Mendola pass. “You’re spoiled for choice, but for a less demanding trip, I would recommend this trail. If you want to walk a bit, you can choose this other itinerary. If you want, however, there is also a chairlift”. Lively, friendly, prepared Edoardo Grossi, 19 years old from Ronzone, enrolled in the first year of Economics in Bolzano and assistant for the months of July and August at the Passo Mendola info point, responds with a wealth of information to Edoardo Salvador and Lorena Bincoletto, from Como on holiday in Coredo in Valle di Non, who ask for advice on an easy trip. Those like them who come from Trentino join the small army of tourists who, every day, climb by bike, motorbike, or car the 15 hairpin bends that from Appiano or Caldaro lead to 1,363 metres above sea level; or with the funicular that from the locality of Sant’Antonio, above Caldaro, reaches the pass in 12 minutes; and then crowds the paths of Mount Roen and Penegal.
All the tourist operators agree that the season started badly because of the weather but continued great. And if they say so, who usually “cry”, you have to believe it. “Eight out of ten – explains Grossi – of those who stop to ask for information are German; then Italians obviously, but also Belgians and French”.
Satisfied Thomas Cristelli and Jessica Donà, owners of the Catinaccio restaurant, which is celebrating 50 years of business: «The quality of the clientele has increased. Made up of cyclists, motorcyclists, families: all willing to spend more than in the past. It’s going well, we’re happy».
Opposite is the sportswear shop “Walter” named after the owner Walter Amplatz: «It’s good; there are lots of people: in July and August we made up for a season that had started badly due to bad weather».
Right at the top of the climb, when the road finally flattens out, there is what was once the Dolomiti hotel and is now a restaurant: “July and August – Andreas Morandell and Yanet Camejo Nieves assure – went very well. Thanks to the funicular, tourists come from all over the world”.
Just passing tourism
Although the area has great potential – on one side there is the Oltradige, on the other the Val di Non and then through the Palade pass you can go down to Lana – the Mendola lives on a tourism of passage, because the large historic hotels have closed for some time. The only active one is the Penegal hotel, on top of the mountain of the same name.
“We – explains Morandell – have 15 rooms, but we haven’t been a hotel for years. We worked well until the Catholic University of Milan was there, which organized a series of courses here and people stayed for several days. To start up again as a hotel, we would need big investments”.
The relaunch
Periodically there is talk of reviving the area, but then the old hotels – from the “Caldaro” to the three complexes originally owned by the Cattolica of Milan – continue to remain closed. “Things are changing, however,” promises Donato Seppi, mayor of Ruffré, “along Passo della Mendola, properties are being snapped up and this gives hope for the future. The three Cattolica complexes, including the little church, have been purchased by a company made up of Italian and foreign entrepreneurs, who are evaluating how to exploit the immense volume. One hypothesis involves creating a Center of Excellence for the rehabilitation of athletes in particular, with a hotel next door. In addition to the tourist interest in the area, there is also that of those who aim to settle here, also because prices are lower than in Bolzano. Villa Camille, built in 1886 by the wealthy Bolzano banker Sigismund Schwarz, was purchased for one million euros. A sum with which in Gries you can buy little more than an apartment. The new owner has restored it to come and live there. As a Municipality, we sold two plots of land at auction for 180 thousand euros each; more than we had expected. The former Villa Alpina, a summer camp run in the past by nuns, was also sold recently».
The mayor explains the interest in Mendola as follows: «It is in the municipality of Ruffrè, therefore in Trentino, but the South Tyroleans consider it a last piece of Alto Adige. Therefore, where they feel at home. Also because in 12 minutes you can go from Caldaro to the pass; then in Ruffrè we have strengthened the German language in the nursery and kindergarten. Result? Lots of registrations. We don’t know where to put the children anymore».
2024-08-18 06:03:03