Merano Waal Circuit

The Waalwege in South Tyrol have become popular hiking trails today.

The Waalwege in the west of South Tyrol have a long tradition and can be walked all year round. In the sun-drenched and therefore dry areas of Vinschgau and Merano, the irrigation of the fields and fields had to be guaranteed under all circumstances. Therefore, the farmers joined together and built an artificial canal, the "Waal", which conducted the water from a stream - often over many kilometers - to the agricultural land.

The construction of the earliest Waal is lost in the darkness of history, the name is derived from the Latin "aqualis" or Celtic "buol". The Waal was led in a slight slope and rock obstacles were overcome by short tunnels and steep walls with wooden channels, so-called Kandeln. Some Waal guides are downright adventurous. Along the Waal usually ran a narrow path, the "Waalweg", which served the commissioner, the "Waaler", for control and maintenance.

On the "Meraner Waalrunde" you can experience about 80 km of "Waal-Rundweg" in a very relaxed way. A total of eleven Waal trails lead you through an enchantingly rippling natural landscape: the Algunder Waalweg, the Kuenser Waalweg, the Waalweg Riffian, the Maiser Waalweg, the Schenner Waalweg, the Brandiswaalweg in Lana, the Tschermser Waalweg, the Marlinger Waalweg, the Partschinser Waalweg, the Rablander Waalweg and the Wallburgweg in Naturns.

A continuous marking, with the number 24, makes orientation easy and again and again cozy Buschenschänke and inns invite you to stop for a break. The Waalwege themselves run without any significant gradient, many places are secured by railings on steep slopes. The connections between the individual Waalwege are mostly beautiful hiking trails, sometimes a steep section, this can be avoided by listed variants or a bus connection.

In eight stages you can circumnavigate the entire vacation region Meraner Land and at each stage the Waalweg access is conveniently possible.
The Meraner Waalrunde can thus also be walked in individual daily stages to take plenty of time for the many sights along the way.