Castel Trostburg

The chapel is where people stop: painted wooden ceilings and frescoes, dim after the light of the courtyard. Behind the walls a medieval road runs between the stonework, its stones worn by the merchants, pilgrims and soldiers who once came this way into the valley. The museum inside lays out South Tyrol's castles and noble residences in models and reconstructions, so the building ends up explaining its own kind. The yard is a working one, with goats, chickens and a few horses, and the caretaker who shows visitors round comes from a family that has served the castle for generations.

• Guided tour only — the castle is seen with a guide; English speakers are handed a booklet with a photo and description of every room.
• Park below and walk up — the improvised spaces by the walls hold 15–20 cars and are near impossible to leave once full.
• Rain changes everything — the ground by the castle turns to mud, the cobbled climb gets slick, and driving up becomes dangerous.
• Cards work — credit, debit and contactless payments are all accepted.
• Fine with children — goats, chickens and a few horses live in the grounds.

Cars stop in the car park below the castle and the rest is done on foot. The old way up is cobbled and steep, uneven under the sole, and it climbs straight to the gate; a newer paved road covers the same ground and makes the easier way back down. Walkers coming from the village below join the same climb from the bus stop.

Better: a dry day, and Sunday, when the castle stays open through the middle of the day.

Avoid: rain, and Mondays.

Weather decides more here than season. The climb is cobbled and steep, and the ground near the top turns to mud after a downpour, which spoils both the walk and any attempt to drive. On other days the visit has to fit around the midday break, so arriving at the start of a slot leaves room for the climb.