From white to green
If you are spending Easter in South Tyrol's Pustertal Valley, you should definitely be sporty and have some sports equipment with you: Skis for the Kronplatz ski area, golf clubs for the GC Pustertal, bicycles for the designated bike trails and sporty clothing for the Falkensteiner Hotel, which is one of the Leading Hotels of the World with 5 stars, but with its ski-in ski-out, golf and indoor sports facilities, it can easily pass for a sports hotel. Elsa-Maria Honecker tried out the fact that skiing and golf are still possible after Easter.
Archaic and selective - Plan de Corones
With its snow-white summit, it towers high above the towns of Bruneck, Olang and St. Vigil and crowns the Pustertal with its ski paradise at 2275 meters. Even if you are a die-hard Superski Dolomiti fan and have already skied all the UNESCO World Heritage routes, Kronplatz still has a few surprises in store: Between the 121 runs, there are also the "Black Five" - 5 black slopes, which are perfectly groomed but can also be tackled by those of us with a little adrenaline. In total, you have the choice of 31 modern lifts and lots of huts, from rustic to classy. Sporty culture freaks will of course not want to miss the Messner Museum Corones or the LUMEN Museum on the mountain peak. The former displays exhibits by important mountaineering legends, while the LUMEN shows the best mountain photos as well as paintings by local artists. Apre Ski is then unmistakably available at the valley station, where you can catch the last rays of sunshine before stretching your tired legs on the Falkensteiner bus.
"Coming Home" at the Falkensteiner Kronplatz
The bus ride from the Kronplatz valley station in Reischach to the hotel takes just three minutes. Star architect Matteo Thun has created a real design jewel here, which is visible from afar with its special wooden architecture. As you enter, you are greeted by a brightly colored tree in the middle of the lobby, which is furnished with exquisite velvet chairs. The well-stocked bar and adjoining restaurant with the "7Summit" concept are located immediately afterwards. Inspired by the highest peaks in Europe, traditional dishes from these regions are combined with culinary highlights from South Tyrolean cuisine, as well as spices and flavors from Alpine regions. The afternoon snack in particular is highly appreciated by skiers, golfers, bikers and wellness fans alike, because you can also come here in a bathrobe or leisure suit. Despite the 5-star luxury, the motto here is "casual". The hotel sees itself as a home for athletes and this is also evident in the 97 rooms and suites, where the yoga mat, wall bars, dumbbells and medicine ball are already waiting. This certainly doesn't detract from the feel-good aspect and the interior, which is color-coordinated according to the seasons, adds to this. We stayed in Green and were constantly reminded of our hobby with golf club decorations on the floors. But an "Experience Concierge" will also advise you on other sports options.
A refuge in itself - the Aquapura Summit SPA
Even though the hotel is an Eldorado for sports enthusiasts, everyone will be drawn to the "sacred spaces" of the spa, which has its own 5-storey building. The first floor houses the reception with lounge, a spacious fitness and separate yoga and exercise room, two relaxation rooms (called Gartenstube and Berggestein), eight treatment rooms and a separate private spa with sauna and its own hammam. Above this is the 25-metre sports pool, which shines in the summer meadow, and on the second floor you will finally find the bio sauna and two terraces with magnificent views of the mountains and valley. But that's not all, because the highlight with panoramic sauna and rooftop pool is located above that and at the very top, on the 5th floor, you can relax in comfortable loungers as the sun sets. A day can end so beautifully!
From white to green
The best view of the Pustertal Valley with its towns of Bruneck, Olang and St. Vigil is of course from Kronplatz. What could be more natural than to visit the medieval town of Bruneck. Especially when the snow is heavy at midday and the slopes have run out. So into the old town of Bruneck! Through one of the old town gates we reach the charming town alley, where small stores selling South Tyrolean ham and all kinds of fashion stores as well as cozy cafés and bars invite you to stroll around. At the town hall square, we came across the annual Easter market with all kinds of homemade products, art, flower arrangements and Easter gift ideas. As skiers, we first had to get used to the spring-like temperatures. As golfers, we were delighted.
9 holes at the GC Pustertal
You should actually be able to see the course from Kronplatz, as it gave its name to the first 4 holes, which were opened in 1993. The next 6 holes were then built near the sports field in Reischach and in 2005 the course became the 9-hole GC Pustertal. However, it remains to be seen when the next 9 holes will be built. What we particularly liked here: hole 2 with a small dogleg and water in front of the green, thanks for the PAR on hole 3 (par 3), a short rest before the ascent on hole 4 in an old cable car chair and a dogleg followed by a narrow fairway and water on hole 5. We had to climb quite a bit to hole 6 and then get through the forest to hole 7. Here you are rewarded with a great tee shot into the valley if you don't end up in the bunker landscape. The 8th offers a birdie opportunity at the end before the tee shot on the 9th offers a bit of a challenge again, as it is narrow through the trees and meets a dogleg to the left, with bunkers waiting in front of the green. Our verdict: Definitely worth a round, especially as the golf course received the "Impegnati nel verde" environmental certification from the Italian Golf Federation (FIG) in the area of energy back in 2016.
Further information:
The Kronplatz ski area is part of the Dolomiti Superski Karisssell, is also connected to the Sellaronda with the "Piculin" lift and is one of the "Best Ski Resorts 2023". The lifts are open until April 14.
www.kronplatz.com www.falkensteiner.com/hotel-kronplatz www.bruneck.travel www.golfpustertal.com
Text & photos: Elsa Honecker
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