Castle Casanova/Neuhaus in Gais

South Tyrol is a land rich in castles. Ancient vestiges of the past have arrived to us well-preserved and almost intact to tell us distant and fascinating stories, in their language of stone and wood.

Castle Casanova overlooks the village of Gais, at the entrance of the Valle Aurina, not far away from Valdaora.
This castle surrounded by the woods, has been a scene for many happenings, among which the bloody struggles between the lords of Taufers and those of Rodank. Nevertheless, it isn’t only dismal clang of arms that has echoed within its walls, but also the poets’ odes. Indeed, at different time, this castle was residence of Oswald von Wolkenstein and of the American Ezra Pound.

Now, Castle Casanova/Neuhaus in Gais harbors numerous cultural initiatives: art exhibitions, musical events, and theater performances. To reach it, you just have to climb from Gais to the castle, along an easy path. Then you can finish your walk, by descending towards the village Villa Ottone, and going through a route that will lead you to the starting point. The path is easy and suitable even for children. It can be completed in nearly two hours and a half, and it is 5 km long with an altitude gap of 150 m.