Moments of delight between the peaks
What would a hike or mountain bike tour be without stopping at a mountain hut? Anyone spending the summer in Carezza is truly spoilt for choice. Around almost every corner, you'll find beautifully located alpine retreats where you can recharge your batteries while surrounded by breathtaking scenery. Each hut has its own unique character, yet they all share two things in common: a passion for outstanding cuisine prepared with high-quality regional ingredients and spectacular views of the majestic Rosengarten and Latemar mountain ranges.
1. Paolina Hut
Building Paolina Hut at an altitude of 2,125 metres in the early 1950s was undoubtedly a bold decision by Sepp and Anna Pichler. Yet they already had the vision that the construction of the chairlift would attract hikers and mountaineers, turning this spot into a popular destination. They were right. From the very beginning, Paolina Hut has become a favourite meeting place for everyone who loves the mountains.
Its enduring popularity is due not only to Hermann Pichler, who continues the Paolina legacy with great passion together with his wife Martha and their son Hannes, but also to its exceptional location next to the upper station of the Paolina chairlift. From here, visitors can set off on some of the region's most spectacular adventures: the famous Rosengarten circuit, the scenic Hirzelsteig trail, or the Masarè and Rotwand via ferratas.
The hut's reputation extends far beyond the Dolomites. Even distinguished guests have fallen in love with this special place, including German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who has stopped here on two occasions to enjoy Paolina's specialities prepared with fresh ingredients from Eggental while admiring the imposing backdrop of the Rosengarten.
As the afternoon draws to a close and the chairlift comes to a stop, a peaceful silence settles over the mountains. It is at this moment that Paolina Hut reveals its most enchanting side. With three four-bed rooms and two double rooms, it offers hikers on multi-day treks and via ferrata enthusiasts the opportunity to spend the night in the mountains and set off again early the next morning.
Sunrise and sunset are particularly magical here, rewarding overnight guests with unforgettable moments that few others ever experience. "I've hiked in many beautiful places," says Martha Pichler, "but nowhere is more beautiful than here." Even after all these years, she never tires of the landscape surrounding the hut. Whenever she has the time, she chooses to walk instead of taking the chairlift, hiking up to the hut and back down into the valley with her camera always close at hand. How many photographs she has taken of Paolina Hut against the magnificent Rosengarten skyline over the years? Even Martha can't say. "Countless," she smiles.
2. Ladritscher Hof
When Empress Elisabeth of Austria – better known as Sisi – spent her summer holidays at the Grand Hotel Carezza in the late 19th century, her favourite walking trail led directly past the Ladritscher Hof. Back then, at an altitude of 1,523 metres on the sun-drenched slopes beneath the majestic Rosengarten massif, there was no place for hikers to stop for refreshments. Today, however, one of the area's oldest farmsteads, whose history dates back to the 13th century, has become one of the most popular mountain farm inns in Eggental.
"It all developed quite naturally," says Andreas Obkircher, who took over the family farm from his parents more than twenty years ago. "In the past, hikers would often stop by asking for a glass of buttermilk and a slice of speck." It soon became clear to Andreas that the small mountain farm, which traditionally relied on livestock farming and forestry, could be complemented by a farm inn as a second source of income.
Many of the dishes on the menu are prepared using ingredients produced directly on the farm. Meat from the farm's pigs and suckler cattle is used in a variety of specialities, including the homemade burger, which has become a firm favourite among guests.
From the beginning of June until All Saints' Day, the farm Ladritscher Hof welcomes hikers and mountain bikers looking to relax while enjoying breathtaking views of the Latemar. "We're on the sunny side of the valley and enjoy daylight until late in the evening," Andreas explains. That is precisely why the Ladritscher Hof – which now also offers two holiday apartments – is the perfect place to light up the barbecue.
This tradition, too, evolved naturally. What started as barbecues with friends has grown into the popular Grill & Chill evenings. Every Friday throughout the summer, Andreas and his team prepare slow-smoked spare ribs, Florentine steaks and smoked trout in their smoker. As the evening sun paints the Latemar in glowing shades of red, live music fills the air and, with a little luck, the moon rises above the mountain ridge. These are the unforgettable moments that make a holiday in Eggental truly special.
3. Malga Hagner Hut
Whenever Hansi Kafmann talks about cheese, his eyes begin to sparkle. Not simply because the cheeses produced at Malga Hagner Hut have won awards and impressed countless juries over the years, but because cheese-making is his true passion. "In the old days," he explains, "every alpine pasture made its own cheese." Back when the mountain trails were long and demanding, milk had to be processed during the summer before the cheese could be carried down into the valley and sold in autumn.
Hansi himself only started producing cheese at his alpine dairy around twenty years ago – and judging by the enthusiastic response from his guests, it was one of the best decisions he ever made. "Almost everyone who stops by takes a piece of cheese home," he says. For him, that is perhaps the greatest compliment and the best reward for the dedication and care that go into every wheel.
Anyone visiting Malga Hagner Hut discovers a place where time seems to stand still. Situated at 1,550 metres above sea level, with magnificent views of the Rosengarten and Latemar massifs, people and animals live here in harmony with nature. The farm inn serves a variety of homemade specialities, prepared with products from the farm itself. Although Hagner Alm is easily accessible from the Niger Pass – even for families with pushchairs, thanks to the almost level approach – cars are not allowed here. Instead, hikers and mountain bikers can include the alpine hut, whose history dates back to the 16th century, in everything from leisurely walks to more demanding mountain tours.
Anyone taking the time to chat with Hansi quickly understands why he calls Malga Hagner Hut "the most beautiful place on the Rosengarten." Along the way, visitors also gain fascinating insights into the art of traditional cheese-making. Every year, around a dozen grazing cows produce approximately 25,000 litres of milk, which Hansi transforms into about 2,500 kilograms of cheese in ten different varieties.
"You can compare it to winemaking," Hansi explains. While large-scale production has to be standardised, handcrafted products need time, patience and individual attention to develop their own distinctive character. That is why, even after decades of experience, cutting open a newly matured wheel of cheese is always an exciting moment. "Every wheel," Hansi says with a smile, "has its own unique flavour."
4. Malga Latmor Alm
The cows grazing in front of Malga Latmor Alm do not ask for much. Fresh water, salt licks and a little care are all they need – and that is exactly what Klemens Gruber and his team provide every day.
In 2024, Klemens decided to take over the lease of the newly built alpine hut at an altitude of around 1,900 metres. "With everything that belongs to a real mountain hut," he says with a smile. While the cows peacefully graze outside, Klemens dedicates himself to the kitchen, which has earned an outstanding reputation not only among visitors, but also with the local community.
"We only use natural ingredients," Klemens explains, describing his culinary philosophy, which completely avoids artificial colours and preservatives. Guests asking for a cola are instead served sparkling mineral water with homemade cola herb syrup. The meat comes from the family's own farm in Deutschnofen / Nova Ponente, while fruit and vegetables are supplied by local farmers participating in the "Eggental Taste Local" project.
Using these carefully selected ingredients, Klemens creates fresh, creative and exceptionally delicious dishes, served throughout the summer on the sunny terrace surrounded by a picture-perfect alpine landscape. Even the bread served at Malga Latmor Alm is now baked in-house. It is made with carefully chosen ingredients, given all the time it needs to rise, and crafted with traditional baking skills to achieve a perfectly crisp crust.
There are plenty of culinary reasons to stop at Malga Latmor Alm after hiking through the Latemar Labyrinth or completing a mountain bike tour around Karer Pass. Yet it is not only the food and the breathtaking scenery that make this place so special – it is also the unique atmosphere. Written in chalk on a blackboard is a sentence that perfectly reflects the spirit of the hut: "Happiness is not a destination – it's a way of life." Watching Klemens and his team at work, you can feel that philosophy come to life in every single moment.
5. Laurins Lounge
For many first-time visitors to the Rosengarten, the first glimpse of Laurins Lounge is simply breathtaking. Not because the climb is particularly demanding – in fact, reaching South Tyrol's highest panoramic terrace at 2,334 metres couldn't be more comfortable. From Tires or Nova Levante, the modern gondola lifts of the Carezza hiking and skiing area effortlessly transport guests more than 1,000 vertical metres into the heart of the Dolomites.
Since the summer of 2021, Reini Hinteregger and his team have been welcoming visitors from around the world. Many stop by simply to enjoy a drink, others come for lunch, one of the many special events, or the almost legendary Laurins Brunch, served every morning by reservation.
Whatever guests choose, one thing is certain: the kitchen team at Laurins Lounge is passionately committed to quality and regional ingredients. Single-use packaging is consistently avoided, while supplies are transported to the mountain by gondola. Even the vegetables come directly from the Bergler Acker, a community farming project in Tiers, where local produce is cultivated with great passion.
"If we have the privilege of living and working in such an extraordinary landscape, it's only natural that we want to help protect it," says Reini, describing the philosophy behind Laurins Lounge.
There are countless reasons why Laurins Lounge has become one of the favourite places in Eggental. There's the inviting menu, featuring regional specialities prepared with creativity and care. There's the spectacular terrace, set directly beneath the towering cliffs of the Rosengarten. And for anyone who feels like balancing out the culinary indulgence with a little exercise, there are plenty of options.
Guests can hike up or down to the lounge on foot, enjoy the almost level alpine walk along the Hirzelsteig, one of South Tyrol's most scenic high-altitude trails, or – for those with good fitness and sure-footedness – embark on the unforgettable circuit around the Rosengarten massif.
Laurins Lounge is much more than a mountain restaurant. It is a place where outstanding cuisine, genuine South Tyrolean hospitality and one of the most spectacular panoramic settings in the Dolomites come together to create an unforgettable mountain experience.
6. Stadlalm
"My mum bakes the best cakes in the world," says Andreas Kircher with a mischievous smile and unmistakable pride. And he has every reason to be proud – at the age of 88, his mother still spends every day mixing batter and baking fresh cakes in the oven.
But delicious homemade cakes are only one of the reasons why the farm Stadlalm has become such a popular stop for hikers and mountain bikers. Surrounded by breathtaking views of both the Rosengarten and the Latemar, the setting feels nothing short of idyllic. "You can reach us on foot in about an hour from Welschnofen, Lake Carezza or Obereggen," explains Andreas, who, together with his family, built the mountain farm, its traditional farm inn and four holiday apartments around twenty years ago.
Stadlalm is one of only a handful of Arche Farms in South Tyrol dedicated to preserving endangered traditional livestock breeds. Dark honeybees, Zackel sheep, Pustertaler Sprinzen cattle and Sulmtaler chickens all find a home here. As a result, most of the ingredients used in the kitchen come directly from the farm itself. Salads, vegetables and herbs are harvested from the large, lovingly tended, sun-filled garden.
It's hard to imagine the Dolomites tasting any better. And when Andreas serves his venison goulash, prepared from deer he has personally hunted, it quickly becomes clear that he is proud not only of his mother's famous cakes, but also of everything he and his family have created here with passion, dedication and hard work over the years.
