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There are different ways of getting to know a place, its history, its nature and its culture. For example, by speaking with people, reading or listening. Or, indeed, by simply setting out on foot, looking, marvelling and letting it all sink it. In Sexten there is an especially lovely option for getting warm and rediscovering things: the Sexten circular – popular for 20 years and now with a new look.
In Sexten, the first trail leads along the Sexten circular trail, which, appropriately, is marked as trail no. 1. For two decades, this walking and hiking classic has run once around Sexten. Covering 15.6 km, it links sunny mountainsides with shady forests and leads to special places and viewing points. The circular trail gives an insight into the history and culture of the village, opens up views of the unique natural landscape and tells of the people, customs and life in the mountains. After its redesign, more than ever today the popular trail counts as a must-do for anyone exploring Sexten or wishing to enjoy the special atmosphere along the way.
The Sexten circular trail is not a sporting challenge, but rather an invitation to contemplate, observe and understand. Anyone walking the route will feel, step by step, what Sexten, its landscape and its people are all about. Whether you hike the entire circuit in about five hours or just choose a short section for a walk with the family, every individual can decide their own tempo. And also, how far the trail will take you. The entry and exit points are spread out in such a way that the circular trail begins or ends practically in front of every front door, be it near the “Metzbonk”, the “Mühlenhof” or the “Zurtschnerhof”.
The different points along the way tell stories, share knowledge and bring Sexten’s past to life. For example, you can discover how nowadays the stone used to build the old fortress of Haideck lives on in a completely different location. If you pay attention as you hike, you learn about the ruin’s destruction – and find the same stones later in the village, built into the famous Sexten “Dance of Death” at the parish church. The trail runs past the stone walls near the Lanerhof farms and through the sparse larch forests that are so typical of the valley. As they go, families can immerse themselves in the world of the smugglers on the Helm mountain or find out more about the Drei Zinnen nature park, which is part of the Dolomites UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, at the Mühlenhof.
Opening on 5th June 2026