Nestled in the spectacular Puster Valley, San Candido is a market town backed by the rugged peaks of the Dolomites. Also known as Innichen, it’s home to an 8th-century abbey and fascinating natural history museum and is near alpine lakes and year-round outdoor pursuits.
Things to do in San Candido
Admire the Romanesque architecture of the Innichen Abbey, which was founded in the 8th century by Benedictine monks. It’s renowned for its frescoed dome painted with the Stories of Creation, as well as a 13th-century wooden sculpture depicting the church’s patron saints.
Discover the natural history of the UNESCO-listed Dolomites at the DoloMythos Museum, where the geological formation of the mountain range is explored. Learn about the region’s native flora and fauna, get up close to life-size reconstructions of dinosaurs that once roamed the land and listen to local legends illustrating the region’s cultural heritage.
Travelling with kids? Get active at Mount Baranci, which rises above San Candido, by exploring its hiking trails or riding the cable car. Go tobogganing and tubing down the slopes or sharpen your ski skills on the beginner pistes and kids’ cross-country track.
Stroll around the sparkling waters of the Toblacher See, an alpine lake surrounded by towering mountains on the edge of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. Admire the stunning reflections in the water as you trek the signposted nature trail while learning about the lake’s geomorphology, plant life and migratory bird species.
Getting around San Candido
San Candido is around 1.5 hours’ drive from Bolzano Airport or two hours from Innsbruck Airport in neighbouring Austria. Trains connect to destinations across northern Italy from the San Candido Innichen railway station, while the town is compact enough to explore on foot.