Leifers/Laives

Only a few minutes away from Bolzano, in the middle of the rural peace and surrounded by vineyards and apple plantations, is the idyllic but nevertheless lively small town of Leifers.

In the South Tyrolean lowlands, between the breathtaking mountain world of the eastern Dolomites, the wooded lake district of Überetsch and the lively bustle of Bolzano, southern Mediterranean flair and rural idyll meet in Leifers.

Where once there was a small settlement of the Raetians, an ancient people of the middle Alps, today the fourth largest municipality of South Tyrol stretches out. It is made up of the smaller district of St. Jakob, which borders directly on Bolzano, as well as Steinmannwald and the mountain village of Seit, and is one of the few municipalities in which Italian is predominantly spoken. If you come to Leifers, you won't be able to miss the characteristic "Leiferer dialect": a mixture of traditional South Tyrolean German with Austro-Hungarian influences (from those times when South Tyrol was still part of Austria) and the Trientner Italian.

During a stroll through the village centre, you can visit the Parrkirche in Leifer, which will surprise you with its architectural mix of old and new as well as contemporary art: While the extension dates back to 2004, the church tower, which was built in 1250, has a real history. Also worth a visit is the town's landmark - the Peterköfele Chapel - which also adorns the town's coat of arms and was once the church of Lichtenstein Castle. Of the medieval castle from the 12th century, only small remains of walls are left, but the chapel is completely preserved. The little sister of Bozen/Bolzano awaits you all year round with numerous cultural highlights such as the popular Leiferer Karneval, the Köfelefest and the traditional Törggelen.

Countless leisure activities await you especially in the area around the Brantental: The surroundings around Seit, on the Leiferer local mountain Breitenberg, and the sunny Leiferer Höhenweg are ideal for relaxed hikes. Passionate cyclists and mountain bikers can cycle all the way to Deutschnofen on the Dolomites or along the Etschtal cycle path, past apple orchards, to Bolzano, Merano, Trento or even to Lake Garda.