The Resia Pass, near the Stelvio Pass, is famous for its artificial lake and the most photographed bell tower in Italy. Unmissable stop among the many itineraries of South Tyrol and Switzerland.
The itinerary is also suitable for beginners due to its simplicity of execution thanks to the never demanding road. An obligatory passage for those passing through the area, even if it is often very crowded by now.
| Altitude (meters above sea level) | 1.504 |
| Length | 40 Km |
| connection | Malles Venosta - Pfunds Martina |
| Number of hairpin bends | 10 from Martina (CH) 17 |
| What to see in the surroundings | Sturmann's cave in Obermaiselstein |
| Typical dishes of the area | Apple strudel, barley soup, dumplings, goulash, Strauben |
| Winter closure | No. |
| Road conditions and notes | Very good condition |
Content index
The Resia Lake
There were three in the vicinity of the Resia Pass lakes natural sites: Lake Resia, Lake Curon and Lake San Valentino alla Muta. The construction of a large dam in 1950 unified the first two lakes and submerged the ancient town of Curon Venosta: 163 houses and 523 hectares of land planted with fruit were submerged. The basin of the current lake was born, from which the upper part of the old Curon bell tower still emerges (grain) and is the only remaining and still visible part of the primitive Romanesque structure dating back to 1357 which included the church of Santa Caterina d'Alessandria and its bell tower. During the cold season, when the lake freezes, the bell tower is within walking distance. A legend tells that on some winter days the bells would still be heard, but they were removed from the bell tower on 18 July 1950.
Itinerary
We choose to face the pass from the northern side, starting from Martina and proceeding towards northeast da MartinsbruckerStr./B185 to Martinsbruck to be able to enjoy eleven hairpin bends and a beautiful series of curves. The street will then take the name of ReschenStraße/B180 and will take us straight to Lake Resia, where a stop with a souvenir photo with the bell tower as a background is a must. In Resia we continue on the SS40 up to Malles Venosta, our point of arrival, but an excellent stage of conjunction if you want to proceed, for example, towards the Pass of the Stelvio or Pennes Pass.
