the standard across Tyrol, she was the first hotelier to employ a mountain guide and among the founders of the local tourist association. In 1899 the emperor Franz Joseph awarded her the Gold Cross of Merit.
Just south of the village, hidden in the woods, are the Baths of Pian di Maia, Bad Maistatt in German. Born in the mid-eighteenth century around a spring, they were a place of cure frequented by the nobility when the Upper Val Pusteria came into fashion. Beside the spring still stands the small chapel of Saint John of Nepomuk.
How to fit Villabassa into a three, five or seven day trip: The Dolomites in 3, 5 or 7 Days: How to Plan Your Trip.
What to see
- The old town with its painted square and the Wassermann house, a testimony to the Villabassa of the past.
- The Val Pusteria cycle path, which passes through the village along the valley floor.
- Lake Braies, a few kilometres away, historically linked to Villabassa.
How to get to Villabassa
By car you leave the A22 Brenner motorway at Bressanone and follow the Val Pusteria main road eastward, between Monguelfo and Dobbiaco. Villabassa has its own stop on the Val Pusteria railway line, handy for those arriving by train. From the village the valley buses leave and, in season, the shuttles to Lake Braies.
When to go
Villabassa is quiet in every season. Summer is best for the cycle path and for reaching nearby Lake Braies. In winter snow covers the valley floor and the village stays a quiet base for skiing in the Upper Val Pusteria. Spring and autumn offer the painted old town almost without crowds.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to see in Villabassa?
The old town with its square of painted facades and the Wassermann house, which tells of the village's life. The village sits on the Val Pusteria cycle path and is a few kilometres from Lake Braies.
Is Villabassa close to Lake Braies?
Yes. Villabassa is a few kilometres from Lake Braies and was historically its gateway, when the hotel on the lake was an early twentieth-century holiday destination.
What is the Wassermann house?
It is a historic house in the centre of Villabassa, today a museum, that tells of life in the old days. It stands beside the square of painted facades and is the liveliest testimony to old Villabassa.
When should you visit Villabassa?
In summer for the cycle path and nearby Lake Braies. In winter as a quiet base for skiing in the Upper Val Pusteria. Spring and autumn let you see the painted centre almost without crowds.
Who was Emma Hellenstainer?
Known as Frau Emma, she is considered the pioneer of tourism in the Upper Val Pusteria. From the mid-nineteenth century she ran the Black Eagle hotel in Villabassa and her cooking set the standard across Tyrol. She was the first hotelier to employ a mountain guide. In 1899 the emperor Franz Joseph awarded her the Gold Cross of Merit.
What are the Baths of Pian di Maia in Villabassa?
They are an old place of cure, Bad Maistatt in German, just south of the village in the woods. Born in the mid-eighteenth century around a spring, they were frequented by the nobility. Beside the spring still stands the chapel of Saint John of Nepomuk.